Unlikely goalscorers Luke Hyam and Conor Sammon helped Ipswich Town notch up their first away win of the season last night, the Blues eventually hanging on in a frantic finale to win 2-1 at Wigan.
Martyn Waghorn’s finish eight minutes from time set up a grandstand finish and the hosts almost nicked a point when Oriel Riera’s close-range volley struck the post with four minutes to go.
However, that would have been incredibly harsh on the visitors who defended from the front then attacked with invention during a first half in which they were by far the better side.
Hyam gave Town the lead on 20 minutes with a neat side-foot finish, following Tyrone Mings’ cut back, for just his third-ever Town goal.
Sammon, returning to his former club, then broke through midway through the second half and finished at the second attempt after his initial effort was saved by Scott Carson. It was his first goal for Ipswich.
Town had to soak up more pressure in the second half, especially after Sammon had scored the Blues’ second, but Ivan Ramis’ 74th-minute header, saved by Dean Gerken, which was Wigan’s first on target, told its own story.
Manager Mick McCarthy made two changes to the side that defeated Brighton 2-0 last Tuesday with Hyam and Sammon coming in for widemen Paul Anderson and Jay Tabb respectively.
Hyam joined a three-man midfield which also included Cole Skuse and 18-year-old Teddy Bishop.
Sammon played in attack with Daryl Murphy and David McGoldrick, returning to the DW Stadium where he scored just once in 34 league and cup games. There was also a spot in the 18 for Darren Ambrose.
The hosts made two changes with Andy Taylor and summer Town target Emyr Huws dropping out and Shaun Maloney and Adam Forshaw coming in.
Wigan, having played for most of this season with five at the back, started with a 4-4-1-1 formation, normal left wing-back Taylor’s place in the team being taken by Maloney, who started just behind Andy Delort.
Town were attacking with a 4-3-3 formation but when defending, Murphy and a mixture of McGoldrick and Sammon were dropping off.
The hosts forced the first chance of the game on three minutes, Delort heading McManaman’s free kick down and over the bar.
Wigan, who had never lost in the league at home to Ipswich, were enjoying some good early pressure and there were half-hearted shouts for a penalty on 10 minutes when Emmerson Boyce tumbled in the box with Christophe Berra in the vicinity. However, nothing was given.
The Blues were frustrating the hosts with their defending from the front and, after forcing a loose pass from the Latics, the ball was played forward to Murphy who unleashed a left-foot thunderbolt from distance that swerved, causing Carson to palm his effort away. From the same move, Mings then fired a cross to the near post but Sammon could only divert his header into the side-netting.
The Blues were building up a head of steam and deservedly took the lead on 20 minutes. McGoldrick picked the ball up in midfield and found Mings on the left, who fired a low ball across the box and Hyam finished like a striker from 11 yards out.
The visitors were almost in dreamland two minutes later but McGoldrick’s centre was played just behind Sammon – the ball hitting his heel with the goal gaping. That lifted the home fans and they cranked the volume up even more when McManaman was crudely fouled by Berra who was booked.
Skuse then broke up play and sent Murphy scampering down the right. He got into the box and squared for McGoldrick but Ramis was on hand in the six-yard box to concede a corner.
Wigan dangerman McManaman, still feeling the effects of that Berra challenge, was then substituted for McClean, who scored twice for the Latics during their 3-1 win in March at Portman Road.
Mings ended the half in the referee’s book, bringing down the pacy Maloney who was heading goalwards with Berra the last man.
Wigan came out for the second half fired up but still couldn’t test a resolute Ipswich back line.
Town still looked dangerous on the counter-attack, meanwhile, and scored on 63 minutes when McGoldrick played a lovely ball through to Sammon who got the better of Rob Kiernan and shot at Carson. The goalkeeper got a hand to the striker’s shot but the ball rebounded kindly to him and he ran the ball into an empty net.
McGoldrick then fired wide from distance before Waghorn and Riera gave Wigan more physicality.
From a right-wing corner, on 74 minutes, Ramis recorded the hosts’ first effort on target, his header being beaten out at the near post, before McClean, unmarked at the back post at a corner, fired a shot goalwards that was tapped in by Waghorn to make it 2-1.
Forshaw then sent a long-distance header straight into the hands of Gerken before the visitors were left holding their breath.
A centre from the right was not cleared and when the ball came out to Riera, the Spaniard volleyed a fierce shot which smacked off Gerken’s left-hand post to safety.
Town then held on for four added minutes to grab all three points.
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