Ipswich Town fans are running out of superlatives to describe what they are witnessing at Portman Road this season. Saturday’s emphatic 5-0 thrashing of Sheffield United was not just another three points; it was a statement of intent from Kieran McKenna’s side that they are no longer just promotion hopefuls — they are genuine contenders. Terry Hunt, one of the club’s most respected voices, was effusive in his praise after the match, hailing the performance as one of the finest in recent memory.
From the first whistle, Town were electric. McKenna set his team up to attack with purpose and precision, and the Blades simply could not cope with the intensity. The midfield trio dictated play, recycling possession and launching wave after wave of attack. Wes Burns’ opener inside the first ten minutes set the tone, and Ipswich never looked back. By halftime, they were three goals to the good, and the atmosphere inside Portman Road was buzzing with belief.
Terry Hunt summed up the mood perfectly in his post-match reflections. “This was football from a side that truly believes,” he wrote. “The passing was crisp, the pressing relentless, and the goals beautifully crafted. It felt like a throwback to the glory days, but also a glimpse of what this team could become under McKenna.” His words capture not just the quality on show but also the sense of momentum building around the club.
What stood out most was the variety of Ipswich’s goals. Each one came from a different source, underlining the squad’s depth and creativity. George Hirst was a constant menace up front, linking play and grabbing a well-deserved goal of his own. Nathan Broadhead’s strike, a curling effort from the edge of the box, was perhaps the pick of the bunch, drawing rapturous applause from all four stands. By the time the fifth goal hit the back of the net, Sheffield United looked shell-shocked, unable to mount any sort of meaningful response.
Defensively, too, Town were superb. Conor Chaplin and Leif Davis worked tirelessly tracking back, while the back line dealt calmly with everything the visitors threw at them. Goalkeeper Václav Hladký barely had a save to make, a testament to how dominant Ipswich were in all areas of the pitch.
For Hunt, the result is more than just three points — it is evidence that Ipswich can handle the pressure of expectation. “We’ve seen flashes of brilliance this season, but this was 90 minutes of control and conviction,” he said. “If Town can replicate this level of performance, they will not just challenge for promotion — they will lead the charge.”
Portman Road has seen some famous nights, but there was something particularly special about this one. The crowd stayed behind long after the final whistle, applauding the players off the pitch as if recognising that they had witnessed something significant. For a club that has been through its fair share of ups and downs in recent years, this was a reminder of what it feels like to be part of something big.
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