An absolute joy

Last updated : 18 March 2009 By Tony Scholes
Graham Alexander
Graham Alexander - Man of the Match
If I'd been a neutral watching the game last night I'd probably have been enthusing that it had been as good a game as I'd seen all season, a game where both sides went for it, created and missed chances, and gave us ninety minutes of attacking wonderment.

We got a point, it could have been three, yet there again we might have lost it, but this was still possibly the best game of football I've seen all season even though some of the defenders on view might not totally agree with me.

There was a good Burnley following to see a side that showed just the one change from that which had beaten Nottingham Forest three days earlier. Steven Thompson was ruled out and there were a number of options. Owen Coyle went for Chris Eagles on the right with Wade Elliott moving into the centre in what was basically a 4-1-4-1 system.

We started well enough but were twice caught and could so easily have fallen behind. Now I know Brian Jensen is good on one-on-ones and it looked as though he would have to be again as Giovani Dos Santos (making his first Ipswich start since signing for them on loan from Spurs) got clear. It looked a certain goal but in truth I could have saved his effort as he chipped it right into the goalkeeper's hands.

It was Jensen again, this time with a slightly more difficult save, to deny Luciano Civelli when he was played in by Giovani. It was another routine save in the end, and very much an important one because within a minute we'd taken the lead.

The ball got out to Rhys Williams who played it to Wade Elliott, but Wade still had a lot to do. He run at them, went wide and then hit a tremendous shot in from the angle across the goalkeeper.

Apart from the two chances that had gone Ipswich's way we were playing well, and now in front we played some fantastic stuff as the home side struggled to defend against us. Eagles had a shot saved, Steven Caldwell headed wide and then Elliott came oh so close to a second from a header no less following an inch perfect cross from Eagles. It was blocked on the line by Richard Wright.

We were so much on top at this point that another goal might just have finished off Ipswich but they hung on until half time. But there was no doubt whatsoever that we deserved to go in with a lead.

Half time was good, just as we did a few weeks ago on our big screen they turned the half time scores into a lottery. 'Arsenal 2 Hull 1' they flashed up, maybe they were predicting the final score. And here's one the Burnley fans celebrated, 'Reading 1 Doncaster 3'.

Both sides had chances at the start of the second half. Martin Paterson's was hardly a chance as he got clear down the right but even so Richard Wright struggled to deal with the shot, and then Giovani missed another as he put his shot wide when it looked easier to score.

We made a change just before the hour when Paterson, who had got himself yellow carded, was replaced by Jay Rodriguez. Just a couple of minutes later we had the best moment of the match, and it was right in front of the travelling Burnley fans.

No surprise is there that Robbie Blake was involved. Down in the corner on the left wing he left half the Ipswich team bamboozled as he twisted and turned. In the end they did the only thing they could do to stop him, they fouled him. The brilliance from Blake had lifted every away fan from their seat and even a couple of home fans reluctantly applauded.

But it wasn't over, the free kick was superb from Blake and Caldwell got their first to head goalwards only for it to hit goalkeeper Wright in the face on the line and stay out.

Come on Burnley, just another goal. But it didn't come and suddenly the game changed as Ipswich took control. For a spell of almost ten minutes they battered us. They won a couple of corners and a few free kicks. When we cleared them they just came back and you sensed an equaliser might be on its way.

Indeed it was, and this time Giovani wasn't wasteful. He got past Christian Kalvenes and moved forward before hitting his shot into the corner.

There were still seventeen minutes left, Ipswich were on top, and maybe it was time to be worried. But no, we came storming back and if anyone was going to win it then it was Burnley.

Robbie curled a free kick just wide and a couple of chances fell to McCann. We'd gone for it and with any luck at all might just have won it. But we had to settle for a draw in the end, and it was an end that was delayed for quite some time.

During the three minutes added on Civelli went down injured. Now where else other than the home of the Tractor Boys would the stretcher arrive on a tractor? It led to the Burnley fans singing 'Going home on a tractor' but in truth it looks as though the lad has a serious knee injury so we wish him well.

It ended in that anti-climax but the game didn't deserve that. It had been one rich in entertainment almost from first to last. Ipswich looked a decent side on the night, but there again so did we. And if we can produce that level of the performance consistently until the en of the season it is going to be a very interesting end.

We'd good players all over the pitch. Robbie was Robbie again, McCann and Wade were in top form, but for me Graham Alexander was the man of the match.

A brilliant night for football and the two teams along with Jim Magilton and Owen Coyle can take huge credit for that. Now let's go and do it again at Plymouth.

The teams were;

Ipswich: Richard Wright, David Wright, Gareth McAuley, Ivan Campo, Ben Thatcher, David Norris (Owen Garvan 62), Tommy Miller (Alan Quinn 74), Luciano Civelli, Giovani Dos Santos, Jonathan Stead, Kevin Lisbie (Pablo Counago 63). Subs not used: Shane Supple, Pim Balkestein.

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Rhys Williams, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Christian Kalvenes, Graham Alexander, Chris Eagles (Joey Gudjonsson 78), Wade Elliott, Chris McCann, Robbie Blake, Martin Paterson (Jay Rodriguez 59). Subs not used: Diego Penny, Michael Duff, Kevin McDonald.
Yellow Cards: Martin Paterson.

Referee: Rob Shoebridge (Derbyshire).

Attendance: 18,745.