Ipswich Town were thrashed 6-1 at League One side Charlton Athletic in a very worrying conclusion to their pre-season campaign this afternoon.
Blues boss Mick McCarthy was without several senior players. Striker David McGoldrick is the latest to be affected by the illness that has swept through the camp this summer, while Emyr Huws (Achilles), Bersant Celina (illness), Tom Adeyemi (illness) Teddy Bishop (groin) and Luke Hyam (ankle) were also absent.
Even so, this was a senior side – one that could very well line-up against Birmingham City at Portman Road for the Championship opener next Saturday – and they were thoroughly outplayed by the far more dynamic hosts.
Goals from Patrick Bauer (11), Tarique Fosu (26) and Josh Magennis (26 and 31) had Karl Robinson’s men 4-0 up the break as Town continually backed off and made defensive errors.
The excellent Ricky Holmes then scored two super goals after the break (51 and 77) either side of Andre Dozzell’s consolation strike.
It was far from a flattering scoreline, with Fosu and Jake Forster-Caskey both spurning good chances to make this an even more embarrassing afternoon for the Blues in South London.
To compound the misery, Joe Garner – one of only two fit senior strikers heading into the match – appeared to go off injured.
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The Addicks broke the deadlock in the 11th minute after Luke Chambers dived in to concede a free-kick out on the right. Ricky Holmes’ produced a dangerous inswinging delivery that required only the slightest of touches from the head of Patrick Bauer to help into the far side of the net.
Town’s only real attacking threat was Joe Garner winning headers for strike partner Freddie Sears to run onto. The Blues’ two banks of four were far too static and sat increasingly deep, despite Garner and manager Mick McCarthy urging them to press further up the field.
Charlton were gifted their second goal in the 26th minute when Danny Rowe played a poor square pass into his own box from the left-back position. Clarke seized on the loose ball and rolled a sideways pass for Tarique Fosu to sweep home first time.
Town unravelled for the remaining 15 minutes of the half. Goal number three arrived in the 31st minute, big striker Magennis expertly heading home from near the penalty spot after Ricky Holmes was afforded far too much time and space to cross from the right.
Things got worse in the 39th minute when Clarke dribbled past Chambers too easily at the by-line before cutting the ball back for Magennis to rifle into the bottom corner.
McCarthy responded with three changes at the break – Adam Webster, Andre Dozzell and Dominic Iorfa replacing Chambers, Spence and Rowe.
The Blues started the second period looking a lot livelier, but conceded again in the 51st minute as Holmes produced a stunning first-time strike on the edge of the box that fizzed in just under the crossbar.
Town’s travelling fans – officially numbering 350 – resorted to black humour at this point. There were colourful chants about how bad their team was, ironic cheers when Garner found the net long after the whistle had blown for a foul, then a rendition of ‘we’ve had a shot’ after Downes headed straight the keeper from a Jonas Knudsen cross.
Charlton should have added a sixth in the 65th minute after Downes sold Webster short with a pass. Fosu seized on the loose ball, drove into space but then fired straight at Bartosz Bialkowski when he had unmarked team-mates either side.
Town pulled one back in the 73rd minute when substitute Dozzell lashed home from close-range after Knudsen nodded down Ward’s cross at the far post.
That consolation goal came at a cost though with Garner wiped out in the build-up and appearing to go off injured.
Charlton did, fittingly, have the last say though as the unplayable Holmes curled a free-kick into the top corner following a foul by Downes.
IPSWICH TOWN (4-4-2): Bialkowski; Spence (Iorfa 46), Chambers (cpt) (Webster 46), Smith, Knudsen (Kenlock 74); Ward, Skuse (Nydam 74), Downes, Rowe (Dozzell 46); Sears, Garner (Folami 76).
Unused subs: Gerken, Bru, McKendry, Patterson.
CHARLTON ATH (4-2-3-1): Amos; Solly (Charles-Cook 84), Konsa, Bauer (Jackson 84), DaSilva; Forster-Caskey, Kashi; Fosu (Sarr 84), Holmes (Ahearne-Grant 84), Clarke (Watt 71); Magennis.
Unused subs: Maynard-Brewer, Dijksteel, Crofts, Barnes.
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