If Mustapha Carayol is to earn himself a long-term deal at Ipswich Town, then displays like this at Deepdale will do him no harm at all.
It’s just a shame he only lasted 45 minutes.
The winger, signed in January on a contract until the end of the season, made his first start against Preston and marked his full debut with a goal, while his all-round performance was also impressive.
He wants the ball and, when he gets it, he wants to use it. That was in evidence during the 45 minutes of football he played at Deepdale before, having suffered from illness during the week, being replaced at half-time by Luke Hyam. Mick McCarthy insisted the winger had run his race by that points, although the man himself believes he could have given 15 more minutes.
MORE: Preston NE 0-1 Ipswich Town: Carayol wins it for Blues with superb first-half finish
Following his departure, what was an expansive, exciting Ipswich display transformed into a pragmatic, battling one, but Carayol’s job was already done.
In his first interview after joining the club he spoke of his desire to run at defenders and that’s exactly what he did – so much so Preston right back Calum Woods was substituted in the first half because he simply couldn’t cope.
Playing primarily on the left, he was in the thick of the action early on and should have scored before he did eventually find the net, doing all the hard work as he cut inside from an Ipswich break before cutting inside, seeing his first shot well saved before poking his rebound wide.
His goal came, though, and it was superbly taken as he nicked the ball off the head of the last Preston man and swept a calm finish past Declan Rudd.
He showed he can pass and create with the ball at his feet, too, as he threaded a nice ball through for Waghorn to cross and allow Dominic Iorfa to hit the bar, while he also did his bit defensively.
He will have his off days, as all wingers at this level do, but combined with his substitute appearance against Burton, his first 75 minutes of his Ipswich career have been positives.
Ipswich may have little to play for between now and the end of the season, but in Carayol they have a 29-year-old who is playing for his future, be it in Suffolk or elsewhere.
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