Ipswich Preview
By: Richard Hubbert
Date: 20/02/2003
THE manner of last week's loss to Gillingham was nothing less than abysmal and so the Mariners will be playing to prove a point in a tricky away game against Ipswich. With no new signing this week, it will be the same set of players that played so badly last week that will try once again.
The Bottom Line
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The Mariners need to show some pride and fight in their performance at Ipswich. Not many expect Town to get anything from this game so the Mariners have nothing to loose and must play with some of the passion and determination that kept them in this division last year.
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The Opposition - Any Good?
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After their indifferent start to the season, Ipswich have started showing why they qualified for the UEFA Cup just two years ago. New manager Joe Royle has installed confidence into the Tractorboys, and he certainly has some decent a good squad to pick from. Captain Matthew Holland played and scored in the World Cup last summer and is the rock which their team is built around. With him is the evergreen Jim Magilton while exciting midfielder Darren Ambrose (left) who has been linked with a summer move to Newcastle injects creativity and pace into their side. Up front they have the two Bent’s with Marcus Bent, formerly of Blackburn and Sheffield United and youngster Darren Bent who between them have bagged 18 goals this season.
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Recent Form
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Town | Ipswich |
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L | Wolves | (h) | 2-4 |
W | Sheff Utd | (h) | 3-2 |
L | Bradford | (a) | 0-2 |
L | Sheff Utd (Cup) | (a) | 3-4 |
W | Preston | (h) | 3-0 |
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Players To Watch
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Town | Ipswich |
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Danny Coyne
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Matthew Holland
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The Welsh International goalkeeper may well be needed if last week was anything to go by. His performance at Gillingham saved Town a drubbing, but that’s not surprising for Town fans who are used to seeing performances of the highest quality from the former Tranmere stopper. Has been player of the year for the past two seasons.
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Signed for what now seems a snip at £800,000 from Bournemouth in 1997 and has made 302 appearances since, with over 200 of them being consecutive! A midfield dynamo who keeps the side ticking, Holland is now a Republic of Ireland international and scored in their 1-1 draw with Cameroon in the World Cup. Turned down a move to Aston Villa in August.
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Top Scorers
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Town | Ipswich |
Kabba 6
Campbell 5
Oster 5
Pouton 4
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Counago 14
D. Bent 12
Ambrose 11
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Team News
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Town | Ipswich |
Town are sweating over the fitness of Alan Pouton who is still suffering with the ankle injury that has plagued him of late. If he fails to make the starting line up then Stacy Coldicott will resume in midfield.
The Mariners will hope that Darren Mansaram may be able to make the bench after recovering from injury.
Paul Groves was obviously angry about his sides performance last week and he may tinker with the limited numbers he does have. He might consider playing Steve Chettle in place of the tiring Simon Ford while Terry Cooke could be replaced by Darren Barnard with Stuart Campbell switching flanks.
But unless the Mariners make any loan signings on Friday then the side may well be unchanged from last week.
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The Tractor Boys do have fears over the fitness of teenage midfielder Darren Ambrose who was substituted after taking a knock in Wednesday night’s home defeat to Wolves. However, manager Joes Royle has revealed that he expects him to play.
Elsewhere, Ipswich have no other injury worries with manager Joe Royle expected to persevere with the side that lost in midweek.
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Probable Starting XI's
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Town | Ipswich |
Danny Coyne |
John McDermott |
Simon Ford |
George Santos |
Tony Gallimore |
Stuart Campbell |
Terry Cooke |
Paul Groves |
Stacy Coldicott |
Michael Boulding |
Chris Thompson |
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Andy Marshall |
Fabian Wilnis |
John McGreal |
Thomas Gaardsoe |
Chris Makin |
Tommy Miller |
Jim Magilton |
Matt Holland |
Darren Ambrose |
Marcus Bent |
Darren Bent |
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Subs
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Town | Ipswich |
Chris Bolder |
Darren Barnard |
David Soames |
Iain Ward |
Sean Allaway (GK) |
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Richard Naylor |
Pablo Counago |
Martin Reuser |
Jermaine Wright |
James Pullen (GK) |
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Last Time Out
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Town will be aiming to do the double over Ipswich after beating them 3-0 at Blundell Park earlier in the season. This was Towns first home win of the season, coming on October 8th and was secured through goals from Steve Kabba, who got two and Alan Pouton from the penalty spot. This was also ex Ipswich manager, George Burley’s last game as manager of the East Anglia club.
Town Team: Coyne, Ward (Coldicott), Barnard, Raven, Ford, Campbell, Cooke, Santos, Pouton, Mansaram (Livingstone), Kabba (Robinson).
Subs (not used): Rowan and Allaway
Attendance: 4,688 Report
Ipswich Head-to-Head
(83rd on The Opposition Ladder).
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Prediction
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Directions
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Click on the link for directions to Portman Road (left).
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Admission Prices
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Click on the link for ticket prices to Portman Road.
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