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Post Match Sadie: CPFC
By Sadie August 6 2006
Sadie (Shady Blue Lady) gives Singing The Blues her own unique look at Town’s game against Crystal Palace yesterday.

25,413 fans turned out to the 2006/07 season opener at Portman Road against Crystal Palace.

 

Entering the ground I was not quite buzzing as I usually would after only a couple of hours sleep, but my eyes soon widened when I saw countless tanned legs roaming around the pitch.

 

Just 2 minutes into the match a header from Jaime Peters onto Nicky Forster began the attack but inside the box no one could finish, quickly followed was another attack but unfortunately Dean Bowditch couldn't quite reach. Another attack failed with De Vos heading just past the post. The first 10 minutes looked bright for the refreshed looking Tractor boys, but of course that was just 10 minutes, there were 80 more to go!

 

Palace headed for goal next but a header from Naylor prevented past team mate James Scowcroft from making anything of it.

 

The pressure was starting to build upon the town defence but they kept their cool and kept the pressure away from the town number 1.

 

20 minutes in Ipswich won a free kick which Darren Currie planted right into the middle of nowhere. The next 10 minutes were all about town, a bright looking Dean Bowditch being the main provider into the box as the tractor boys ploughed up field like a bunch of brand new Combine Harvesters and on the half hour mark Forster flicked the ball past his marking man took a shot and Whoop there it is, the crowd goes wild, 1-0 to the tractor boys.

 

Maybe I was celebrating for the next five minutes, although I doubt it, but the next thing i noticed was, much to the home fans amusement, was Scowcroft heading over the bar from a palace free kick.

 

At this point in the game, referee Mr Kevin Wright started having problems which I’m sure must have been caused by his hair in his eyes!

 

Handball against Wilnis was given, beware readers, evolution is stepping up- we now have hands growing out of our knees! well that's handy (excuse the pun) I don't like getting my knees dirty. Anyway from the Palace free kick a Palace head sent the ball flying over, which of course resulted in a Palace corner, Confused?

 

42 minutes saw a save by Supple, I couldn't tell you what happened as I wasn't watching, I was busy discussing what might be behind the glass at the Walkers Stadium.

 

The Town defence were now showing that they could feel the pressure.

 

Half time, and I was encouraged by the strength of the town attack, but worried by the fact that we had no midfield, it was straight from defence to strikers, the closest we had to a midfield is where Bowditch would receive the ball in the town half and run it up into the attacking box, and now the defence were starting to crumble. Would the half-time team talk work? No. I'm not sure the tractor boys actually came out, maybe they couldn't understand what Jim was saying, anyone would be let off for mis hearing "Tighten this up or they will break through" for "Roll over like dogs"

 

Crystal Palace certainly came out with determination knowing that Ipswich were feeling the heat.

 

New boy Bruce receives his first yellow card as a tractor boy and the first at Portman Road for the season from a decent challenge that the ref felt somehow, somewhere was wrong. The first 10 minutes of the second half were stop/start but town remained on the upper hand. Down on the side line Jim tells subs to run faster, and in the stands I lose funky sock competition after in my tiredness I forgot and for once in my life was wearing boring matching black socks, criminal- I know.

 

Just a minute later town Lose their Lead from a McAnuff goal.

 

Richards comes on for Williams and starts off well bringing Midfield back into existence, however in a goal mouth scramble a goal was given to James Scowcroft and Crystal Palace, as in true town style we lose it all in the space of a few minutes. This woke up the palace fans but unfortunately not the town players.

 

On 66 minutes Town gaffer looking great in a suit once again refreshes from a bottle of water which I felt he'd much rather be throwing at his defence than holding to his mouth like an oxygen supply.

 

67 minutes saw Alan Lee come on for Dean Bowditch who impressed the fans and even got them chanting his name.

 

Town second booking of the match came in the 69th minute to towns other debutant Harding, who was named as match sponsors man of the match.

 

The Midfield decided to make an appearance with some beautiful play starting with Richards ending up with Peters who won a corner for Town.

 

In the 76th minute, i began to worry about ref Mr. Wright, who's actions were purely suicidal, ignoring a string of incidents against town, including a foul on Alan Lee that left the linesman dancing around like he had leaches in his pants.

 

Looking nervous Mr. Magic checks his watch on 78 minutes as Danny Haynes pretends to be warming up along the sidelines when really he was wondering if he set the timer correctly to record 'Big cook Little cook'

 

Fans start to clap- I don't know why- I wasn't watching obviously, but then OH YES, the crowd go wild, town won a corner! Woo diddily Hoo.

 

Peters made way for Haynes on the 81st minute as it was getting close to his bed time, bless

In the 83rd minute a discovery was made when Alan Lee realized he doesn't actually have to fall over whenever slight contact is made, but then a minute later he forgets that discovery and once again goes flying like a bunch of helium filled balloons that were then popped by pigeons.

 

Scowcroft joins the book for a foul on Naylor in the 85th minute, a decent effort by Currie (Yes really) lead to nothing, well come on what were you expecting?

 

In the 90th minute I received a text asking if it was bad, my reply: "Urm Yea".

 

In the 91st minute town get a free kick for something or other which Currie prepares to take, during which he is being yelled at and told how much of a waste of space he is by a fellow town fan, now really how is that going to help? From the free kick Currie went on to win a corner which shuts up 'grumpy man' behind, still nothing from it, but hey it's worth a go!

Ipswich lost their opener 1-2 in an extremely frustrating match, But...

 

                                                                     MAN IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK!

 

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