Sunday Snap: Stars and stripes, a moment in Town history and Lambert's crossbar challenge

USA, USA, USA

Ipswich Town Tractor Horses improved their record with another W against a League One conference rival at Magical Vegas Arena.

Coach Lambert’s team showed great hustle in their blue uniforms to back up Tuesday’s road win at the Humber Tigers as they beat the Doncaster Redhoops two-to-one.

Big Blue’s special teams unit proved the difference as wingster Alan Judge fired a 30-yard field-goal between the uprights prior to the half, before a dangerous flagkick from quarterback Andre Dozzell was head-passed into the six for power forward James Norwood to slide into the lower quadrant.

The road team slammed one back to deny net minder Tomas Holy a shut-out but a goalline stand from the Tractor D secured the points.

The result leaves the Tractors in the hunt for a place in the post-season with a record of 14-10-5.

Next up is a trip to Accrington on Tuesday Night Football.

How Ipswich Town's game with Doncaster was promoted on iFollow this weekend (Image: iFollow)

Stars and stripes

I promise the above match report won’t become a regular feature, even if the much-discussed American takeover does eventually go through.

But it was good to see the lads at iFollow getting involved in the ‘USA, USA, USA’ fun and games with their promotion of this game.

Was the red, white and blue a coincidence? Absolutely. But certainly amusing.

James Norwood scores Towns second to take them 2-0 up. (Image: Steve Waller)

Leading man

He’s finally resumed his rightful place.

Ipswich Town need James Norwood to lead from the front if they are to truly fight their way into promotion contention and, finally, he’s topping the Blues’ scoring charts.

He’s on the modest total of five alongside Gwion Edwards and Jon Nolan, but those goals have come in just 833 minutes during an injury hit season.

Town’s No.10 has made only eight league starts but is averaging a goal every 166 minutes on the pitch – that's better than the fabled ‘goal every other game’ used regularly to judge strikers.

One thing’s for sure, Town would be in a much better place right now had he been fit throughout the campaign.

Troy Parrott congratulates James Norwood after he had scored Towns second to take them 2-0 up. (Image: Steve Waller)

Hair raising

This column declared Norwood’s much-discussed hair transplant to be a success all the way back in October 2019 (we were the first to stick our necks out on that) so it’s only right we discuss the latest development.

From bald to top knot in 18 months – almost as impressive as his recent form.

Respect

There’s been a notable absence from the Town bench in the last three games.

Assistant manager Stuart Taylor sadly lost his father in recent days, with the Town players and staff showing their respect and condolences by wearing black armbands during this weekend’s game.

A classy touch.

Crossbar challenge

Regular readers will know the pre-game warm-up is a hotbed of content – this one was no difference.

Paul Lambert, showing a more care-free attitude in recent days, rarely oversees the warm-up but was out in the middle for this one, spending some of his time engaged in a crossbar challenge game with kit man James Pullen.

It was an up-and-down affair (almost entirely ‘down’ for Pullen) but it must be said Lambert hit the woodwork three times.

And, as you can see from the above video, he looked absolutely delighted.

History boys

The quintet of Gwion Edwards, Flynn Downes, Josh Harrop, Freddie Sears and Aaron Drinan will go down in Ipswich Town history.

For this weekend, despite Lambert regularly stressing just how important it was for five subs to be available during this strangest of seasons, was the first time the Town boss had used his full complement of replacements.

An ‘I was there’ moment.