Ipswich Town 0 Nottingham Forest 1

AN own goal by Damien Delaney got Ipswich Town’s home 2011 off to a losing start in their Championship fixture at Portman Road on Monday afternoon.

To make matter worse Grant Leadbitter will miss next week’s cup games against Chelsea and Arsenal after being sent off for a two-footed tackle on Anderson in second half stoppage time.

Town can have no complaints with the vistors looking better in virtually every department and Ipswich now looking set to fight out the remainder of the season in the bottom, half of the table.

It was Town’s sixth home defeat and their seventh in their last nine league games.

Town made five changes from the side that drew 1- 1 in their opening game of 2011 at Coventry City on Saturday.

Out went Jaime Peters, Carlos Edwards, Jason Scotland, Tommy Smith and Darren O’Dea with all five among the substitutes as Town retained the same 18-strong squad.

Troy Brown, Damien Delaney, Mark Kennedy came in along the back line with Jake Livermore in midfield and Connor Wickham replacing Jason Scotland up front.

Fulop cleared awkwardly with his feet in the 23rd minute following a Gunter cross and two minutes later Town created their first danger when Wickham crossed from the right by-line and Fallon got above his marker at the far post, but was unable to get any power behind his header.

Brown saw his close range headed tipped over well by Camp in the 29th minute following a Leadbitter corner,

Fulop saved well from Mossi in the 31st minute and two minutes before the break Lynch leaped high at the far post following a free-kick and his header misses the woodwork by a couple of inches.

In first half stoppage time, Cohen’s pass saw McGoldrick run to the by-line and Fulop got a hand to a driven cross. Delaney could not stop himself running the ball into his own net.

Cohen shot over when well placed in the 47th minute, while Norris shot across goal with Wickham waiting inside to pounce nine minutes later.

After that it was mainly huff and puff from Ipswich as a superior Forest side held out without any significant alarms with the Blues out of sorts with Tyson missing a sitter after good play by Tudgay and Anderson in the 85th minute.

Leadbitter saw his 25 yard shot pushed away by a diving Camp 60 seconds later.

Just before the end of five minutes of stoppage time Leadbitter was shown a red card for a two-footed tackle that left Anderson hobbling.

Teams

Ipswich Town: Fulop; Brown, McAuley (Peters 46), Delaney, Kennedy; Norris, Leadbitter, Livermore (Edwards 51), Colback; Wickham, Fallon (Scotland 51). Substitutes: Lee-Barrett, Smith, Murray, O’Dea.

Nottingham Forest: Camp; Gunter, Chambers, Morgan, Lynch (Wilson 81); Cohen, Moussi, Ramsey, Anderson; Tyson (Adebola 86), McGoldrick (Tudgay 71). Substitutes: Smith, McGugan, Earnshaw, Majewski.

Referee: Mr D Sheldrake (Surrey)

Attendance: 19,455 (1,365 Forest)

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IPSWICH TOWN v NOTTINGHAM FOREST MATCH RATINGS

Ipswich Town: Fulop 6; Brown 6, McAuley 6, Delaney 6, Kennedy 6; Norris 7, Leadbitter 7, Livermore 6, Colback 6; Wickham 6, Fallon 5.

Nottingham Forest: Camp 7; Gunter 7, Chambers 7, Morgan 7, Lynch 7; Anderson 7, Moussi 8, Ramsey 7, Cohen 8; Tyson 6, McGoldrick 6.

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MATCH STATS

Ipswich Town 0

Goal: -

Bookings: Norris 33

Sent off: Leadbitter 90

Shots on target: 5

Shots off target: 9

Woodwork: -

Corners: 9

Free-kicks conceded (including off sides): 12

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Nottingham Forest 1

Goal: Delaney og 45.

Bookings: Camp 29, Ramsey 65,

Sent off: -

Shots on target: 5

Shots off target: 6

Woodwork: -

Corners: 3

Free-kicks conceded (including off sides): 13