Ipswich Town beat Blackburn Rovers 3-0 at Portman Road yesterday. Stuart Watson reflects on the action.

 

FAST START

Blackburn came into this game sitting eighth in the Championship away table and with a decent record against top-six sides. Their previous three games on the road all ended 0-0, with Middlesbrough and Hull among the sides frustrated.

Kieran McKenna insisted Rovers, who twice proved tricky opposition at Ewood Park before the turn of the year, were better than their position of 20th in the table suggested and that it was going to be a challenge trying to play football against a side that like to create ‘broken, fragmented’ games of football.

Throw in a 12.30pm kick-off, which never helps with the atmosphere, and there was definitely a danger that one of those frustrating days could unravel. Thankfully, Blackburn’s team coach arrived just an hour before kick-off and their injury-hit side found themselves 2-0 down inside 13 minutes to remove any potential frustration from the air.

Marcelino Nunez’s low cross into the corridor of uncertainty led to Eiran Cashin turning into his own net on the stretch. A flowing team move led to the corner from which Jack Taylor stabbed in.

 

THREE NEW INJURIES

The big negative from the afternoon was Jaden Philogene limping off midway through the first half. McKenna says it’s too early to know how severe the winger’s left knee injury is.

Losing the 10-goal top scorer is undoubtedly a blow. It is, however, softened by the fact that there will be no drop off in quality with eight-goal Jack Clarke stepping in seamlessly.

Meanwhile, Chuba Akpom (groin) and Kasey McAteer (‘muscle tightness’) weren’t fit enough to be in the matchday squad. Neither sound like long-term issues, but it is a reminder how quickly depth can be diluted.

 

POSITIONS UNDER SCRUTINY

General consensus, it seems, is that Town should sign a striker before the January transfer window shuts.

George Hirst made an encouraging return to action in this game though. True, not everything the Scottish international tried came off, but it shouldn’t go unnoticed that he produced two sharp bits of link play in the build-up to both goals. Ivan Azon, meanwhile, had a lively cameo off the bench.

Are those two, along with Akpom, enough to get a promotion over the line? That’s the multi-million pound question facing McKenna, Mark Ashton and co right now.

Then there’s the right wing. Town spent a combined £29m on Sindre Walle Egeli and McAteer last summer, but there’s an argument that Wes Burns, not long back from an 11 month injury lay-off, looks the best fit on that side right now with his straight line running and low cut backs. His selfless cross for the third means he’s now had two goal involvements in less than an hour of comeback action.

 

BITS TO WORK ON

Another set-piece goal, some sharp patterns of play, three scored and several more good chances created. Conversely, no shots on target against and a ninth clean sheet of the season. This was undoubtedly a good day at the office and another step forwards. Not everything was perfect though.

The Blues, once again, could have been more ruthless/clinical when on top. The game could and should have been fully put to bed a lot earlier than the 88th minute given the amount of dangerous openings that were created in the final third.

Then there’s the ongoing issue of these spells in games where Town seem to switch off. There was one midway through the first half when a soft free-kick award denied Yuki Ohashi a certain goal and Dara O’Shea had to produce a big block in the box. And there was another midway through the second half when Blackburn had a decent penalty shout waved away at the end of a quick counter and Leif Davis had to block a shot.

Darnell Furlong was perhaps fortunate that his elbow to the face of Todd Cantwell wasn’t spotted. I can see why Rovers boss Valérien Ismaël wasn’t happy with referee Andrew Kitchen. Granted, the theatrical official didn’t award Town what looked to be a stonewall spot-kick late on for Cashin wiping out Azon as he pulled the trigger, but there’s no doubting that Ipswich had the greater rub of the green when it came to decisions in this match.

 

SAMMIE SCORES

Sammie Szmodics netted four times in the Premier League and all of them came away from home – at Man City, Brentford, Tottenham and Fulham. Now, finally, in his 18th appearance for the Blues on Suffolk soil, he has his first goal for the club at Portman Road.

The forward couldn’t miss after Burns put the ball on a plate. Almost six years on from provocatively cupping his ears in front of the North Stand after scoring in a 4-1 win for Peterborough, the 30-year-old opted for a muted celebration at that same end in respect to his former employers.

That can hopefully be a boost in confidence to the former Championship Golden Boot winner. Let’s hope 2026 can be a kinder year for the Republic of Ireland international regarding injuries.

Cedric Kipre and Dara O’Shea helped Town to a ninth clean sheet of the season. (Image: Steve Waller)

ON A ROLL

Six straight victories at Portman Road. Four wins in a row, home and away, across all competitions. Three league wins on the spin for the first time this season. Town are on a roll.

This is an important three points given both Coventry and Middlesbrough scored late winners this weekend. The Blues remain in striking distance of the top two with a game in hand to come.

Can momentum gather? Bristol City (and Sam Morsy) are in town on Tuesday night, then it’s a trip to Sheffield United on Saturday.