BARCLAYCARD PREMIER RESERVE LEAGUE (SOUTH)Ipswich Town Reserves 0 Charlton Athletic Reserves 3CHRIS Makin last night spoke of his agony after breaking down just 28 minutes into a comeback reserve game.
BARCLAYCARD PREMIER RESERVE LEAGUE (SOUTH)
Ipswich Town Reserves 0 Charlton Athletic Reserves 3
CHRIS Makin last night spoke of his agony after breaking down just 28 minutes into a comeback reserve game.
The Ipswich Town defender was hoping to be back in the first team next week but suffered the setback as the Blues went down 3-0 to Charlton at Portman Road.
The Blues were hit by another injury blow when promising 16-year-old Aidan Collins was stretchered off with suspected ankle ligament damage.
And Tommy Miller was replaced at half time as a precaution as he makes a return following a knee injury.
Makin has been out of action for five weeks since straining a muscle at the top of his thigh against West Ham and it was thought he had made a complete recovery after some strenuous training sessions this week.
He said: “I knew within 10 to 15 minutes that is was not right and felt it in the same place.
“I will wait a couple of days to see how bad it is but hopefully it is not a case of being back to square one. It didn't feel like another tear so hopefully I won't be out too long.
“It has been a nightmare not playing and I was really looking forward to getting back on the pitch, so this is a real blow.”
Watched by Chris Bart-Williams, who is on loan to Ipswich from Charlton, his 'mother' club hit Town with a double whammy in the first half.
Jonatan Johansson beat Lewis Price from the penalty spot after Lloyd Sam was fouled in the area and the Finnish international latched on to a long clearance to finish well moments before Makin went off.
With more than 100 full international caps between Johansson and midfielder Radostin Kishishev, Town were a notch below the Addicks.
England youth international Osei Sankofa swept in their third goal as the league leaders romped to their eighth game unbeaten in a row and kept their seventh successive clean sheet.
Antonio Murray led a spirited second-half flurry with a shot which rattled the crossbar but on the whole former Heybridge Swift keeper Simon Royce was barely troubled.
Meanwhile, the chances of a fifth win in six Nationwide League Division One outings for Ipswich Town have been boosted after Saturday's opponents Bradford City suffered a double blow.
New Zealand keeper Mark Paston will not be back from his country's international in Iran in time to play and the FA last night confirmed a three-match ban for experienced striker Dean Windass.
Marlon Beresford will be between the sticks while Tom Kearney is hoping for a start up front.
The Bantams are also sweating on the fitness of Scotland B international midfielder Andy Gray, who is the latest victim of a virus which has swept Valley Parade and already laid low manager Nicky Law and skipper David Wetherall.
The veteran defender has also been out with an ankle injury and is a doubt for Saturday' clash. Simon Francis stands by.
As expected striker Darren Bent returned from England under 21s with a knee injury. There are hopes Bent will pass a fitness test tomorrow but it is unlikely he will start against Bradford City.
Last night's line-ups
Ipswich Town Reserves: Price, Mitchell, Makin (Atay 28) Murray, Collins (Okay, 12) Nash, Bloomfield, Miller (Abidallah, 46) Armstrong, Bowditch and Westlake. Substitutes not used: Supple and Reid.
Charlton Athletic Reserves: Royce, Sankofa, Gross, Hughes (Beckford, 85) Turner, Ricketts, Kishishev, McCafferty, Varney, Johansson and Sam. Substitutes not used: Long, Elliott, Fuller and Thanda.
Referee: M Russell.
Attendance: 537
n FORMER Ipswich Town midfielder Matt Holland will skipper the Republic of Ireland against Switzerland on Saturday as they look for Euro 2004 qualification.
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