By TownFans.co.uk
October 26 2012

We preview Saturday's game against Sheffield Wednesday in the Npower League Championship at Portman Road.



Ipswich Town go into this weekend's game occupying bottom spot in the league after a disappointing start to the season which has saw Paul Jewell part company with the club being replaced with caretaker Chris Hutchings. Town will be hoping to start to turn their season around and begin their climb out of the relegation zone against a Sheffield Wednesday side who currently sit just one place higher than Town.

Record Between the Teams
History shows that there is little between the teams when it comes to previous games. At Portman Road Town have won 9 out of 20 meetings between the teams, with eight wins for Sheffield Wednesdays and three draws. Including both home and away records, in 39 games Town have won 15, Wednesday 16 and 8 games ending as draws.

Town's biggest win against Sheffield Wednesday was the 4-1 win in the 2007/2008 Championship season at Portman Road with the biggest defeeat was a 5-0 thrashing in the 1993/1994 Premier League campaign away from home, a season in which Town just avoided relegation to the Football League on the last day of the season.

Form Guide
Town's recent form has been well documented and amongst other unwanted statistics, the club have lost the last four home games in a row having not won a game at any venue for 11 matches which has seem them slide to the foot of the table. Town have scored six goals, shipping 10 in the last six games.

Sheffield Wednesday's recent form has been little better however. They have not managed a win of any kind in the last 10 games, and are now seven games without a win on their travels. Like Town, they've taken just two points from their last six games. Whilst in that time they have saw nine goals go in the back of their net, they've scored just four.

Blast From the Past: 10/01/09: Town 1-1 Sheff Wed
Pablo Counago's eighth goal of the season averted a third successive home loss for Ipswich Town, but this result does little for the clubs Play-off ambitions.

The excellent Steve Watson had put the visitors ahead on 51 minutes, but Counago was in the right place to nod in the leveller 15 minutes later.

Wednesday started well with Watson narrowly firing wide from a Francis Jeffers' cross and Mark Beevers nodding wide from a Watson corner.

Ipswich came to life with Jon Walters firing wide, David Norris having a shot deflected wide and Gareth McAuley nodding past the post from Tommy Miller's corner.

Watson shot just over before Walters' low drive was cleared off the line by Richard Wood in first-half stoppage time.

Wednesday went in front six minutes after the break when Jermaine Johnson skinned McAuley on the left wing and floated in a fine cross for Watson to head powerfully beyond Richard Wright.

Johnson had the ball in the net from Michael Gray's pass, but he was well offside and minutes later Town levelled.

Lee Grant produced a fine save to tip away a Danny Haynes shot and from Miller's ensuing corner, Grant made another top stop to deny McAuley's header but the predatory Counago was on hand to head in the rebound.

Former Town loanee Jeffers shot wide from a Johnson cross before substitute Jon Stead twice fired over for Ipswich and also set up Haynes for a shot which was deflected over.

The lively Counago saw a goal-bound shot deflected wide after a neat turn four minutes from time and Ipswich pushed for a late winner.

They almost got it in the dying seconds when a poor clearance found substitute Owen Garvan 20 yards out but his volley flew over the top.