Ipswich Town beat Sunderland 2-1 at Portman Road yesterday. Stuart Watson reflects on the action.
UH OH...
We knew Cameron Burgess (away at the Asian Cup with Australia), Sam Morsy (starting a two-game ban) and George Hirst (hamstring injury) were unavailable.
What did come as a surprise was the news, one hour before kick-off, that Massimo Luongo had rolled his ankle in training and was also sidelined.
That's the spine of the side, including the entire engine room, all out for a game against a fellow promotion hopeful.
The opening exchanges were fairly even, but there were signs that Sunderland could pop the ball about confidently. Then the Black Cats broke the deadlock when a poorly defended short corner ended with Jack Clarke smashing home from the edge of the box.
This had the potential to turn into a bad afternoon.
ANSWERING THE CRITICS
I was delighted to see Kayden Jackson bag Town's equaliser just seven minutes later with some sharp movement on the final line and a cool finish across the keeper.
The 29-year-old may have some technical limitations, but he's given his absolute all to this club over the last five-and-a-half seasons and always been ready when called upon. Few can press with the speed and intensity he does.
The dismissive way in which some sections of the fanbase have spoken about him in recent weeks has therefore been, in my opinion, pretty disrespectful.
"I've spoken about Kayden quite a few times," said McKenna. "Players like him are really, really important to the group. They work every day to improve themselves, contribute to the culture and are willing to do whatever the team needs when required.
"We know what he can give us. His strengths are obvious. His work off the ball as a striker is as good as anyone in the league. He stretches the opposition and gives the No.10s behind him a chance to get on the ball.
"To top that off it's great for him to get a goal with a really good finish because all strikers want to score.
"He's spent the large majority of the last 18 months working as a right-winger and developing his game and his pictures there. Now, through injuries, he's having to work as a centre-forward again and develop those habits. That's not easy, but he's done terrifically at that. We're all really pleased for him."
SHOWING SPIRIT
This wasn't Ipswich at their fluid best. The usual telepathic patterns of play weren't in evidence. With four key men out though, that was to be expected.
Instead, the Blues had to roll up their sleeves and simply compete. Three men epitomised the spirit for me - Harry Clarke, George Edmundson and Lewis Travis.
Clarke, who passed a late fitness test, provided real forward thrust from right-back. It was often his bustling runs that lifted the crowd. Defensively, he did well up against one of the league's best wingers in Jack Clarke. I don't disagree with him being selected as the sponsors' Man-of-the-Match.
Edmundson's fine form since coming into the side for Burgess continued. He won headers, read danger and barely put a foot wrong. There's no way the Blues will be letting him go this month.
Travis, off the back of just a week's training with his new team-mates and making only his second start since the end of November, showed his competitive edge by snapping at heels and jumping on second balls.
He tried to play forwards whenever possible too. It was his deep ground pass which led to the equaliser. He eventually left the field in the 68th minute having completely emptied the tank.
"It was a big challenge for him to have a few days training and go straight into the team for a game like that - especially in the No.6 position, because so much of our play goes through there and the job description is really specific" said McKenna.
"Normally Lewis would have been on the bench tonight and had a chance to integrate from there, but an injury (to Luongo) changed our plans.
"I thought he coped admirably, showing his physicality, his character and his bravery on and off the ball. Now he'll be stronger for the game."
WHAT A MISS!
Hladky's straight pass out the back was intercepted by Jobe Bellingham ahead of Luke Woolfeden... Clarke quickly squared to Adil Aouchiche in the box... But the Frenchman, only just on as a sub, sliced wide with the goal gaping.
That moment, in the 66th minute, proved to be a major turning point in this game, It could yet prove to be a fairly significant turning point, of sorts, in Town's season.
Had Ipswich gone 2-1 down at that stage they may well have gone on to lose. And had they lost then the whole narrative would have been around slipping out the top-two and being winless in six league games.
It wasn't just that Ipswich had Aouchiche to thank for either.
SET-PIECE WINNER
Sunderland boss Michael Beale was left fuming at Aouchiche's 'naive' foul on Leif Davis out by the touchline. Ipswich (who weren't awarded a single foul in the first half) made him pay.
Davis delivered a teasing wide dead ball delivery that an unmarked Conor Chaplin headed high into the net from the heart of the box. How he repeatedly manages to find so much space in the box at set-pieces is a mystery.
Chaplin had ended a six-game goal drought. He thumped the badge in passionate celebrations. That moves him onto nine goals for the season.
Davis, whose presence back in the side following a three-game injury absence was a major boost, is now on an incredible 10 assists. As a Geordie, he'll have enjoyed this one just a little bit more.
"When games are tight, so often set-pieces are the thing that makes the difference," said McKenna.
"We haven't scored one in a little while (in the league). And the only two games we've lost since August - Leeds and West Brom away - have been games where we've conceded early from a corner.
"So we know in big games set-plays make a massive difference. To win the game from a set play tonight is a big boost for the group."
INJECTION OF FLAIR
With the score locked at 1-1, McKenna turned to his bench.
Dominic Ball replaced Travis in midfield, while young Premier League loanees Omari Hutchinson and Jeremy Sarmiento freshened up the flanks.
The latter two provided a real injection of energy to the team and the crowd with their fearless trickery and direct running.
Sarmiento danced along the byline to set up a Hutchinson chance, had the crowd purring with one flicked touch off the instep of his trailing leg, won the free-kick which led to Luke Woolfenden hitting the post (following another Davis wide delivery) and further ingratiated himself when throwing himself into a brave 50/50 tackle with Trai Hume.
Hutchinson, meanwhile, really should have had a penalty after being sent cartwheeling through the air by O'Nien.
"I really liked the subs," said McKenna. "It's a such a big part of our playing style because the intensity that we play at means it's impossible for the forward players to do it for 90 minutes.
"We make changes in every game and those who come on the pitch have as important a role as the ones who start.
"Omari gave us his usual thrust and Jeremy did terrific for his first game at Portman Road. He gave us impetus on the ball, but I also loved the tackle. That's the sort of thing that endears you straight away to your teammates and the crowd. When you do something like that within 10 minutes it shows you're all in.
"He's a really talented footballer and I'm sure everyone is going to enjoy watching him play.
"I thought Dominic done terrific too. Every time he comes on the pitch I end up saying the same thing. He has two things of real importance to do - one's a one-v-one with one of the best wingers in the league down the side of the box and he steps across him to win the ball back and we go up the pitch.
"I thought Marcus (Harness) did well when he came on as nine as well, to be honest. He held the ball up, won some flick-ons, won some throw-ins. They're little things, but they're massive in the margins of the game."
A HUGE WIN
Four key men out. Five games without a win in the league. Knocked off second spot just before kick-off. One-nil down against a team vying for promotion... This comeback win feels absolutely huge.
Town need to keep using the growing external predictions that they will fade away after a plucky start as fuel for the fire. This group hasn't reached the 27-game mark with 58 points and just three defeats to its name by fluke - and they know it.
Up next is a trip to league leaders Leicester a week on Monday. The Foxes lost 3-1 at Coventry yesterday. They are without a few key men themselves due to international call-ups, injuries and suspensions, while manager Enzo Maresca has been hit with a one-game touchline ban.
A good time for this fixture? We'll see. It feels like a bit of a free hit.
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