Ipswich Town 1 Coventry City 2

COVENTRY won at Portman Road for the first time since 1994 – 19 visits - when they deserved their success in this npower Championship fixture at Portman Road on Saturday.

The defeat was the first for the Blues on a Saturday this season and means they need to collect points at Watford on Tuesday and Nottingham Forest next weekend to keep abreast of the divisional pacesetters.

Clive Platt gave the visitors the lead in the 19th minute with a free header from three yards and Coventry could easily have been three goals ahead at the interval with Lukas Jutkiewicz denied by Gareth McAuley and then rocketing a shot against the underside of the bar when the ball on seeing a TV replay looked as though it may well have crossed the line as it bounced down.

Lukas Jutkiewicz increased the Coventry lead in the 56th minute after a dubious penalty award with Jason Scotland reducing the arrears two minutes later.

Town made just one change from the side that beat Leeds United 2-1 a fortnight ago. The progress and importance that teenager Hyam has in the squad was noted by his return to the starting line-up after serving a one-match. He took the place of Eastman with Peters dropping from midfield to right back.

There was no place for regular skipper Norris after his return from his ban with Leadbitter continuing to wear the armband.

There was no place in the Town squad for Colback, who re-joined the club on Friday on loan from Sunderland until January. Healy and Murray dropped out of the squad after being substitutes against Leeds with Town having a particularly strong looking bench.

The Sky Blues also had one alteration from their previous game with McSheffrey coming in to play on the left of midfield at the expense of the injured Ward.

It was an often sunny but chilly day with the visitors playing in green and black striped shirts.

After a lively opening a poor pass by Kennedy gave Jutkiewicz a chance to run at McAuley with his eventual shot going well wide from 18 yards in the sixth minute.

Very little of note happened - with Westwood restricted to a couple of collects from long throws - until the visitors took the lead in the 19th minute.

Clingan’s deep corner from the left was headed back and into the six-yard box by Gunnarsson, and with Fulop unable to intercept, former Colchester striker Platt headed into the roof of the net.

It had taken a long time, but at last Ipswich woke up. A 28th minute move involving Edwards and Townsend ended with Livermore curling a shot a foot wide from 18 yards.

McAuley was Town’s saviour in the 31st minute after hesitant defending allowed Jutkiewicz to go through on goal. McAuley sped across to get in a crucial tackle just before the visiting striker was about to shoot from 11 yards.

Coventry’s tactics were working far better than Ipswich’s with Carsley and Clingan having control of midfield.

In the 39th minute, the Sky Blues were a whisker away from a deserved second goal. A hopeful lob forward by Keogh saw Jutkiewicz get goal side of McAuley, and his thundering left foot shot from 17 yards hit the underside of the bar before bouncing down around the goal line area and into the grateful hands of Fulop.

Clingan’s free-kick in the 42nd minute saw Fulop speeding across goal to save in the top right hand, before the busy Peters crossed from the right, but Scotland could only scoop his effort over the bar.

Scotland then saw a low shot deflected a foot wide of the far post as Ipswich continued to find it difficult to score in the opening half – Leeds being the only time they have found the net in 11 league games.

Ipswich switched to 4-4-2 from 4-1-4-1 after the interval with Wickham coming on for Hyam as the home team attacked the South Stand goal.

Town penned Coventry inside their own half with Scotland causing Westwood to push his low shot for a corner in the 53rd minute.

But it was the home side who increased their lead in the 56th minute when McAuley’s pretty innocuous challenge from behind on Jutkiewicz resulted in a penalty.

It looked more like a tangling of feet, but Jutkiewicz took full advantage by side-footing home the spot kick with his left foot.

To their credit Ipswich hit back two minutes later when Livermore played in Peters and from the full back’s accurate pass, Scotland thumped home his fourth goal of the season from 12 yards.

Town went even more attack-minded when Priskin and Norris came on, but they failed to find any consistent rhythm and did not test Westwood with Clingan’s 78th minute free-kick appearing to come off Wickham before striking the Blues far post and bouncing clear.

Priskin set up Scotland for a fierce shot that Westwood punched away in the 83rd minute, but after that the visitors were not serious put under pressure.

Teams

Ipswich Town: Fulop; Peters (sub Norris 73), McAuley, Smith, Kennedy; Hyam (Wickham 46); Edwards, Leadbitter, Livermore, Townsend (Priskin 73); Scotland. Substitutes: B Murphy, Delaney, Brown, Eastman, .

Coventry City: Westwood; Keogh, Wood, Turner, Cranie; Gunnarsson (Baker 81), Clingan, Carsley, McSheffrey (Doyle 85); Platt, Jutkiewicz. Substitutes: Ireland, McIndoe, Clarke, O’Donovan, Cameron.

Referee: Mr R Shoebridge (Derbyshire)

Attendance: 19,100 (529 Coventry).

.

IPSWICH TOWN v LEEDS UNITED

MATCH RATINGS

Ipswich Town: Fulop 5; Peters 8, McAuley 7, Smith 6, Kennedy 6; Hyam 6; Edwards 7, Leadbitter 6, Livermore 6, Townsend 5; Scotland 7.

Coventry City: Westwood 7; Keogh 7, Wood 7, Turner 7, Cranie 6; Gunnarsson 7, Clingan 8, Carsley 8, McSheffrey 6; Platt 7, Jutkiewicz 8.

.

MATCH STATS

Ipswich Town 1

Goals: Scotland 58

Bookings: -

Sent off: -

Shots on target: 4

Shots off target: 7

Woodwork: -

Corners: 8

Free-kicks conceded (including off sides): 10

.

Coventry City 2

Goals: Platt 19, Jutkiewicz (pen) 56,

Bookings: Keogh 28

Sent off: -

Shots on target: 3

Shots off target: 7

Woodwork: 2

Corners: 3

Free-kicks conceded (including off sides): 11