Leif Davis celebrates at the final whistle. (Image: Ross Halls)
WAIT IS OVER
Grant Holt’s hat-trick. Play-off agony. Mick McCarthy’s curse aimed at the away end, followed by Tim Klose’s last-gasp heartbreaker. Paul Lambert’s fake fight. There’s been so much Carrow Road hurt and embarrassment for Ipswich Town over the last two decades.
That’s why the celebrations that followed this first victory on Norfolk soil since February 2006 – and first East Anglian derby double since 1992/93 – were so loud and long.
Ipswich will always boast the better history. They are clearly the more upwardly mobile club in this moment too. There can be no doubting the ‘Pride of Anglia’ tag now.
George Hirst fires Ipswich Town into a 2-0 lead at Carrow Road. (Image: PA)
THE GOALS
Clement raged at Jack Taylor ‘cheating’ to win the penalty which led to Ipswich taking an 11th minute lead.
Ben Slimane undoubtedly only has eyes for the ball when swinging his boot in the box. Taylor nips in from his blind side to nick a touch before ensuring contact from the attempted clearance. Norwich are halfway up the pitch when referee Anthony Backhouse turned and pointed to the spot after being alerted to the foul by his assistant.
Yes, it was bought. Yes, it was a delayed decision. But ultimately, by the letter of the law, I do think it was the right one. And anyway, after Leicester and Stoke recently, Ipswich were certainly due a marginal penalty call to go their way.
With designated penalty taker Jack Clarke on the bench, McKenna left it to his players to decide who would take the spot kick. Jaden Philogene convinced George Hirst to hand him the ball and coolly sent Vladan Kovacevic the wrong way.
Town’s crucial second came in first half stoppage-time. Hirst, having already been denied by two big Kovacevic saves, produced a fine finish on the volley after Darnell Furlong’s fling had been flicked on by the back of Jacob Greaves’ head. He’s now on 10 for the season.
It’s reminder that not every goal has to be a multi-pass masterpiece. A penalty and a long throw had put the Blues in the box seat come the break.
Jacob Greaves wins an aerial duel. (Image: Ross Halls)
DEFENSIVE MASTERCLASS
Interestingly, Kieran McKenna revealed after the game that he had been wrong to downplay the emotion of this fixture when taking his side over the Suffolk-Norfolk border towards the back end of the 2023/24 promotion-winning campaign.
Town produced a flat performance in that disappointing 1-0 defeat. This time, hyped up by staff in the build-up, they parked their obsession with possession and embraced a good old-fashioned intense derby day battle.
Taylor getting the nod in midfield and Ben Johnson being deployed as a right-winger were pragmatic selections respectful of the Canaries’ excellent form since Philippe Clement’s arrival last November.
Both sides ended up with five players booked. Ipswich won this game not because of free-flowing football, but largely because of their desire and fight. And that’s all supporters demand of their team on occasions like this.
Norwich finished this game with 67% possession, 37 crosses, 13 corners and 15 shots to their name. They failed to create a single clear cut chance though.
Dara O’Shea and Jacob Greaves made 24 clearances between them, Furlong repeatedly made first contact on dead balls into the box, while Christian Walton confidently claimed several high deliveries.
Taylor’s perfectly-timed hooked midfield challenge on Pelle Mattsson in the first half and O’Shea’s crunching tackle on Ali Ahmed in the box towards the end, which was celebrated like a goal, were highlights in what was a fully-deserved 15th league clean sheet of the campaign.
Marcelino Nunez was a subbed sub on his return to Norwich City. (Image: Ross Halls)
SUB IS SUBBED
Marcelino Nunez knew what was coming.
Having made the bold decision to cross the East Anglian order to further his career last summer, the cheeky Chilean really played up to the role of pantomime villain when tapping the badge, posing by a provocative banner and waving a corner flag around after victory over his former employers at Portman Road last October.
McKenna started him on the bench for this one, partly because he’s only just come back from a hamstring injury and partly because he didn’t think the high emotions surrounding his presence would be helpful to the team.
Canaries fans rushed to the front of the stands to spit bile in Nunez’s direction every time he came out to warm up. Several scrunched up cardboard clappers were thrown in his direction. The unfazed playmaker smirked his way through it all.
He was eventually introduced in the 61st minute to a cacophony of boos. One booking and two clumsy fouls later, the adrenaline fuelled sub was subbed after just 23 minutes on the field. It was a wise decision.
Harry Darling grabbing Nunez by the scruff of his shirt was a moment that highlighted Norwich’s frustration. O’Shea stepping in as skipper to shield his team-mate during the ensuing melee typified Ipswich’s unity and composure in the heat of battle.
Nunez was at the heart of the post-match celebrations. The boy’s certainly got cojones.
Ipswich need 10 points from their remaining six games to secure a return to the Premier League. (Image: PA)
WHAT A WEEKEND!
Since that 5-3 defeat at Wrexham back on February 21st, Ipswich have gone unbeaten in nine. That run is made up of six wins and three draws. And two of those stalemates – Leicester and Stoke – could easily have been victories.
For all the talk about the Blues never quite hitting top gear this season, they’ve quietly kept the points tally ticking over nicely since the squad became fully formed. Following up a first comeback win of the campaign with an historic derby away win feels like a very significant moment.
Top two rivals, meanwhile, continue to falter. Millwall were held to a 0-0 draw at West Brom on Friday night. The Lions have now won one in five. Conor Chaplin then went and scored a last-gasp winner for Portsmouth at Middlesbrough. The Teesiders are now winless in six.
It leaves Ipswich sitting second, two points ahead of Millwall and three clear of Boro with two games in hand to come on both.
To put it more plainly, McKenna’s men ‘only’ need to take 10 more points from their remaining six games to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League thanks to their superior goal difference.
A reminder that those remaining fixtures are Portsmouth (A, Tues), Middlesbrough (H, Sun), Charlton (A), West Brom (A), Southampton (A) and QPR (H).
Whisper it quietly, but the title may not even be out of the question after Coventry dropped points against Sheffield Wednesday. What a weekend. The prize is almost within touching distance now.