Ipswich gain a thrilling 2-0 victory over Chelsea to claim their first home victory of the season

Ipswich finally claimed their first home win of the Premier League season with a thrilling 2-0 victory over Chelsea.

Liam Delap converted a penalty in the 12th minute and Omari Hutchinson netted the second eight minutes into the second half.

It resulted in Ipswich leapfrogging Leicester into 18th spot, a point ahead of the Foxes and one point away from Wolves in 17th, with Everton 16th on 17 points two in front of the Town.

It was back to back defeats for the Londoners who lost 2-1 to Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day and dented their chances to go second in the league.

Christian Walton was selected in goal replacing Arijanet Muric and he pulled off a series of saves especially in added on time in the first half when he palmed a shot from Cole Palmer onto the crossbar.

The game was only four minutes old when Ipswich had a wonderful chance to take the lead.

Welsh international Wes Burns, playing as a right wing back, played the ball forwards for Omari Hutchinson who cut the ball back and Nathan Broadhead’s first time shot was blocked by Levi Colwill.

Eight minutes later referee John Brooks awarded Town a penalty when when Filip Jorgensen brought down Delap who steeped up and buried the ball past the Chelsea goalkeeper for the opening goal.

It came after brilliant play by Jens Cajuste who danced his way past a couple of players with Leif Davis collecting the ball and sliding an inch perfect pass to Delap who rounded Jorgensen and was caught by the Chelsea goalkeeper.

Hutchinson charged down a pass from Marc Cucurella in the 13th minute and the ball ended up going loose inside the penalty area with Delap bludgeoning an angled shot that Jorgensen kept out with a strong arm.

The visitors almost equalised in the 21st minute following a free kick 25 yards out after Cajuste clipped the heels of Christopher Nkunku.

Cole Palmer whipped a shot against the left-hand post and the ball rebounded back out into the danger area to Nkunku who stabbed the ball straight at Walton.

Chelsea had the ball in the net three minutes later when Joao Felix converted a pin point cross from Palmer but after a VAR check it was ruled out for offside.

With 15 minutes remaining in the first half Noni Madueke darted inside from the right and layed the ball off to Joao Felix. His shot from the edge of the box smashed into the face of Ipswich central defender Luke Woolfenden and Cucurella followed up rifling an angled shot beyond the far post.

Dara O’Shea received his fourth yellow card of the season for a foul on Felix and with six minutes remaining before the break Broadhead picked up the ball on the half way line and fed Delap whose fierce shot was parried behind for a corner by Jorgensen.

With four minutes additional time added on and the visitors pressing for an equaliser Walton produced a wonderful save when he parried a shot onto the bar from Palmer.

Two minutes into the second half Madueke found the Chelsea skipper and Argentinian international Enzo Fernandez and his cross picked out the unmarked Felix but his header was nodded off the line by Burns on the far post.

Walton was called into action in the 50th minute when he deflected a shot from raiding winger Noni Madueke but Ipswich doubled their lead three minutes later through Hutchinson 

Delap intercepted a poor pass from Tosin Adarabioyo on the half way line and charged forward before setting up Hutchinson for a cool finish into the bottom corner.

The goal prompted Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca to introduce Senegalese striker Nicholas Jackson for Felix and the visitor’s wealth of talent on the bench saw England international Jadon Sancho replacing Nkunku in the 65th minute.

Molises Caicedo was booked for a foul on Delap and Broadhead’s low shot inside the area was saved down low by Jorgensen as Town sought a crucial third goal.

Jorgensen palmed a rasping shot from Delap over the bar after the Ipswich forward drove forward on his own from the half way line.

Jackson found himself clear on goal but his shot went just past Walton’s left hand post with the assistant referee waving his flag for offside.

There were a flurry of substitutions in the 77th minute with Sam Szmodics and Kalvin Phillips replacing Broadhead, starting his first game of the season, and Cajuste, while Chelsea introduced  Malo Gusto and Pedro Neto for Axel Disasi and Madueke.

Ben Johnson came on to replace Burns and Davis and Gusto were booked after some pushing and shoving with Colwill getting a yellow card for dissent.

With five minutes added on time Jack Taylor and Ali Al-Hamadi came on to replace Hutchinson and Delap and the Town centre forward was given a huge ovation for his man of the match performance.

An almighty roar from the 29,968 fans in the stadium greeted the full-time whistle as Town recorded their first home win in the Premier League for more than 20 years against the high flying, multi million pound Londoners.

It was a night that will live long in the memory of Town fans. What a way to end 2024!