Ipswich Town dug deep to earn an impressive 2-1 win against Sunderland at Portman Road, picking up three points for the first time since since December 12th.
The Blues fell behind to a thunderous strike from Jack Clarke, but they were quick to reply through Kayden Jackson. Conor Chaplin headed home from a free-kick with 15 minutes to play to seal the victory, sending his side back to second in the Championship.
Aji Alese was involved from the start, beating Harry Clarke down the left before firing a low cross into the box. Ipswich cleared as far as Jobe Bellingham, who forced a good save from Vaclav Hladky. Trai Hume was quick to fire the ball back into the box from the right, but Alese couldn’t convert from close range.
Town launched a similar attack in the eighth minute as Wes Burns was played into space down the right. His cross provided Jackson with a chance for an easy tap-in, but the striker couldn’t get a touch on it as it rolled out for a throw-in.
The momentum dropped soon after, but the hosts sparked into life in the 15th minute as Leif Davis tried to pick out Chaplin from the left flank. Sunderland couldn’t clear the danger as Burns pounced, in turn setting up Jack Taylor, who got his shot on target before Dan Ballard could make the block.
They came again five minutes later. Chaplin managed to play Jackson into the box with a quick lay-off, but the Black Cats put pressure on Sunderland to prevent him from capitalising.
Sunderland were always in the game, however. A lobbed ball onto the head of Bellingham caught Ipswich out. He knocked it down to Alex Pritchard, who in turn picked out Clarke. He had time to pick his spot, but ended up firing into the legs of Hladky.
You can sometimes get away with giving Clarke one chance, but presenting him with a second opportunity to score was always going to be fatal. Abdoullah Ba was able to drive the ball into the box from an overhit corner, setting up the former Tottenham Hotspur winger to smash a fierce effort into the net in the 26th minute.
Ipswich reacted quickly. Debutant Lewis Travis played a through ball from deep which bobbled into the box of Luke O’Nien. Nobody spotted the run of Jackson, who snuck into the box and fired a powerful effort into the net to equalise in the 33rd minute.
They continued to knock on the door. A headed knock-down from Burns saw Jackson pick up the ball in the box, but he couldn’t control it before blazing his shot over the bar.
It didn't take long for the quality to drain out of the match after the restart. It became increasingly physical, with a four yellow cards handed out in the first 15 minutes of the second half. Chances were few and far between, although both sides looked threatening.
Town created a fantastic chance just after the hour-mark as Jackson was slipped into the box once again, although Anthony Patterson stood tall to deny him with an excellent stop.
They really should've been behind in the 66th minute, however, as Hladky's pass out from the back was picked up by Bellingham, setting up Pritchard to play substitute Adil Aouchiche to take aim from the centre of the area. He inexplicably fired wide with the goal gaping in front of him.
The Blues began to turn the screw and got the crowd right behind them. Substitutes Jeremy Sarmiento and Omari Hutchinson looked lively, combining to create a good chance down the right with a little over 15 minutes to play.
The goal felt like it was coming, and a free-kick gave them the perfect opportunity after Aouchiche fouled Davis. The left-back whipped a superb ball onto the head of Chaplin, who powered a header into the back of the net to put his side ahead in the 75th minute.
They had an identical opportunity just seconds later as Sarmiento was fouled. Davis delivered another dangerous ball into the box for Chaplin, but he couldn't get a touch on it before Luke Woolfenden fired against the post from close range.
There were shades of the opening day of the season as the clock ticked towards full-time. Town had to hang on deep into stoppage time when they were at the Stadium of Light, seeing out a 2-1 win to kickstart their campaign.
They found this to be a much easier task, limiting the Black Cats to very little in the dying embers of the game as they eased over the line in IP1.
Town XI: 4-2-3-1: Hladky; Clarke, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Davis; Travis (Ball 68'), Taylor; Burns (Hutchinson 68'), Chaplin (Tuanzebe 90'), Broadhead (Harness 89'); Jackson (Sarmiento 68')
Sunderland XI: 4-2-3-1: Patterson; Hume, O’Nien, Ballard, Alese; Neil, Ekwah; Ba (Aouchiche 65'), Pritchard (Rusyn 83'), Clarke; Bellingham (Burstow 89')
Attendance: 29,291 (1,965 away)
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