Promotion chasing Ipswich Town have nine games to go in the reguar League One season. STUART WATSON makes some predictions.
MARCH PREDICTIONS RECAP
My March predictions were bold, but I actually ended up underestimating the Blues.
I said Ipswich would beat Burton, Accrington and Shrewsbury, but draw at Bolton with an aggregate scoreline of 7-0.
Kieran McKenna's men, of course, won all four matches, scoring 11 and conceding none.
With the Barnsley trip having been re-arranged, Town now face eight games in April and one in May.
It would be silly not include the season-finale at Fleetwood in this latest set of monthly predictions, so here we go...
DERBY COUNTY
When: Saturday, April 1 (3pm)
Where: Pride Park
Reverse fixture: Ipswich 1 (Burns 67) Derby 0
The Rams were on the charge at the start of 2023, six straight league wins putting them two points behind Ipswich with a game in hand.
Paul Warne's men have stuttered since then though and find themselves out of the top-two fight and battling to secure a play-off place.
On his side's 2-0 home loss to Fleetwood last weekend, Warne said: "They should have performed at a higher level than that. That's the nicest way to put it. We could have made five or six changes at half-time."
A certain David McGoldrick is their topscorer.
Stu's prediction: Can the Blues can make a big home crowd edgy, like they did at Bolton? We'll see. I have a slight fear that the international break may halt momentum. 1-1.
WYCOMBE WANDERERS
When: Friday, April 7 (3pm)
Where: Portman Road
Reverse fixture: Wycombe 1 (Hanlon 40) Ipswich 0
Wycombe looked to be building up a head of steam in February, but then long-serving boss Gareth Ainsworth left for QPR.
Matt Bloomfield, just a few months into his managerial career at Colchester, returned to the club he played and coached at for so long. Under the former Blues youngster, the Chairboys' record is: W2 D1 L3.
Losing Anis Mehmeti to Bristol City on January deadline day was a blow. They're still in with a shot of a top-six finish though.
Stu's prediction: Ipswich deserved more than they got when losing at Adams Park last December. I expect the Blues to overcome this physical challenge - 2-1.
CHELTENHAM TOWN
When: Monday, April 10 (3pm)
Where: Whaddon Road
Reverse fixture: Ipswich 1 (Woolfenden 8) Cheltenham 1 (Broom 34)
Ipswich had 29 shots and 15 corners when they drew with Cheltenham at Portman Road last November. One slack moment at the back, combined with some profligacy in attack, meant it finished one apiece though.
The Robins have won three of their last four games (including a 3-0 victory at Peterborough) to pull away from the relegation zone.
Alfie May (26 goals last season and 15 this season) is the obvious dangerman.
Stu's prediction: Wade Elliott's side have generally come up short against the division's leading lights. I predict a 3-1 Ipswich win.
CHARLTON ATHLETIC
When: Saturday, April 15 (3pm)
Where: Portman Road
Reverse fixture: Charlton 4 (Rak-Sakyi 63, Morgan 76, Thomas 90+6, Dobson 90+9) Ipswich 4 (Edmundson 45, John-Jules 52, Morsy 90+1, Ladapo 90+4).
Town should be fired up to right that dramatic late collapse at The Valley last October.
Could Scott Fraser and/or Macauley Bonne come back to haunt their former club? Dean Holden's men have just won back-to-back games on the road (at Morecambe and Cambridge).
Stu's prediction: Charlton are in a transitional phase and look destined for a mid-table finish. Ipswich to win 2-0.
PORT VALE
When: Tuesday, April 18 (7.45pm)
Where: Portman Road
Reverse fixture: Port Vale 2 (Massey 45, Smith 47) Ipswich 3 (Ladapo 34, 51, Humphreys 38)
Port Vale have acquited themselves well since promotion from League Two.
They gave Ipswich a scare in the reverse fixture last October, coming back from 2-0 down before losing 3-2, and are the only side to have won at Plymouth this season.
This will be the first game under the Portman Road lights in six weeks though and the place should be rocking.
Stu's prediction: Vale, who have lost eight of their last 13, will be coming with little to play for. Ipswich to win 4-1.
PETERBOROUGH UNITED
When: Saturday, April 22 (3pm)
Where: London Road
Reverse fixture: Ipswich 2 (Chaplin 21, 58) Peterborough 1 (Kent 31)
Darren Ferguson is back at Peterborough for a remarkable fourth managerial stint and he's taken on a 'we'll score more than you' attack-minded approach.
Speardheaded by 24-goal man Jonson Clarke-Harris, Posh have beaten both Plymouth and Burton 5-2 in recent weeks, while last weekend they ended Lincoln's unbeaten home record by a 3-0 scoreline.
They have, however, suffered heavy home losses to Bolton (5-0) and Cheltenham (3-0) too.
Ipswich, for what it's worth, have never won a league game at London Road.
Stu's prediction: I've got a horrible feeling this could be the end of a long unbeaten run - 2-1 Peterborough.
BARNSLEY
When: Tuesday, April 25 (7.45pm)
Where: Oakwell
Reverse fixture: Ipswich 2 (Chaplin 27, Morsy 70) Barnsley 2 (Aitchison 33, Styles 75)
The stakes could be huge.
Barnsley are currently three points behind Ipswich with a game in hand. Both sides are currently in outstanding form.
Ipswich will feel aggrieved that Marcus Harness had a perfectly legitimate goal chalked off when Ipswich were 2-1 up against the Tykes last August.
Barnsley will feel aggrieved that Ipswich postponed this match due to international call-ups (ultimately only having two, not three).
James Norwood will be fired up to prove a point to his former employers.
Stu's prediction: I said draw when making my March predictions. I'll stick with that. 1-1.
EXETER CITY
When: Saturday, April 29 (3pm)
Where: Portman Road
Reverse fixture: Exeter 0 Ipswich 2 (Ladapo 11, Harness 68)
The Grecians are another side destined for a midtable finish.
Topscorer Jevani Brown is currently not being selected as he awaits trial for am assault charge he denies.
Ipswich were in full control from start to finish in the reverse fixture.
Stu's prediction: This has to go down as a win. 2-0.
FLEETWOOD TOWN
When: Sunday, May 7 (12pm)
Where: Highbury Stadium
Reverse fixture: Ipswich 1 (Woolfenden 2) Fleetwood 1 (Hayes 90+6)
Will the automatic promotion race have gone down to the last day?
Not that Ipswich will need any extra motivation, but I'm sure McKenna's men will remember the way Fleetwood's players celebrated after securing a deflected late equaliser at Portman Road last December.
Former Town players Toto Nsiala, Josh Earl and Jack Marriott are all in Scott Brown's ranks.
Stu's prediction: Could be nervy. Organised Fleetwood don't concede many. Ipswich to win 1-0.
VERDICT
I've got Ipswich to win six, draw two and lose one of their remaining nine matches.
That arguably conservative set of predictions would see Kieran McKenna's men finish on 95 points.
For context, that's a total that would have secured the League One title on 15 occasions since the turn of the century and second place seven times.
It's hard to know if it will be enough for automatic promotion this time around though.
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