Ipswich Town 2-1 Peterborough United: Conor Chaplin brace secures win

The Blues weren’t at their fluent best in this encounter but were more adventurous than their visitors for almost the entirety, with Kieran McKenna’s men ultimately coming out on top as they secured what feels like a really important victory. 

Chaplin’s first goal, an excellent header after a little more than 20 minutes, was cancelled out by a Frankie Kent header soon after, with the Blues’ weakness at dealing with balls into the penalty area on display as they were pegged back. 

That looked the most likely root to goal for Posh who, after Chaplin had thumped Ipswich into the lead for a second time on 58 minutes, managed a few threatening moments without being able to find an equaliser for the second time. 

Conor Chaplin put Ipswich Town ahead in the first half (Image: Steve Waller)

Portman Road felt a little edgy in the final minutes of this game, perhaps not unsurprising, given the 97th-minute leveller their side conceded a little over a week ago. 

But the hosts were able to see the contest out, moving the Blues back to the top of the League One table, at least temporarily, ahead of rivals Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday’s games later this afternoon. 

There were a couple of surprises in McKenna’s starting XI, with Sone Aluko going straight into the starting XI as he returned from three months out with a knee injury. 

He lined up in a forward unit including Chaplin, Wes Burns and Kayden Jackson, with Kyle Edwards dropping to the bench alongside Freddie Ladapo. 

Christian Walton started in goal, with a back four of Janoi Donacien, Luke Woolfenden, Cameron Burgess and Leif Davis in front of him, with Sam Morsy and Cameron Humphreys in midfield. 

Frankie Kent equalised for Peterborough (Image: Steve Waller)

For the visitors, former Ipswich striker Jack Marriott started in attack alongside League One’s top scorer, Jonson Clarke-Harris, with Posh switching to a back three. 

The two sides struggled to get into any kind of flow during an opening 15 minutes which included little action but three spells of treatment for Donacien, who eventually left the contest early and was replaced by Kane Vincent-Young. 

Aluko had the game’s first effort on 20, as the attacker struck the ball into the floor and ultimately wide from outside the box, but Ipswich were soon ahead as the contest came to life. 

Chaplin had started the game from the left flank but found the net as he drifted into the right side of the Peterborough penalty area, where the attacker was able to rise and expertly guide his header back across goal and into the far corner as he connected with a neat Morsy cross. 

Town were ahead against a Posh side who had offered little, but they were inches away from an equaliser when Clarke-Harris lined up a free-kick from a little over 30 yards, with the striker thumping his effort off the top of Walton’s bar and away to safety.  

And the visitors’ equaliser did come as Ipswich failed to deal with a second ball into the box, after a corner had been initially cleared, with former Colchester defender Kent wriggling free at the back post to nod past Walton. 

While Town were far from their fluent best, they were able to test the Peterborough box, firstly when Aluko wriggled away down the right and sent in a cross which Lucas Bergstrom needed to hold well, before Morsy tested the Posh keeper with a drive from the edge of the area which the Swede held at the second attempt.  

The sides went in level at the break but the Blues returned with a little more fire in their bellies, looking to make something happen. 

The visitors had the first chance, though, when Clarke-Harris found himself in far too much space at a free-kick, allowing the striker to head at the Ipswich goal and force a save from Walton. 

But, from there, Ipswich took control. Burns came alive down the right and tested the Peterborough back line, with the Blues ultimately forcing a corner which ended up with several Posh players lying on the floor as Chaplin thumped the ball into the back of the net as Ipswich regained the lead. 

Peterborough looked beaten after the second goal hit the back of the net but, after finding their feet, brought a threat again with another ball into the Ipswich box causing trouble as Ronnie Edwards headed narrowly wide of Walton’s goal. 

Clarke-Harris had a header saved before Humphreys saw a shot deflected wide at the other end, before substitute Ladapo had the ball in the net but was flagged offside, after the striker and Burns had followed up an Edwards shot spilled by Bergstrom. 

But Town were able to see the contest out from there, securing three big points. 

Ipswich Town: Walton; Donacien (Vincent-Young, 16), Woolfenden, Burgess. Davis (Leigh, 90+), Morsy, Humphreys, Burns (Keogh 90+), Chaplin, Aluko (Edwards, 77), Jackson (Ladapo, 77) 

Subs: Hladky, Ahadme 

Peterborough United: Bergstrom, Watts (Jones, 85), Butler (Burrows, 68), Kent, Edwards, Taylor, Kyprianou (Fuchs, 68), Ward, Poku, Clarke-Harris, Marriott (Mason-Clarke, 68) 

Subs: Blackmore, Knight, Thompson 

Att: 24,849 (1,230)