Match Reports from Papers

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SportingLife.com

Stoke 2 Ipswich 2


Stoke came back from two goals down but could not find a winner against a patched-up Ipswich side.

Jason De Vos' header and a thumping Fabian Wilnis strike saw Ipswich race into a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes.

But Darel Russell pulled one back for the hosts before half-time and Mamady Sidibe levelled in the 73rd minute.

City pressed in search of a decisive goal but had to settle for their first draw since the opening day of the season as they ended a run of three straight defeats.

Ipswich were forced into six changes from the side that beat Luton 1-0 on Saturday but despite that upheaval they quickly clicked into gear.

Darren Currie had a powerful early effort caught by Potters goalkeeper Steve Simonsen and City defender Carl Hoefkens also did well to get a toe to Ian Westlake's low effort after a swift break.

But after six minutes they were in front when De Vos rose unchallenged to head past Simonsen from Currie's corner. City were sluggish and Dave Brammer and Luke Chadwick both hit well off target from distance and Lewis Buxton had two close-range efforts blocked from Paul Gallagher's corner.

After another slick spell of possession, Wilnis doubled the lead with a thumping effort in the 19th minute.

Currie toyed with Marlon Broomes on the left and his cross found Wilnis on the other side of the area.

The right-back's initial strike was well saved by Simonsen but rebounded straight out to the defender, who drove the ball inside the far post.

But midway through the opening period the Potters pulled one back when Sambegou Bangoura robbed Aidan Collins on halfway and slipped the ball right to Russell inside the area for the midfielder to squeeze the ball inside the near post.

The home team continued to pressurise, and went particularly close from a couple of Gallagher corners, while Bangoura was also guilty of a bad miss as Joe Royle's men led at the break.

Karl Henry replaced Broomes and Stoke continued to pound away looking for an equaliser, although Ipswich looked much more solid after half-time.

And a Westlake drive that flew just over the bar was a reminder that the visitors were still dangerous on the break.

Stoke were unable to force anything like the pressure they had in the opening period but Bangoura should have equalised when he was played into the box by Gallagher, only to have his shot blocked by Town goalkeeper Shane Supple.

But with 18 minutes remaining, City finally levelled when Sidibe nodded home Brammer's near-post corner.

Ipswich could have taken another shock lead 10 minutes later but Gavin Williams' shot was saved after Westlake's pass split the City defence.

Making his Stoke debut as a substitute after joining on a free-transfer from Norwegian club Viking, Peter Kopteff broke past Wilnis but had his powerful strike saved.

Bangoura had another effort blocked and despite another couple of nervous corners for Supple, Ipswich clung on for a point.



Teams


Stoke Simonsen, Hoefkens, Broomes (Henry 45), Duberry, Buxton, Chadwick (Harper 60), Russell, Brammer, Gallagher (Kopteff 70), Bangoura, Sidibe.

Subs Not Used: de Goey, Sweeney.

Booked: Chadwick, Broomes.

Goals: Russell 27, Sidibe 73.

Ipswich Supple, Wilnis, De Vos, Barron, Richards, Magilton (Juan 71), Williams, Collins, Westlake, McDonald (Proudlock 88), Currie.

Subs Not Used: Horlock, Garvan, Price.

Goals: De Vos 7, Wilnis 18.

Att: 14,493

Ref: L Probert (Gloucestershire

STAT ATTACK
9 Shots On Target 8
8 Shots Off Target 5
16 Fouls (Conceded) 13
11 Corners 5
2 Yellow Cards 0
0 Red Cards 0

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Post Match Comments from SportingLife

ROYLE PROUD OF PATCHED-UP SIDE
Ipswich manager Joe Royle declared himself proud of his makeshift and youthful side after they picked up a point in the 2-2 draw at Stoke.

Royle was forced into six changes to the team which beat Luton 1-0 at the weekend, with young striker Danny Haynes even pulling out on the coach on the way to the game.

They raced into an early lead through goals from Jason De Vos and Fabian Wilnis but Darel Russell and Mamady Sidibe scored either side of the break to snatch a point for the Potters, although Gavin Williams could have nicked a decisive late goal for the visitors.

Royle included teenagers Shane Supple, Aidan Collins and Dean McDonald and said: "We're makeshift at the moment to say the least and I thought we were fantastic.

"We had kids here, there and everywhere, we're patched up and we even lost a player on the coach coming to the game.

"I had to write a new team-sheet but I can't fault them. They were fantastic and we played some great football."

Royle felt Stoke's first goal, which came when Sambegou Bangoura robbed Collins before setting up Russell, was crucial.

"The first goal was a killer for us," he continued. "The young kid has made a mistake; he had no need to go back towards his own goal and it's cost us.

"At 2-0 they hadn't seen the ball and it was a shame but I've no complaints with any of them.

"At 2-0 we were cruising. They had a couple of skirmishes at the end where they'll say they could have won it.

"We'd have taken a point before the game, bearing in mind our problems.

"There's great promise and it's just a shame that we couldn't hang on."

Potters assistant boss Jan de Koning believes his side deserved far more than the one point they have picked up from their four festive fixtures.

This was City's first draw since the opening day of the season and followed defeats to Burnley, Leeds and Sheffield United, which have damaged their play-off hopes.

De Koning, who expects imminent developments in City's attempts to sign on-loan West Ham winger Luke Chadwick on a permanent basis, said: "We've played four games and we've played very well in those four games, except maybe the first 20 minutes here, and we only have one point.

"It's disappointing. If you lose three games in a row and everyone said Ipswich had injuries but it wasn't going to be an easy game.

"At the end we should have won the game because in the first half we missed some good opportunities and in the second half we had three or four chances that should have been a goal."

De Koning was delighted it was Sidibe, who was on target in the 2-1 win at Sheffield United, who scored the equalising goal.

The big striker has now scored five times since joining from Gillingham in the summer and De Koning added: "I'm very pleased that Mama has scored again.

"His biggest problem was scoring goals. If he starts scoring goals now then he'll be a very good striker for us."

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The Times January 03, 2006

Mix-up means Stoke owners miss a rousing second-half fightback
By Neil Johnston
Stoke City 2 Ipswich Town 2



IT WAS perhaps just as well that Stoke City’s Icelandic owners missed the start of this game because goals by Jason de Vos and Fabian Wilnis, the Ipswich Town defenders, threatened to condemn Stoke to their fifteenth Championship defeat of the season.
The owners thought that the game was an evening kick-off and were still on their way to the ground when the visiting team powered into a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes. Some had arrived by the time that Mamady Sidibe headed past Shane Supple in the 73rd minute to complete a rousing Stoke comeback, but those who failed to make it missed out on excellent Bank Holiday entertainment.



Ipswich’s slick passing was a delight to watch at times. However, that was not enough to kill off the hosts, whose fightback earned them their only point of the festive programme.

“At 2-0 we were cruising,” Joe Royle, the Ipswich manager said. “We should have won it but I’m proud of the way we played considering the number of players we were without.

“Right through from Jim Magilton, who at 36 is the oldest player in the team, through to the youngsters, I thought we were terrific.”

All four goals were the result of poor defending rather than breathtaking finishing and both teams will have to cut out the errors if they are to make a serious charge for the play-offs.

Stoke looked to be heading for a fourth home defeat in five as De Vos, the Canada defender, climbed to power a downward header from Darren Currie’s sixth-minute corner beyond Steve Simonsen.

Stoke fell farther behind after 18 minutes when Wilnis, the right back, put the ball into the corner of the net after his first shot had been parried back into his path by Simonsen.

It was all too much for the Stoke faithful. Marlon Broomes, who had allowed the troublesome Currie to deliver the cross that led to the second goal, suddenly found himself the target of the crowd’s frustration and failed to appear at the start of the second half.

By then Stoke had reduced the deficit courtesy of Darel Russell’s second goal of the season, the former Norwich City player rifling past Supple after Sambegou Bangoura had bulldozed his way through the middle of the Ipswich defence.

Bangoura and Sidibe missed a hatful of chances before the latter earned his side a share of the spoils after meeting Dave Brammer’s 73rd-minute corner.

In keeping with the game, there was still time for both sides to spurn chances to seal victory. Gavin Williams was denied by Simonsen and Supple blocked an effort by Bangoura he looked certain to score.

STOKE CITY (4-4-2): S Simonsen — L Buxton, C Hoefkens, M Duberry, M Broomes (sub: K Henry, 46min) — L Chadwick (sub: K Harper, 60), D Russell, D Brammer, P Gallagher (sub: P Kopteff, 70) — M Sidibe, S Bangoura. Substitutes not used: E de Goey, P Sweeney. Booked: Chadwick.

IPSWICH TOWN (4-4-1-1): S Supple — F Wilnis, J de Vos, A Collins, S Barron — M Richards, J Magilton (sub: J Juan, 72), G Williams, I Westlake — D Currie — D McDonald (sub: A Proudlock, 87). Substitutes not used: L Price, K Horlock, O Garvan.

Referee: L Probert

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Nice one Dave, once again you've saved me a trip to the paper shop.