(Tommy Smith (39))
Ipswich Town 0 Newcastle United 4
Portman Road
Saturday 26th September Kick-off 5:30pm
Nolan Keeps The Ball
Kevin Nolan stole the show with an hat trick to round off a 4-0 win over Ipswich at Portman Road.
Our Ninth Championship Game of the season was a memorial match for the late Sir Bobby Robson. Ipswich renamed a stand in his name and the players wore inscribed shirts in aid of the Sir Bobby's Foundation. The sun shone on Bobby's day as balloons and songs celebrated his life. he would have been proud of the people who tuned out for him, nearly the entire Ipswich winning team from his time at the club.
A debut was given to Georgian defender Zurab Khizanishvili came in for his full debut and operated in the right-back position in the absence of Danny Simpson (ankle). Also on the bench was loan signing Marlon Harewood whom came on for Nile Ranger mid way during the second half.
Geremi was ill and missed, meaning Ryan Taylor started on the right-hand side of midfield with skipper Nicky Butt, Alan Smith and Kevin Nolan completing the engine-room quartet. Nile Ranger and Andy Carroll were paired together in attack for the first time from the start of a game.
From the start Newcastle were the dominant force with Ipswich chasing the ball from the start. The BBC pundits (Alan Shearer and Lee Dixon) said that Ipswich were in the game for the first twenty minutes, that was debatable.
Nile Ranger and Andy Carroll providing plenty of physical presence up front while Nolan filled the space in behind them. The first goal after Ryan Taylor crossed from the right and Kevin Nolan beat his man to head home. Nolan was back in front of the away traveling Toon support two minutes late having finished off a run and turned which beat the the Ipswich ball line and goalkeeper. A classy and cool finish from the big man.
Ipswich did not recover from this two goal barrage before Ryan Taylor lined up one of his trade mark free kicks. The ball flew into the top of the corner of the net with Richard Wright the Ipswich keeper only getting a couple of fingers to it. Three goals in as many minutes left the Toon Army to inform Mike Ashley to 'Get Out of Our Home' with a few choice words to follow.
Half time and Roy Keane walked off looking for a fight with someone, the Ipswich players were slow to follow him into the dressing room!
Nile Ranger before the internal had a great header blocked but after the interval wa able to set up Nolan for a header tap in and for him to grab the and keep the ball having scored an hat trick.
Harewood on loan replaced Ranger in the 65th minute, to gain a run out. Fabricio Coloccini limped out soon after with a potentially damaging groin strain, Ryan Taylor slotted in at centre half along side Steven Taylor. Ten minutes later and Ryan is off with a calf injury. With no defender on the bench new boy Zurab Khizanishvili went centre half and Ryan Donaldson made do as a full back. More evidence that our squad is thread bare and stretched.
The rest of the match was easy for Newcastle as the clock tick down.
The win put us back to the top of the league with two clear point and a goal difference now the best in the league. WBA lost at home on Saturday and Boro drew at Coventry 2-2, with the blues scoring in injury time. How long we can remain top is hard to predict as the squad is too small.
Chris Hughton continues to impress with his ability to keep the players focused.
Caretaker Manager Comments: Chris Hughton
"I am delighted with the approach with which we went into the game. From start to finish we were excellent. It speaks volumes for Kevin Nolan that a midfielder has scored a hat-trick. He has always been with one with an eye for goal The lads showed a great desire. We were fortunate enough to get the goals early enough to let us go on."
It was a special day, a special result and a special performance as well. This group of lads were all present last Monday’s at Sir Bobby’s memorial. It was quite an emotional occasion and one which the players were delighted to attend. And they knew the important thing today was to put on a performance worthy of him. It was testament to this group of lads that they did just that, although the fact that they knew other teams’ results before kick-off was a driving force behind the display as well. It’s a wonderful feeling when you can go in at half-time with the cushion we had. It doesn’t happen that often. You have got to make the most of it. We had to make sure in the second half that we kept up the tempo, and I think we did that superbly.
It's a massive boost to go top. The most important thing is that we are fighting at the right end of the table. When he (Nolan) came to the club, he’d had an ankle problem at Bolton not so long before, but now he is a player very much free of any added problems and physically as good as I’ve seen him. He is a very good character anyway, but someone we know is capable of scoring goals.”
Ipswich Manager Comments: Roy Keane
"Clearly we are disappointed. We started alright but the first goal knocked our confidence. You have to persevere and encourage players. We have given teams a helping hand and we can't keep doing it. I'm sure Kevin Nolan thought it was Christmas with the first goal and before we knew it we were three down. We certainly have to defend better. I don't like losing football matches, the expectations are high but we have got to deal with it and get on with it."
Head to Head
Toon @ Portman Road:
- 2009/10 Won 4-0 Nolan 3, Ryan Taylor
- 2001/02 Won 1-0
- 2000/01 Lost 0-1
- 1994/95 Won 2-0
- 1993/94 Drew 1-1
- 1991/92 Lost 2-3
Match Facts
- Possession Ipswich 35% - Newcastle 65%
- Shots on target Ipswich 3 - Newcastle 8
- Shots off target Ipswich 3 - Newcastle 2
- Corners Ipswich 3 - Newcastle 3
- Fouls Ipswich 19 - Newcastle 15
Teams
| Ipswich | Newcastle |
|---|---|
Subs not used
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Subs not used:
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Kevin Nolan Comments
talking to The Chronicle
“People weren’t just talking about Sir Bobby the football man, they were talking about the man – that’s why it was nice to get that goal, the first in front of the new stand. It was a special day. We were also at the service last Monday and it was a special week for the club. Some of the stories from the lads are absolutely fantastic. It would have been a privilege to have played under him, but I never had the opportunity. I’ve got the greatest respect for him, and we’ve dedicated this special moment, and week, to him. Ipswich and Newcastle were his two most loved sides, and I’m just delighted his favourite side came up trumps.
It’s the first hat-trick of my career, and I’m absolutely delighted. That was for my daughter – she always says, ‘big goal Daddy?’ I managed to get three big goals for her, and she’ll be absolutely delighted.“She’ll probably be kicking the ball round the garden! She’s three soon, and that’s all she ever says – good luck and big goal Daddy. Hopefully, if she keeps saying it, I’ll keep scoring goals.
Match Day Tweets
New Mag On Sale
The second Mag issue of the season - number 239.
Usual reflection's on recent events by regular contributors and other Toon supporters. Priced @ £2.50 it's available from local news vendors, street sellers on the approaches to SJP and The Back Page on St.Andrews Street
"The Mag was born in 1988, just after we’d sold Gazza and the first game was when he actually came back with Spurs and he was pelted with Mars Bars!" Mark Jensen Editor