Ipswich Town won 3-0 at Barnsley last night. STUART WATSON reflects on the action.
UP FOR THE FIGHT
Barnsley came into this game still very much in the top-two race. They’d won nine in a row at Oakwell, including the significant scalps of Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday.
As this game reached the midway stage of the first half, it was clear that this all-conquering 2023 version of Ipswich were facing their toughest challenge yet.
Michael Duff’s men were playing with aggression and intensity. They pressed high and often forced Ipswich to go long. A string of crosses entered the Blues’ box from a well-connected left side.
MORE: Watch Andy Warren and Stuart Watson's video verdict.
Town players stood up to the physical test though and, despite being penned in for long spells, still managed to create the better chances.
Massimo Luongo’s dipping effort from the corner of the box struck the underside of the crossbar after 10 minutes, while George Hirst smashed a close-range shot across the face of goal not long after the half hour.
“We knew that if we saw that challenging period out that they wouldn’t be able to maintain that intensity, spaces would open up more and we’d control the game more,” said Kieran McKenna afterwards.
SET-PIECE KINGS
It really can’t be underestimated just how important Ipswich’s set-piece record has been this season.
Again, it was a dead ball that led to the breaking of the deadlock here.
Harry Clarke’s long throw led to Town winning their first corner of the game in the 44th minute. Leif Davis’ delivery from the right was met beyond the near post by Nathan Broadhead and his glancing header squirmed past keeper Harry Isted.
MORE: Andy Warren's player ratings following Town's 3-0 win at Barnsley.
That’s 26 set-piece goals for the season – five more than anyone else in League One.
Barnsley came into this game with the second-best offensive set-piece record in the division and joint second-best defensive set-piece record.
“We knew if we came out even on set-plays we'd have a chance,” said McKenna. “Winning 1-0 on the set-play battle gave us a real chance with the other threats we have.”
HIRST’S HUNGER
Town’s quickfire second, scored deep into first half stoppage-time, was the very definition of a ‘proper centre-forward's goal’.
Following Davis’ high clearance upfield, Hirst was left in a straight battle with centre-back Mads Andersen as the ball dropped just over the halfway line.
Andersen, remember, has just been named in the League One Team of the Year. He’s 6ft 4in tall and mobile.
But Hirst won the initial grapple, recovered his footing, drove forwards, repeatedly swatted Andersen away with a strong left arm, shunted the late arriving Liam Kitching back with his juggernaut momentum and then showed remarkable composure to arrow a shot into the net from just inside the box.
Strength, pace and finesse - it was a wonderful goal that stuck a dagger in the heart of the home side at a crucial moment.
Can the Leicester loanee can be signed on a permanent basis this summer? Fingers crossed. The possibility of the Foxes getting relegated into the Championship could be a potential wrinkle.
STAYING COMPOSED
Wes Burns’ dart inside from the right saw him bundle his way past a couple of players and have his heels clipped in the box. Referee Ben Toner, after a bit of thinking time, eventually pointed to the point.
Just like in the home game against Port Vale recently, the opposition deployed delaying tactics. Broadhead was again the man to step up. This time his powerful strike was too central and keeper Isted saved.
That livened up the Barnsley crowd. A few minutes later, a bottle was thrown on the pitch towards Christian Walton.
The atmosphere was heating up, but Ipswich players kept their heads.
Luke Woolfenden stood up well to big Serbian sub Slobodan Tedic. Cameron Burgess made a brilliantly-timed slide tackle on Devante Cole in the box.
Town’s two centre-halves, for the second game in a row, were immense.
GOING FOR GOLD
There had been a lot of talk about James Norwood potentially coming back to haunt his former club in the build-up.
The colourful striker caught Davis with a flailing arm early on, charged about, had the odd threatening moment, but ultimately cut a frustrated figure when subbed in the second half (before heading straight down the tunnel).
Instead, it was Barnsley who were stung by an ex.
Conor Chaplin was sold to Ipswich after he’d helped Barnsley to a fifth-place Championship finish in 2021.
After celebrating a free-kick goal against them at Portman Road last August, he said: “Barnsley have a policy of buying and selling players and they don't have many loyalties to players at that football club.”
He enjoyed this one – a cool lob over the stranded keeper to seal victory in the 81st minute - even more.
Chaplin moves onto 27 goals for the season across all competitions – matching Daryl Murphy’s total from the 2014/15 season.
He's now just one behind Jonson Clarke-Harris in the race for the Golden Boot.
WE'VE COME A LONG WAY TOGETHER
The sight of 4,855 fans packed into the big one-tier away end, 186 miles from Ipswich in midweek, was inspiring enough for the players. The noise they made, however, was spine-tingling.
During a break in play during the first half the decibel levels went up several notches.
For the second time in four days, it felt like Ipswich were playing at home.
The joyous Blue Army, who didn’t have train travel back to Suffolk as an option, went through their full repertoire of songs during the closing stages.
I stood and soaked that up at the final whistle, beaming ear to ear.
There have probably been many moments over the last decade when Town's most loyal supporters have questioned their own sanity given the time and money invested in following a club that has delivered so many false dawns.
Nights like this, however, make all that previous pain and frustration worthwhile.
NOW FINISH THE JOB
What a night. What a team. What a season.
Ipswich Town, four years into their League One journey, have one foot back in the Championship.
The Blues are unbeaten in 17 league games. They’ve won 12 of their last 13. They’ve only lost four league games all season.
All that’s required now, thanks to an incredible goal difference of +60, is two points from the final two matches.
A win against Exeter City this weekend would guarantee automatic promotion. It would be great if that moment could come at a packed Portman Road.
The fairytale end to this season would be to then go and win at Fleetwood on the final day – hitting 100 points and 100 goals – and pipping Plymouth to the title.
That’s for us to dream about though. McKenna and co, it goes without saying, won’t take their eyes off the ball.
Three more sleeps til Saturday.
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