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Match Report: Ipswich 1-1 Charlton | Help spread the word: Share on Facebook 
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Charlton snatched a 1-1 draw at Portman Road in a result which bordered on the incredible on the balance of play. Paul Bloomfield reports.Owen Garvan notched his fifth goal of the season and his third in two games when his in-swinging delivery found its way into the net. A whole host of bodies went towards the ball with Jon Stead the closest to getting a touch, but the ball went all the way into the net from Garvan’s boot without intervention. Ipswich were awarded a golden opportunity to extend their lead when Kelly Youga played himself into trouble and was penalised for handball when battling with Jon Walters in the penalty area. The left-back had done a good job of containing Walters all night but got himself into trouble of all his own making on this occasion. With Tommy Miller sitting on the substitute’s bench, Pablo Couñago assumed the duty of penalty taker. However, the Spaniard failed to convert the spot-kick and saw his effort saved by Charlton keeper Nicky Weaver. Couñago had the chance to redeem himself soon after when clean through, but got his audacious attempt of a chip shot horribly wrong. It was a game in which Town dominated and had numerous chances to see off Charlton and win handsomely. The away side didn’t look up for the game and rarely troubled Ipswich. However, Town were made to pay for their failure to kill off Charlton when Nicky Bailey, who scored a free-kick against the Blues at the Valley earlier in the month, got himself another goal against Jim Magilton’s men. Bailey neatly controlled Hameur Bouazza’s cross into the box before firing the ball between two Town defenders and into the net. It was a very poor goal to concede, with the Ipswich defence simply failing to close down Bailey or react to his first-touch. Charlton hadn’t looked like scoring all night, but you always had that lingering feeling that Ipswich would live to regret their numerous missed chances. Following the goal, Charlton began to come forward and look a genuine threat on goal for the first time in the match. During this time the away side managed to significantly up their shot count which would have otherwise have stood at one – Nicky Baileys equaliser. The travelling Charlton fans’ chant of “one shot, we only need one shot” summed up things perfectly. A 1-1 draw is how it finished, much to the disbelief of the home crowd and probably the away following, too. Charlton were very much a side there for the taking with their players looking largely disinterested with the added factor of some travelling Charlton supporters calling for manager Alan Pardew’s head. It was very much a case of 2 points dropped for the Blues, who should be now celebrating back-to-back league victories for the first time this season. Town must be much more clinical in front of goal for future games this season, as they really should have been out of sight and recorded a comfortable victory.
Ipswich: R.Wright, Volz, McAuley, Naylor, R.Wright, Walters, Garvan, Shumulikoski, Quinn (Haynes 86), Lisbie, Stead (Couñago 62). Unused: Supple, Miller, Bruce. Booked: Stead. Charlton: Weaver, Moutaouakil ((Semedo 69), Cranie, Hudson, Youga, Sam (Bouazza 69), Holland, Bailey, Ambrose, Todorov (Dickson 77), Varney. Unused: Elliott, Primus. Booked: Youga, Cranie. Click to view author Paul Bloomfield's profile Fancy writing for LiveFootball? Click here to find out more. |