Ipswich Town 3-1 Cardiff City - Match Report

Ipswich 3-1 City
By Chris O'Brien
August 22 2004

City lost for the second consecutive Championship game with a 3-1 reverse at Portman Road. Alan Lee's second-half equaliser was the only bright moment of a woeful afternoon, with Ipswich Town fully deserving their victory.

Cardiff City slumped to their second consecutive defeat with a poor performance at Portman Road, as Ipswich Town edged their way into the play-off places with a 3-1 victory. Alan Lee's second-half equaliser was not enough for the Bluebirds, with the Suffolk outfit turning on the gas late in the game to secure the three points.

The usually predictable Lennie Lawrence shuffled his lack for the trip to East Anglia. Debuts were handed to Tony Warner and Joel McAnuff, with Martyn Margetson and Lee Bullock dropped to the bench. Rhys Weston also found himself left-out, with Lawrence giving into supporter pressure by starting James Collins at centre-half alongside Robert Page and moving Gabbidon to an unfamiliar right-back role.

Ipswich started brightly and attacked in numbers. Darren Bent went close in the early exchanges, leaving Tony Vidmar for dead with his superior pace before seeing his shot saved by Warner's legs. 21,000 home fans roared on Joe Royle's Ipswich who harbour promotion ambitions this season. Seeing arch-rivals Norwich City making the journey to Old Trafford may just have given them that extra kick ahead of this Championship clash.

The deadlock was broken on 21 minutes, with a clanger from new-boy Warner allowing the Tractor Boys to take the lead. Ipswich's impressive midfielder Kevin Horlock sent an accurate long-ball to Bent who fired a low drive towards goal, which Warner haplessly allowed to squeeze under his arms and into the back of the net. Margetson must have given Lawrence a quick glance as he warmed the substitutes bench.

Town were playing with confidence and the Bluebirds looked shaky, particularly at the back. Lawrence's pack shuffling was ineffective with Gabbidon looking somewhat uncomfortable at right-back. Newcastle United scouts were rumoured to be in attendance, and would have been disappointed to see the Welsh international out of position. Robert Earnshaw was anonymous throughout and Richard Langley proved ineffective, as the Ipswich defence dealt with any minor threat the visitors produced during the opening half.

It could have been more than one goal at the break for the hosts. Dean Bowditch sent a shot narrowly wide of Warner's goal moments before the interval, in a half where the Bluebirds failed to register a shot on target. Former City target Jason De Vos then went close early in the second-half, with his powerful header parried away by Warner from a Horlock corner.

City got on level terms though, an undeserved equaliser coming through Alan Lee on 55 minutes. The Irish international, impressive in recent weeks, showed awareness to latch onto a woeful back pass from Richard Naylor and power his way towards goal before rifling a shot into the top of the net. The strike was Lee's second of the season, and was just what he needed with Peter Thorne very close to returning to match fitness.

The goal gave Ipswich a kick up the backside and they took the game to Cardiff, moving up one or two gears. 12 minutes later they were back in front with Bent crossing for Tommy Miller to drive home and the result was assured five minutes from time with Bent the provider once again as Ian Westlake finished with the aid of the post. Prior to the winning goal, Lawrence had introduced Andy Campbell and Paul Parry in replace of McAnuff and Earnshaw but neither had an impact. Rhys Weston had come on for Gabbidon earlier in the half.

So overall, a very disappointing performance with the result perhaps expected. Next up for City is a League Cup tie away at Kidderminster, and improvements will be needed for the Bluebirds to triumph in the Carling-sponsored competition. It was poor all-round at Portman Road, and Jan Molby's boys may well fancy their chances of a cup upset.

Full Time - Ipswich Town 3-1 Cardiff City
Attendance - 21,828