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Ipswich Town 2-2 Rotherham United - Match Report
Saturday, 29th Oct 2016 17:21

David McGoldrick netted a brilliant low drive deep in injury time to grab Town a last-gasp 2-2 draw against bottom club Rotherham United at Portman Road. Freddie Sears had put the Blues in front in the third minute but man of the match Danny Ward equalised four minutes later, then put the visitors in front three minutes after the break. Town rarely looked like getting back on terms in a lacklustre second half until McGoldrick’s late strike.

McGoldrick, Teddy Bishop, Cole Skuse and Myles Kenlock all returned to what was an unusually attacking Town starting line-up.

McGoldrick, who was making his first start since the opening day of the season, formed a a front two with Sears, while Bishop came back into the middle of midfield with Skuse, who was back after missing out at Newcastle with a toe injury.

Kenlock was handed his first appearance of the season at left-back in place of Jonas Knudsen, who suffered a back injury at Newcastle.

Conor Grant dropped to the bench, alongside ex-Millers striker Leon Best, and there was no place in the 18 for Jonathan Douglas.

Rotherham included former Town keeper Lewis Price among their subs, along with their new signing, veteran Nigerian international striker Peter Odemwingie.

The Blues started brightly with Sears and Tom Lawrence, playing wide on the left, both having early crosses blocked.

And in only the third minute Town went in front. Lawrence appeared to rather scuff his freekick in from the right but Sears reacted quickly to the miscue and turned the ball past Millers’ keeper Lee Camp at the near post to claim his second goal in three games following his long goal drought.

But the Blues’ lead lasted only four minutes. Centre-half Adam Webster cleared Joe Newell’s corner from the right to 18-yard line, Jon Taylor beat Bishop in the air and headed it back into edge of the six-yard box, and Danny Ward turned home his seventh goal of the season from close range.

On 10 Town keeper Bialkowski came off his line quickly to punch away from Dexter Blackstock as the former Forest striker chased a header from halfway down the middle. Blackstock required treatment having collided with Bialkowski but was eventually OK to carry on.

Blues strike pair Sears and McGoldrick combined to create an opportunity on 21, the former West Ham man eventually cutting the ball back from the right but behind the Irish international. Kenlock ran in from deep on the left and smashed a shot against a defender.

Town were starting to get on top and for a spell the visitors found themselves pinned back in their half following a corner on the left won by Lawrence, with the Blues passing the ball around with what has recently been uncharacteristic confidence.

However, it was Rotherham who created the next serious chance, a loose ball falling to scorer Ward in the box and Webster doing well to block his shot.

McGoldrick threatened for the first time on 26, the striker heading over from Lawrence’s freekick on the right with the on-loan Leicester man starting to find his range with his set pieces.


On 32 Will Vaulks shot wide off a Town defender after a long throw from the right had been cleared to the edge of the box.

A minute later, Bishop, who had had a quiet half up to that point, skipped his way past a number of Rotherham players and rode a couple of tackles as he broke into the area from the left but scraped his shot wide.

In the 35th minute the visitors were forced to swap ex-Colchester man Greg Halford, who had picked up a knock, for Dominic Ball.

Kenlock, who was enjoying an impressive first half, wasn’t too far away from putting the Blues back in front on 36 when he forced Camp to scramble away his far post header from Grant Ward’s looping cross from the right.

McGoldrick and Sears interchanged again in the 38th minute on the Town left, the latter eventually cutting the ball into the area but a defender cleared before it reached his strike partner.

In injury time Berra was caught in the head by a Rotherham boot following a Town corner but referee Darren Bond waved away the Blues’ penalty appeals. The loose ball fell to Webster but his snapshot flew out for a throw on the far side.

The final whistle was greeted by scattered applause from the home support, who will have been pleased with an enterprising first-half display from their side.

Having claimed the early lead Town will have been disappointed to concede the equaliser almost immediately with set pieces Rotherham’s main threat throughout the period.

The Blues had kept the ball better than has often been the case recently and passed it around confidently in spells with Sears and McGoldrick combining well on a number of occasions.

However, aside from Kenlock’s header, Millers keeper Camp hadn’t been forced into making many saves with the visitors’ backline defending with greater solidity than has often been the case this season.

The second half got off to the worst possible start for Town with Rotherham taking the lead in only the 48th minute.

Webster and Berra got in one another’s way as Vaulks’s long throw came into the area from the right and Danny Ward turned a volley past Bialkowski, the striker’s eighth goal of the campaign.

A minute later, as Town looked to get back in the match, Grant Ward volleyed over from not far outside the area after a Lawrence corner had been cleared.

There was another scare for the Blues from a Rotherham long throw, this time from the left, in the 56th minute when Vaulks’s ball into the area avoided everyone until it reached Richard Wood beyond the far post but the Millers’ skipper shot wide.

At the other end, Grant Ward went well wide after Lawrence had brought the ball deep into the Rotherham half.

The goal had given the visitors confidence, however, and they were having most of the ball, while Vaulks’s long throws continued to cause problems.

McGoldrick rode a couple of tackles and shot over on 63 with the Blues still to really get going after the break.

Two minutes later, Ward crossed from the Town right, McGoldrick flicked on but Lawrence’s header was easy for Camp to claim.

Moments later, Town made two changes, Ward and Bishop making way for Leon Best and Jonny Williams with Sears moving to wide left and Lawrence to the right.

On 71 Williams crossed from the left towards Best but the ball was headed clear to McGoldrick, but the striker curled his shot well over.

With the Sir Bobby Robson Stand vocally complaining about Town’s style of football in no uncertain terms - “Mick McCarthy, your football is s–t” - Luke Varney took over from Kenlock, who will have been very happy with his display.

Rotherham looked to be seeing out four minutes of injury time until McGoldrick’s dramatic equaliser.

Webster crossed from the left, a defender headed the ball out to McGoldrick, who smashed a low drive through a crowd of players and past his old Forest team-mate Camp. The Rotherham players, who thought they had claimed their first away win of the season, collapsed to the floor.

There wasn’t time for any further action before referee Bond ended the game. Despite the late goal there were still boos on the final whistle and further frustrated chants aimed at manager McCarthy.

The Blues failed to capitalise on their early lead, giving away the first of two set-piece goals soon afterwards, and while they were on top and played well in spells in the first half, they created few chances.

Town struggled to get going in the second half after conceding Rotherham’s second goal so early on. They huffed and puffed but never created a clear-cut opportunity until McGoldrick - who looked out on his feet by that stage - hammered home his goal.

Despite the late equaliser, a home draw with the division’s bottom side - Rotherham had lost their last seven games, had lost all seven of their away games and were eight points from safety - is huge disappointment for Town and added to fans’ frustrations with manager McCarthy, as was evident from the chants from the terraces.

The point moves the Blues up to 15th in the table with a trip to Sheffield Wednesday, who lost 2-0 at Derby today, next week.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Webster, Berra, Kenlock (Varney 84), Skuse, Lawrence, Bishop (Williams 66), G Ward (Best 66), Sears, McGoldrick. Unused: Gerken, Emmanuel, Bru, Grant.

Rotherham: Camp, Fisher (Odemwingie 80), Fry, Wood (c), Mattock, Taylor, Halford (Ball 35), Vaulks, Newell, D Ward, Blackstock. Unused: Price, Kelly, Forde, Forster-Caskey, Brown. Referee: Darren Bond (Lancashire). Attendance: 15,247 (Rotherham: 205).


Photo: TWTD



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clint_eastwood added 17:22 - Oct 29
Is he a dead man walking yet??
19

Michael11 added 17:23 - Oct 29
How soul destroying that I'm at the point where I really don't care about a 90th minute equaliser, because it's just not good enough! I'm happy for Didz scoring it but it's just another example where most teams in this league will win comfortably and we can't seem to. I think the club really needs a freshen up now as I can't see McCarthy winning the fans back or even be bothered about trying to anyway. Did great clearing up Keane/Jewell's mess but he's so blatantly out of ideas and the lump ball isn't even half effective anymore!

Someone like Graham Alexander of Scunthorpe could be a good option. Young manager and got them playing excellent attacking football on a shoe string budget.
43

midastouch added 17:24 - Oct 29
Time to catch a taxi out of East Anglia Mick. You can share the fare with Alex Neil if you want.
16

JackSted added 17:24 - Oct 29
Mick needs to resign before this gets any worse
34

iaintaylorx added 17:24 - Oct 29
All was so promising when the team was announced and to me, I'm actually pretty annoyed that Didzy's late goal got us a point, as now I think Mick has been saved - again!
It's an absolute joke how he is still in charge!! Just **** OFF! No doubt he'll come out saying either, we were unlucky or it's a good point! If he says that, it's only a good point if we are fighting relation!!

Only good thing is to see Norwich get a hammering!
26

blue75 added 17:27 - Oct 29
Had another pint at halftime didn't bother taking my seat we were crap 💩! Mick out
14

Bluetone added 17:27 - Oct 29
Wow!!! we managed a draw against the mighty Rotherham at home McCarthy will be telling how his brilliant tactics triumphed against a far superior team.
28

grumpyoldman added 17:27 - Oct 29
Unlike some I did not want the blues to lose just to get rid of MM, I was not there as usual but if I were I would have been the SBR stand chanting with the rest for Evans to sort it out. Somebody on the chatroom moaned the chants would help the players, in the long term it may if MM leaves!
9

yungblue added 17:27 - Oct 29
**** OFF MICK McCARTHY!!! ****ing boring useless football!! We want our Ipswich back!!!!!
19

Lightningboy added 17:29 - Oct 29
Alas, our owner and board all seem to think that the sun shines out of Mick's 4rse.

The crowd singing "Mick McCarthy's football is sh1te" was probably music to Mick's ears.

How much more of this?...it's been like 7 years of dejavu under Keane,Jewell and now McCarthy.

Abysmal times.
34

martin587 added 17:29 - Oct 29
This was abismal,and that is putting it mildly.MM is totally clueless as to what to do anymore.we we were a total shambles.Time to leave MM,your time is up,you have lost the plot after that bedacle.
24

multiplescoregasms added 17:30 - Oct 29
Do the honourable thing and resign Dino. The board really do need to understand that this is turning into a relegation fight.
17

cromwellblue added 17:30 - Oct 29
Well Mick, you said it was must win. We didn't

So what now?
36

Karlosfandangal added 17:31 - Oct 29
Well at least we scored 2 goals ..... only plus point I can think of
3

thechangingman added 17:32 - Oct 29
Okay. Something HAS to change now - enough is enough!!
14

Vancouver_Blue added 17:33 - Oct 29
Who the hell is going to take over and do a better job on the limited cash Marcus gives him?
-36

dirtydingusmagee added 17:34 - Oct 29
i got home from a lovely day in the park feeding the ducks with grandchildren ,just as town sent Best on,didnt know we were losing, no real shock when score was mentioned ,Didz looks like to have saved McCarthy's butt. The money i saved will give the grandchildren a good day out in a launch on the broads tomorrow . 15000 gate draw against a team who hadnt won away and are bottom of league,cant see that figure increasing , Evans and Mc Carthy killing the club . THIS HAS TO CHANGE
31

mannos6 added 17:34 - Oct 29
Unfortunately like other fans I was not cheering injury Time equaliser, we just managed a point against bottom of league team. Well done mick instead of 3 points dropped it's a point gained. We were awful i was at burton game and if they had a 15-20 goal scorer they would of been out of sight.
Time for a change now bring the bums on seats and play football people will want to pay money to watch.
22

corkblue added 17:37 - Oct 29
So long Mick
12

EssexTractor added 17:37 - Oct 29
Sadly McGoldricks goal ( excellent though it was, from a player who before that moment was disappointing) may have saved the managers job
But do we know what the real force of Portman Road is thinking?
Mick seems not to be a man to resign.
So Mr Evans an announcement to come, or will his henchman Mr Milne step forward with wishy washyness?
Probably no other club would endure, yes endure, what has occurred this season.
Football is entertainment, but it's now gone.
Supporters young and old now feeling so low.
There are some talented footballers at PR but who can inspire them to demonstrate it?
Ipswich Town once respected through the the land and further beyond now spiralling into a joke
Rescue package please.
31

dagenhamtown added 17:40 - Oct 29
Football shocking but agree with above comment who in there right mind would want to come to this stagnant club with no funds think about it logically they will not be banging at the doors trust me.
7

backwaywhen added 17:41 - Oct 29
Had enough now ...not going back until MM has gone ! if anyone is foolish enough to use my season ticket ..let me know !
14

Mick_Mills_Tache added 17:43 - Oct 29
I didn't go for two reasons - 1) I was at work covering the other lad who's on holiday and 2) I vowed to never go again whilst Dino is in charge. I did, however, listen to the first half on the radio. We sounded like we played better football...did we?

Sears scored after three minutes and I thought, "bloody hell, we could thump someone here!" All for 3 minutes. After their equaliser, I was certain we were going to go on and gift them the game as to which we very nearly did. Unfortunately, this result now gives MM the chance to stick two fingers up to us and to play the dynamic duo that is Skuglas again.

2-2 at home to a dire Rotherham who had lost the previous 7 games is not acceptable. The boos aimed at Mick at the end of the game were music to my ears. Hopefully his ego is dented and he realises he's lost the fans and needs to do the honourable thing to vacate his position.

#FOMM #MickOut
14

Disco_Inferno added 17:44 - Oct 29
Poor. Doubtless we will hear what a "great side" Rotherham are and how we murdered them but this is just not good enough and we could easily be sucked into relegation trouble if things don't change quick.
8

dirtydingusmagee added 17:45 - Oct 29
How many of the 15000 fans came away happy and will go to next home game i wonder ?.How bad does it need to get ?
15


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