Ipswich Town 3-0 Oxford United: Ladapo, Burns and Chaplin strike

Freddie Ladapo and Wes Burns both struck late in the first half to set Ipswich on the way to victory, which ultimately proved to be a comfortable one as Conor Chaplin netted the third in front of a big Boxing Day crowd at Portman Road. 

Town hadn’t reached their fluent best during much of the opening half hour but, slowly but surely, worked themselves on top and were rewarded with two quick goals which swung the contest permanently in their favour. 

Ipswich’s class ultimately told as they got back to winning ways following defeat at Wycombe a week ago, with Kieran McKenna’s men remaining second in the table after automatic promotion rivals Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday both scored late on to win.

Freddie Ladapo gave Ipswich the lead on Boxing Day (Image: Steve Waller) 

Next up for Ipswich is a visit to Portsmouth on Thursday. 

McKenna was able to welcome back several key players, with Janoi Donacien, Luke Woolfenden, Lee Evans and Marcus Harness all making their first starts following injury. 

That meant a defence of Donacien, Woolfenden, Cameron Burgess and Leif Davis, in front of Christian Walton, with Evans joining skipper Sam Morsy in midfield. Wes Burns, Conor Chaplin and Harness were behind central striker Freddie Ladapo. 

An even opening five minutes soon swung in the visitors’ favour, with Djavan Anderson testing Ipswich’s left side before finding himself on the edge of the box a few moments later, when he drove a shot inches wide of Walton’s left post. 

The Town keeper had to be alert again a few seconds later, when a ball in behind nearly set Matty Taylor free, before Walton was able to smother the forward and turn the ball behind for a corner which Burgess dealt with well. 

Walton was called into action again when Billy Bodin crashed a low shot at goal from range, which was pushed away as the Blues struggled to deal with their visitors during the early exchanges.

Wes Burns scored Ipswich Town's second goal against Oxford United (Image: Steve Waller) 

A break in play, which saw Marcus Brown receive treatment before being replaced by James Henry, came at the right time for Ipswich, who soon found themselves on the attack with an unexpected corner, when Elliott Moore failed to head back to his goalkeeper and instead behind. Sadly, though, Ipswich couldn’t produce from a set-piece which headed with treatment for Sam Long, following a clash of heads with Burgess. Town’s masked man was fine. 

Oxford went close again when Taylor fired a shot into the side-netting, with the visiting fans thinking it had gone in, before Ipswich’s first big opening of the afternoon saw Ladapo head straight at goalkeeper Ed McGinty, after Davis and Harness had combined to win a corner. 

Town weren’t at their fluent best but, slowly but surely, had worked their way into the game and were soon rewarded with the opening goal as the game changed rapidly. 

Ladapo scored it, ultimately turning home as he pounced after McGinty spilled Chaplin’s shot, after good work down the right saw Woolfenden stride forward and Harness make space to deliver the ball into the box. 

The goal rocked Oxford and the Ipswich lead was soon doubled, this time Burns turning home with an excellent volley as he met a Davis corner at the near post to fire home. 

Ipswich continued to push for the rest of the half and forced a succession of corners, before returning on the front foot at the start of the second period, with Harness soon firing over the top after excellent work from Morsy opened things up for Burns to cross. 

Burns was involved in Town’s next chance, which saw him head wide under pressure from Ciaran Brown as he met a Davis cross, with the Ipswich man wanting a penalty but seeing his claims waved away by referee Will Finnie. 

McKenna’s first change saw Harness taken off and replaced by Aluko, with the returning attacker receiving a standing ovation as he left the pitch, before Jackson replaced Ladapo. 

Burns then had his second penalty appeal of the game turned away, as he went down under pressure from Brown, before another break in play saw Marcus McGuane received treatment before being passed fit to carry on. 

Town surely had the game won, even before Chaplin netted goal number three as he collected an excellent Aluko ball to slam home, with three goals securing three points and sending a big crowd home with smiles on their faces. 

Ipswich Town: Walton; Donacien, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis; Morsy, Evans (Humphreys, 83); Burns (Vincent-Young, 83), Chaplin (Edwards, 83), Harness (Aluko, 66); Ladapo (Jackson, 72) 

Subs: Hladky, Edmundson

Oxford United: McGinty, Long, Moore, Findlay, Brown, Brannagan, McGuane (Goodrham, 89_, Brown (Henry, 15 (Wildschut, 59)), Anderson (J Murphy, 46), Taylor (O'Donkor, 59), Bodin 

Subs: Mousinho, Seddon

Att: 28,072 (550 Oxford fans)