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Town 1-0 Blackpool
Saturday, 16th Feb 2013 17:03

Sub Michael Chopra netted the only goal of the game shortly after the break to see the Blues to an important 1-0 victory over Blackpool at Portman Road. The 29-year-old was sent through by Guirane N’Daw in the 50th minute and confidently took his chance.

Anthony Wordsworth made his full Town debut at left midfield with Daryl Murphy moving up front and Aaron Mclean dropping to the bench.

The Blues, with Scott Loach (sprained thumb) and Lee Martin (hamstring) still absent, were otherwise unchanged from last week’s 1-0 defeat at Blackburn.

Blackpool named Tom Ince, son of prospective new manager Paul, on the bench as he spent yesterday at a UEFA hearing in Switzerland.

Carlos Edwards scraped an early shot well wide for the Blues, but the game’s first significant chance fell to the away side. Matt Phillips crossed from the right and Tiago Gomes was let down by a heavy touch and Luke Chambers cleared.

There was another scare for Town on seven when Phillips again crossed from the right and Chambers put the ball behind ahead of Matt Derbyshire. From the resultant corner, Murphy completely missed his clearance and Chris Basham behind him lashed wildly over.

Derbyshire had another opportunity to threaten in the ninth minute when Angel Martinez sent him away but his first touch let him down and Chambers got back to challenge.

The visitors had been much the more dangerous side in the opening spell but on 11 McGoldrick’s shot was deflected wide after Murphy had nodded down Carlos Edwards’s cross. From the corner, Wordsworth’s low ball was turned goalwards by Murphy, Seasiders’ keeper Matt Gilks doing well to bat it away.

Town had got on top and in the 17th minute Edwards found McGoldrick in a dangerous position inside the area, the striker taking a touch away from a defender but shooting wide.

The Blues threatened again a minute later when Wordsworth, McGoldrick and Murphy exchanged first time passes in the area, the Irishman eventually volleying over.

Town continued to have the better of it and on 25 Guirane N’Daw found McGoldrick in a dangerous position inside the box but the striker’s first touch let him down and, after a clever turn, his strike eventually scuffed through to Gilks.


Hyam turned an Aaron Cresswell cross wide at the near post a minute later, the midfielder having started the move in the first place when he dispossessed Basham.

Despite the Blues having been on top, Blackpool went close to going in front in the 28th minute. Basham played through Gomes, who beat Stephen Henderson but his shot struck the outside of the keeper’s left post. Henderson tipped over Alex Baptiste’s subsequent cross from the left.

As the game moved towards the half hour mark Wordsworth underwent treatment after falling awkwardly on his back when challenging with Gilks in the air. The Seasiders had been fortunate that the loose ball hadn’t fall to a Town player with the keeper grounded.

On 34 the ex-Colchester man was forced off by his injury, Michael Chopra taking over and moving up front with Murphy, one of Town’s best performers up to then, moving to the wide left role.

Town’s forced change seemed to hand the impetus back to Blackpool and in the 41st minute Derbyshire headed Gomes’s corner from the right wide.

Blackpool went close again a minute before the end of first half normal time. Derbyshire fed in Baptiste down the right and his cross ran across the Blues’ six-yard box and out for a corner, apparently having taken a touch off Murphy as he slid in.

The visitors continued to press Town back in injury time, winning a number of corners, while after a Blues break McGoldrick teed up Murphy for a low shot from the left which Gilks saved down to his left.

Both sides had had spells on top in what had been a close half, typical of the Championship. The visitors, who came closest to scoring when Gomes struck the post, were in charge early on but the Blues gradually got themselves on top and had created enough opportunities to have put themselves in front.

Wordsworth’s injury seemed to disrupt Town and it was the Lancastrians who ended the half the stronger.

Former Blues loanee Reece Wabara replaced Kirk Broadfoot for the Tangerines four minutes after the break.

A minute later, Town went in front. N’Daw sent sub Chopra away behind Baptiste and the striker superbly took the ball into the area before hitting a left-foot shot across Gilks and into the net for his fifth goal of the season.

McGoldrick curled a cross into Gilks’s arms soon after the goal but chances became rare at either end as the match moved towards the hour.

On 63 Blackpool replaced Gomes with Tom Ince, whose father Paul, who is set to be named Blackpool’s new manager on Monday, was watching from the directors’ box.

McGoldrick was unlucky to slip when played through by N’Daw in the 65th minute, the on-loan Nottingham Forest man making way for Frank Nouble four minutes later.

Chopra almost profited from a mix-up between Cathcart and Gilks in the 73rd minute, Nouble stabbing the ball off the keeper, who managed to grab it ahead of the Town scorer. Five minutes later, N’Daw picked up the game’s first booking for a foul on Basham.

The visitors almost equalised in the 79th minute when Baptiste headed a Phillips corner goalwards but Nouble blocked it on the line. Town broke quickly after Ince had missed his kick on the edge of the area but Chopra was challenged just as it appeared he was in the clear.

Town were very much on the backfoot at this stage but with Henderson not yet particularly tested. Blackpool were committing more and more men forward and were looking vulnerable on the break.

Murphy headed Edwards’s freekick over after Chopra had been fouled by Stephen Crainey on the Town right. Soon after, Nouble dispossessed Baptiste in a dangerous position midway inside the Seasiders’ half and appeared to be tripped, however, referee Robert Madley waved away his protests.

Despite the visitors continuing to have most of the ball and a number of freekicks and corners in the closing stages, Henderson wasn’t overly employed, aside from claiming crosses, which he managed comfortably.

A vital three points for the Blues, gained in the second half in the type of scrappy, battling manner which manager Mick McCarthy outlined on Friday.

Town had one clear-cut chance in the second half and Chopra, whose off-field antics have created more headlines than his football recently, showed that there are few finishers better than him at this level when the opportunity came.

Once ahead, the Blues ground out the victory with Baptiste’s header off the line Blackpool’s only significant chance.

The win moves Town up to 18th in the table, four points from the relegation places with a tough-looking home game against Watford on Tuesday.

Town: Henderson, Stearman, Chambers, Smith, Cresswell, Edwards, Hyam, N'Daw, Wordsworth (Chopra 34), Murphy, McGoldrick (Nouble 69). Subs: Lee-Barrett, Hewitt, Kisnorbo, Drury, Mclean.

Blackpool: Gilks, Baptiste, Cathcart, Broadfoot (Wabara 49), Crainey, Basham, Angel, Gomes (Ince 63), Taylor-Fletcher (Delfouneso 71), M Phillips, Derbyshire. Subs: Subs: Halstead, Ferguson, Osbourne, Eccleston. Referee: Robert Madley (West Yorkshire). Att: 16,673 (Blackpool: 394)


Photo: Action Images



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kuyski added 17:07 - Feb 16
good for win and clean sheet ,thanks all of you
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linesyrules added 17:12 - Feb 16
MM showing what a brilliant manager he is - great idea to bring chop on at the right time, needed something different up-front and it worked. well done MM and the players really showed we are too good to go down. Awesome.
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TractorBeezer added 17:14 - Feb 16
Great result for MM and he boys. Not too pretty but just what we needed. Another 3 points on Tuesday please!
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ShropshireBluenago09 added 17:14 - Feb 16
Great Win - Really chuffed for Chopra (said he should be back playing by now). Sounds like Wordsworth played well up to injury and another clean sheet. Watford will be tough but there are no easy games in this division.
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irishtim added 17:15 - Feb 16
Table looks a little better. 3 points against watford would be a great achievement the way they r scoring for fun.
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h32 added 17:16 - Feb 16
...... let's win ugly - suits me for now. More of the same on Tuesday will be even better.
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TimmyH added 17:18 - Feb 16
Yep well done lads - tight game but needed those points. Well done Michael Chopra too and another home clean sheet! 1 goal conceded in 3 games now.
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brian_a_mul added 17:26 - Feb 16
A great 3 pts, Watford will be tough but may not fancy "the grind" against us on a cold Tuesday night.

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arc added 17:26 - Feb 16
Ten points separating 22nd and 8th = stressful (and weird) season.
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Walk_the_Wark added 17:28 - Feb 16
Can all those criticising Chopra please shut up now. He is the best we have
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truthhurts added 17:29 - Feb 16
3 very important points thanks to a Chopra goal. Did all those that been bitching about him for weeks on end all sit down and not cheer!? Be very hypocritical if you did...
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hollywoodginge added 17:46 - Feb 16
That's now 10 points, yes 10 points, from decisive Michael Chopra goals this season, yet he apparently is not an important player and hadn't done anything for us this season according to a lot on here! Oh well, excellent win today, hope Chops gets a run in the team, fancy a point off Watford, enjoy ya weekends.
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JewellintheTown added 17:46 - Feb 16
How important might that goal be? By the end of the season we might see that as the goal that keeps us up and safe. Well done Chops. There have been far too many so called fans that have jumped on players backs especially Chops, and that goal was two fingers up to all of them. Either support the squad for their football or take your support north of the county.
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neillrumsey added 17:55 - Feb 16
An excellent 3 points but not pretty to watch hey who cares staying up is our priority. Defence played weel today with Stearman looking a quality player. Cressy caught napping several times in the first half but thankfully their finishing was poor. Midfield still way short on quality. Hyam's work rate was excellent but both he and N'Daw couldn't pass water today.
Wordworth ok on the ball but out of posotion and contiually went narrow leaving no width. Murphy for me very poor again with lack of quality poor touch and slow up top. McGoldrick was quality throughout and is a very good footballer. We need a ball player and he will score goals.
Chopra showed more enthusiam when he came on and his touch and movement were good, This was crowned with a very good one on one finish... Not the best we have cause motivation is clearly an issue with him. Maybe potentially the best we have. Nouble chased down well when introduced but can't help thinking JET would give us so much more quality.. Like to see him in the hole behind McGoldrick.
Big test Tuesday...
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Ipswichbusiness added 17:56 - Feb 16
A clean sheet and three points; well done, much needed.

If we had beaten Barnsley, Bristol City and Peterborough at home rather than drawing with them, we would be six points better off and level on points with Blackburn and in with a shout at the play offs. That is how tight this league is this year; if only we can put a good run together ...
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StochesStotasBlewe added 18:02 - Feb 16
Dreadful game, great 3 points. Can some body find out if N,daw is colourblind, his distribution is appalling for the most part although he did supply Chopra for his sublime finish. Back 4 played well, some great blocks but the midfield still not creating anywhere near enough chances for McGoldrick & co to get on the end of. Still, happy with the win, but will need to be at our very best on tuesday. Lets hope so. COYB.
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VINNIEBLUE added 18:03 - Feb 16
He's had his 'knockers' and to be fair to the boy, he's kept him self fit and ready.

Well done chops, you may have saved ITFC
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muccletonjoe added 18:12 - Feb 16
Win whatever way you can , it is the name of the game for the next few weeks
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wkj added 18:14 - Feb 16
I like it when On the pitch chops makes the headline rather than of the pitch chops; hopefully this happens more and more!
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Ipswich24 added 18:30 - Feb 16
Makes me laugh so much we were terrible today and very fortunate to get anything. If that's football that you want to see then good luck to you. Yes may be good enough to scrap few points but in long term going to kill this football club. The players are scared of the ball it's like a hot potato just get rid. Sorry to moan when we have won but sorry this is not good enough
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Stretchstar added 18:39 - Feb 16
Ipswich24 - i think you're mistaking today's performance with one when we've survived and MM / TC have the squad they've assembled, once those two factors are in place then by all means MOAN AWAY, til then try and support our survival!! One step at a time!!!!!!!!
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StochesStotasBlewe added 18:41 - Feb 16
Ipswich24. I can see your point, however, it was as poor as the performances against Peterborough, Barnsley & Bristol City, the difference today is that we won the game & points are vital to keeping our club in this league. Our midfield is poor in the creativity department, that is plainly obvious, so i suppose we will have to put up with winning ugly for the time being. Mick will hopefully be given the backing to address this in the close season. A scrappy 1-0 win on tuesday will suit me at the moment.
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ericclacton added 18:44 - Feb 16
Rubbish game 3 points, period.
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LankHenners added 18:48 - Feb 16
Hopefully this will kick-start Chopra's return to his once unbeatable form and shall certainly boost our chances of survival. Bring on Watford!
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carlisleaway added 18:52 - Feb 16
Great win but I think the game changed when Creswell put in a thumping tackle on the halfway line. This made the crowd get behind the team and within minutes Chopra scored an opportunist goal which was much overdue,

How about the crowd/ North Stand get behind the team, it is more like a library. Appreciate the football was poor but about time we became the 12th man, or do you wish to watch Ist Division football next season.This season will have many twists and turns before we are officialy safe from R.........
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