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AFC Wimbledon 0-0 Ipswich Town - Match Report
Tuesday, 11th Feb 2020 21:46

Town’s first ever game at Kingsmeadow ended in a frustrating 0-0 draw with AFC Wimbledon. The Blues dominated possession throughout and hit the bar throughout James Norwood in the first half, while a number of better opportunities were spurned in the second.

Josh Earl was handed his full Town debut at left wing-back as the Blues made three changes from the side which lost 1-0 at Sunderland at the weekend for their first ever game at Kingsmeadow against AFC Wimbledon.

The on-loan Preston man, who came on as a sub at the Stadium of Light, replaced Myles Kenlock, who dropped to the bench, while Emyr Huws came into the midfield trio for Jon Nolan, who was also among the subs.

Kayden Jackson was up front alongside James Norwood with Will Keane on the bench.

Skipper Luke Chambers was making his 350th appearance for the club, while former Blue Shane McLoughlin was at right-back for AFC Wimbledon.

Town, wearing their Barcelona-style away kit but with yellow socks so as not to clash with the Dons’ blue and with owner Marcus Evans watching from the directors’ box, started positively, dominating the early possession.

The Blues continued to play keep-ball with the home side making the occasional foray forward but neither team created an opportunity in a stop-start freekick-heavy first 20 minutes.

The game progressed in a similar manner as the 30-minute mark passed with Town still having most of the ball but without being able to break through the Dons sitting back in their half.

On 39 Callum Reilly was shown the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Huws 25 yards out. The Welshman took the freekick himself and his low shot, which might have been destined for the corner of the net, caught a defender on the way through and went out for a corner.

From the resultant corner, Town went close to going in front. Skuse - who was taking all the set pieces - sent the ball in from the left, it was half-cleared to Norwood and the striker crashed it against the underside of the bar from 10 yards.


The ex-Tranmere man had another go as the ball bounced back to him but his second shot was scuffed wide and the danger was eventually cleared with home fans wondering how it had stayed out.

And that was that for a not overly entertaining half in which the Blues dominated the ball but were unable to find a way through the organised Dons happy to sit back.

A set piece always looked the most promising route from which Town would create an opportunity and they were unfortunate Norwood’s strike cannoned off the bar.

The Blues needed to show more guile and up the tempo of their passing in the second half, or perhaps look to go more direct, in order to claim the three points.

The second period began as the first had ended and on 56 Jackson hit a shot on the turn from 12 yards which Rod McDonald deflected wide. From the corner, the ball fell to Norwood at the far post and Wimbledon keeper Joe Day did well to save down to his left with the loose ball somehow falling safely.

A minute later, Norwood hit a 20-yard freekick low into the wall and then crossed behind the goal after the ball had been returned to him on the left.

On 62 Norwood sent Jackson away down the right and the ex-Accrington man cut the ball cross to Flynn Downes who turned the ball against a defender on the edge of the six-yard box.

The ex-Tranmere man had a golden chance to put the Blues ahead in the 67th minute when he picked up a loose Wimbledon pass five yards outside the Dons’ area and took the ball into the area one-on-one with Day. The striker might have played it left to Jackson but tried to chip the keeper, who saved.

Two minutes later, Downes was booked somewhat harshly for a foul, the midfielder’s ninth League One yellow card of the season, then Paul Osew hit Wimbledon’s first shot of the night well over from wide on the left.

As Tomas Holy prepared to take the goal-kick, Town switched Norwood, who will feel he ought to have taken his season’s total to at least 12 goals, with Will Keane, while Wimbledon swapped Reilly for Scott Wagstaff.

The Dons began to show more of an attacking threat with Joe Pigott heading wide from a 76th minute corner.

A minute later, Jackson was sent away on the right behind the Wimbledon backline and cut the ball back. It hit Keane with other players behind him and looped into Day’s arms.

Within seconds, Skuse knocked the ball into the area and Keane hit a brilliant shot on the turn which was flying into the top corner until Day superbly got across to tip it over.

Freddie Sears took over from full debutant Earl on 81, just before Terell Thomas shot wide for the home side.

Luke Woolfenden hit a low effort through to Day but without enough power on 85, then a minute later Wimbledon replaced Max Sanders with Jack Rudoni.

Day did well to push Sears’s 20-yard freekick past the post in the 87th minute, Huws having been fouled.

In the first of three additional minutes, Pigott hit a low shot across the face of goal and wide.

Town were forced to defend a couple of Wimbledon corners in injury time, which they did without a serious concern, before referee Craig Hicks brought a frustrating evening to an end.

The Blues had dominated possession throughout and in the second half certainly had enough chances to have claimed all three points, just as they did in the first half at Sunderland on Saturday.

Norwood will feel he should have taken at least one of his opportunities, while Keane was thwarted by the save of the night from Day, who also made a good stop from Sears.

The Blues remain seventh ahead of back-to-back home games against Burton Albion and Oxford United, who drew 2-2 at the Pirelli Stadium this evening.

AFC Wimbledon: Day, O’Neill, Osew, McDonald, Thomas, Hartigan, Reilly (Wagstaff 70), Sanders (Rudoni 87), Pigott (c), Pinnock, McLoughlin. Unused: Trott, Guinness-Walker, Roscrow, Lamy, Wood.

Town: Holy, Chambers (c), Wilson, Woolfenden, Donacien, Skuse, Downes, Huws, Earl (Sears 81), Norwood (Keane 70), Jackson. Unused: Norris, Nolan, Judge, Dozzell, Kenlock. Referee: Craig Hicks (Surrey). Att: 4,745 (Town: 789).


Photo: Pagepix



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londontractorboy57 added 21:48 - Feb 11
You got what you wished for happy now?
-20

PortmanTerrorist added 21:49 - Feb 11
Terrible game. Set up to NOT hunt down the opposition and you wonder why we create zero chances from open play. Zero. Enjoy the view Marcus? You must have been proud.
6

happybeingblue added 21:51 - Feb 11
The players simply ain't good enough, best squad in the league my arsenal!
12

TimmyH added 21:51 - Feb 11
Disappointing result but not surprising, we really lack a lethal striker and a creative midfielder. A result which won't help confidence and that's one of the 'winnable' games we've failed to win, will only wrench up the pressure as each game passes.
13

multiplescoregasms added 21:52 - Feb 11
Utter rubbish performance again. This club is going nowhere under this management team. The players look totally lost but I don't know if its because they don't know what is expected of them, or because they just aren't good enough. Either way, something needs to change bloody soon. That was a shocking performance. No guts.
13

Norwichbeater added 21:52 - Feb 11
Nothing improves. Just continuous deterioration. Manager and owner and senior players who don't motivate. Disgraceful in all honesty and a load of old shxt will come out of lamberts mouth. Each year it gets worse. I suppose he will be happy with another nil nil against Burton on Saturday. Grrrrrrrrr
15

sixtyblue added 21:52 - Feb 11
if weather onSaturday as it is reported to be terraces will be deserted
2

timmy2guns added 21:53 - Feb 11
Went to get a ticket for this game but it was sold out, even looked at hospitality at £40 per ticket... £40 and my sanity saved.. the form is the worrying thing - there is nothing to show this might turn around!
8

budgieplucker added 21:53 - Feb 11
Only listened on the radio tonight, but how many times have I heard the comments that “Kayden Jackson should have really done better with that chance”

Seems like our 2nd Division strikers are having difficulty making a real impression at this level albeit they have a half decent return so far, but as we have a midfield who are incapable of getting shots on target then they can hardly help the strike force out.

We have some good players, some who can play at Championship level but we do not have any outstanding or powerful players even at this level.
3

martin587 added 21:54 - Feb 11
A game that was there for the taking and yet again we blew it with poor finishing and a midfield devoid of any idea how to give a telling pass.On this form we will be lucky to finish in the top six.This squander is by far the best in this league and surely the manager should be doing better.Enough said.
8

EssexTractor added 21:57 - Feb 11
Whatever can the manager say tonight?
Take any responsibility?
Everyone else to blame but him?
Paul Hurst was woeful
And Paul Lambert ???
16 months in and playing in League one
The Third Division!
His tactical abilities?
His motivational skills ?
Sad sad sad every Town supporter now is
7

dirtydingusmagee added 21:57 - Feb 11
Thank Evans for that . this team is over paid over rated Lambert was happy to sign for 5 years knowing he had no money to spend and needed players. He should have had the balls and pride to tell Evans he needed money for players or he would be off , not accept his personal security for achieving nothing . ANOTHER DISGRACEFUL PERFORMANCE.
23

blue86 added 21:57 - Feb 11
So...... are we on the 'hunt' or is lambert just talking like a c#nt? Might have to call in sick, the pi$$ take at work is getting unbearable! Just how are we so bad?
4

Karlosfandangal added 21:57 - Feb 11
Coventry and Rotherham for the top 2 we will have to settle for Play off at best and got the feeling it will be Peterborough who will turn us over and we will hear it was a good season etc etc
2

Bugs added 21:58 - Feb 11
Norwood and Jackson are at their level in this league, mid table league 1 strikers. But to be fair to them the the service to them was pretty poor to say the least tonight. Downes was great again but the lack of overall creativity from midfield was telling.
9

Norwichbeater added 21:58 - Feb 11
And 3 defensive midfielders in fairness
4

chopra777 added 21:59 - Feb 11
We are not Barcelona in these shirts, we need a team of psychologists quickly. Our strikers cannot score. To much talk by everyone and no action. We have the fear factor. We are not underdogs in this league, get back to ugly football and find a way to win. Changing the manager or owner will not change anything fast. Come on PL do something different before it is too late.
3

robmonkey007 added 22:00 - Feb 11
Joke of a club. Laughing stock of the league. We'll be here again next season, just without our talented players and replaced with freebies from clubs who don't want them. Happily lose Donacien, Nolan, judge, chambers, Wilson, Earl, Dozzell to allow us to replace with a couple of decent players.
Never have I seen Ipswich so f*ckin poor in 42 years of following this shower of sh*t
10

bluesince76 added 22:00 - Feb 11
EVANS OUT YOURE A DISASTER FOR THIS CLUB take Lambert with you..
10

oxfordblue added 22:00 - Feb 11
Sadly we won't make the play offs.
Does anybody ask lambert at his press conference why we are so short of ideas and why we don't shoot more
4

mattwin added 22:00 - Feb 11
That's me done, After all these years of keeping the faith I'm done......I've alway been optimistic and think that we will still reach the play offs but that's that now!! I'm done
1

HALLSJ added 22:01 - Feb 11
Looked at Blackpool away, think I'll give it a miss, pile of crap
2

cat added 22:01 - Feb 11
God that was painful to watch. The fans who have done more than their bit deserve better. Simply not good enough. Downes is quality whilst Skuse sucks the energy out the team. As for the impact sub Sears, that's the third time I've seen him come on and done sweet F.A. Lambert & co need to match the support, else they'll get what brewing.
14

ThaiBlue added 22:01 - Feb 11
Just go lambert just not good enough piss poor again sorry but the truth hurts.
7

1psw1ch added 22:01 - Feb 11
We are crap end of story
3


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