Tough game at Bramall Lane as Town lose pace at the top of the Championship
Bramall Lane Stadium, the home of Sheffield United. Photo: Russell Cook.
In the grand scheme of things it was always likely to be a tough game for Ipswich at Sheffield United, yesterday (Saturday, January 24).
But to come away with a 3-1 defeat was really disappointing for many Town fans who made the trip to Bramall Lane.
Okay, we had a few players missing through injury, notably Jaden Philogene, Marcelino Nunez and Chuba Akpom, and we’ve also got a massive month ahead.
We’ve got to play six games in February including the FA Cup at Wrexham and the rearranged fixture at Portsmouth.
We have strength in depth, and have also added former Bristol City midfielder Anis Mehmeti to the squad who came on in the second half yesterday, and that will be tested to the full over the coming weeks.
Progress in the FA Cup will certainly test us as we may have to deal with a fixture pile-up but the way they’re going, especially at Portman Road, I don’t think yesterday’s result will affect them too much.
I still have the Town out in front of Middlesbrough despite their convincing 4-0 victory over Preston North End and it’s possible to catch high flying Coventry who play at Carrow Road tomorrow. There’s still a long way to go before the end of the season.
Sheffield United have certainly picked up under Chris Wilder and they’ll probably be looking at the table and thinking that potentially they could go on a run and make it in the play-offs with so many games to play.
They started the day three points clear of the relegation zone, took the lead when Callum O’Hare finished expertly after a rapid counter-attack and Andre Brooks’ deflected strike made it 2-0 just before the break.
Jack Clarke’s penalty got us back in the game after Mark McGuinness’s handball but Bamford’s clinical strike quickly restored the two-goal advantage.
The one-time England striker was then sent off for the first time in his career for a dive as he looked to go around Town goalkeeper Christian Walton.
Ipswich are now five points behind second-placed Middlesbrough, albeit with a game in hand, and eight behind leaders Coventry.
Speaking after he game to Town TV Town boss Kieran McKenna said: “It’s a really frustrating day for us.
“Up until the point of their first goal the game could have gone either way.
“We had two or three chances to go 1-0 up including, of course, the attack right before they score.
“It was a big chance for us, goalie makes a big save and then we concede a really bad goal from our point of view from our corner and in stadiums like this that completely changes everything so really disappointed with the goal and then we didn’t find enough after it, we didn’t find the reaction after it.
“We got seven to eight minutes to half time, you needed to stay really strong in that period and get to half time at 1-0 and we didn’t do it and the second goal was really poor from us again, with having one shot, two shots, we don’t sprint back in as fast as we should do. We’re not really happy about the at all, that phase of the game.
“Second half we had a go. Of course you get a goal back and I think we’re in a great position to push on and then frustratingly they score, sort of from landing on the second ball and then a great finish and then after that it was too much to come back.
“It was a game where the moments went against us.
“We don’t like losing games but it’s always about the way you respond. We need to take the lessons and how you respond from it and that’s the only bit we can control now.”
He was impressed with Mehmeti’s debut saying: “I thought he done well. When he came on he showed some really good touches, some really positive intent, a few little glimpses of what he can give us and good to have him on board.
“Difficult for him. He didn’t even train with the group, he just met the boys literally just getting on the bus.
“We’re a little bit short, especially in that sort of area. He put his hand up to be involved and it’s a pity we couldn’t have got him on in the game in a better position.”