Ipswich Town 0-0 Preston North End – Half-Time
Saturday, 31st Jan 2026 15:56
Town’s home game against Preston North End remains 0-0 at half-time.
Anis Mehmeti, who came off the bench during last week’s 3-1 defeat at Sheffield United, was handed his full debut as Town made five changes from the loss at Bramall Lane.
Mehmeti came in as the number 10 with Leif Davis at left-back, Jens Cajuste in central midfield, Wes Burns on the right and Ivan Azon the central striker.
Jacob Greaves, Jack Taylor, Sindre Walle Egeli and George Hirst dropped to the bench, while Derby and Wrexham target Sammie Szmodics was absent from the 20-man squad. New signing Dan Neil was among the subs having signed on loan from Sunderland earlier in the week, while Chuba Akpom returned following his groin problem.
Preston made four changes from the team which lost 4-0 at Middlesbrough last week with former Blues keeper Dai Cornell coming into the team for his first appearance of the season with Jack Walton dropping to the bench. First-choice number one Daniel Iversen is injured.
Liam Lindsay came in at centre-half for Jordan Storey, who is suspended having been red-carded last week, and striker Milutin Osmajic also remains banned following his recent dismissal.
Thierry Small and Jordan Thompson replaced Jamal Lewis and Lewis Dobbin, who were on the bench. New loan signing Milos Lukovic was also among the subs.
Town began on the front foot but without creating an opportunity in the opening quarter of an hour with a couple of corners and a free-kick wide on the right, all taken by Mehmeti, coming to nothing.
On 19, after the Lilywhites had half-cleared to just outside the area following a Blues attack down the left, Azor Matusiwa played a clever pass to Jack Clarke in space, but the wideman’s shot flew well over.
Within a minute there was a scare for Town at the other end, Small cutting a low ball across from the left and Daniel Jebbison turning first time towards goal but skipper Dara O’Shea got his heel in the way.
In the 25th minute, following a Preston free-kick into the Town area, Mehmeti brought the ball out and played a superb pass into the path of Clarke breaking into the visitors’ box on the left. However, the ball got caught under the winger’s feet as he looked to bring it inside Odel Offiah and the chance was gone.
Two minutes later, Davis launched a cross from the left which Burns headed back from deep on the right and Azon’s well-executed overhead from just inside the area kick flew into Cornell’s arms.
Preston should have gone in front just before the half hour. Cajuste found Mehmeti with a pass inside the area but the Albania international was dispossessed and the Lilywhites broke quickly, Ali McCann playing a superb ball from not far outside his own area which sent Jebbison through on goal from halfway.
Fortunately for the Blues and to the delight of the North Stand crowd, the ex-Sheffield United man put the beyond the advancing Christian Walton’s left post and wide.
On 32, a Cedric Kipre pass over the top found Mehmeti in behind but with the linesman’s flag raised. Replays suggested it was very close but with the fans behind the assistant having made up their minds it was an incorrect call.
A minute later, Cajuste shot not too far wide from the edge of the box from Davis’s pass. Referee John Busby subsequently booked Thompson for a late tackle on Darnell Furlong in the build-up.
Preston were next to threaten, Alfie Devine cutting in from the right and shooting against a Town defender, then Lewis Gibson swept a low effort which Walton claimed down to his right.
But it was still mostly Town and on 41 Furlong beat his man on the right, cut in and hit a low effort at Cornell’s near post which was blocked. Moments later, Cajuste was penalised for challenging the keeper as the Welshman punched away a cross, much to the annoyance of the home support, already unhappy with referee Busby for one or two earlier harsh decisions against their side.
Two minutes later, Thompson, already booked, hauled Matusiwa to the ground as they awaited a throw on halfway, referee Busby speaking to both of them, although it was hard to see what the Dutchman had done wrong.
Town were still pressing for the game’s opener as the half-time whistle came after two additional minutes.
The Blues had been dominant throughout but without creating too many clear-cut chances, Clarke’s early effort wide and his opportunity when sent through by Mehmeti the best of them with Town also having been able to create little from set pieces in and around the area.
At the other end, Preston had had the better chances on their rare forays into the Town box, most notably Jebbison’s one-on-one.
The Blues will have to show more guile in the second half if they’re to break down a PNE defence which has so far kept them out for 135 minutes this season.
Town: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea (c), Kipre, Davis, Matusiwa, Cajuste, Burns, Mehmeti, Clarke, Azon. Subs: Palmer, Johnson, Greaves, Neil, Taylor, McAteer, Walle Egeli, Akpom, Hirst.
Preston: Cornell, Offiah, Lindsay, Gibson, Valentin, McCann, Whiteman (c), Thompson, Small, Devine, Jebbison. Subs: Walton, Nolan, Lewis, Mawene, Frokjaer, Dobbin, Smith, Lukovic. Referee: John Busby (Oxfordshire).
Photo: Action Images
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