Match report of today's away win in the early game against Ipswich Town
|
Ipswich's season ended with a whimper as they succumbed 3-0 to a Sheffield United side whose fans celebrated wildly at news of city rivals Wednesday being relegated after their home draw with Crystal Palace.
In fact, there were bigger cheers for the two Palace goals than the three netted by Mark Yeates, Ched Evans and Richard Cresswell respectively as United coasted home against a Town side who had debutant Tom Eastman sent off for two yellow cards.
The hosts had the better of the early stages with Tommy Smith almost latching onto a spill by Paddy Kenny early on, before the 'keeper cleanly gathered two Grant Leadbitter 20-yarders.
Leadbitter was also involved as Town came close to a breakthrough on 27 minutes when they broke quickly and Leadbitter found Jon Walters on the right flank. His cross found Owen Garvan whose header struck the post and bounced narrowly wide off visiting skipper Chris Morgan.
Town felt Gareth McAuley was held back as he contested a corner, and then United rubbed salt in the wounds as they netted with their first effort on target - Yeates volleying home from just inside the box after battling through a couple of tackles.
Evans then tried a speculative lob from 40 yards after Eastman's poor headed clearance fell to him, but Town should have then levelled when Jack Colback was found by Walters' nod down ten yards out but he miscued well wide.
Eastman picked up the first of his yellow cards for pulling back Nyron Nosworthy before Evans tried a shot on the turn which drifted wide at the end of the first half.
The game was all over within 20 minutes of the restart as United netted twice either side of Eastman's red card. United started the half well with Brian Murphy denying Yeates and then Creswell nodding a Yeates corner wide.
Kenny blocked a close-range Connor Wickham effort and a minute later United broke swiftly with Yeates whipping in a low cross which Evans fired high into the net first time.
Eastman's nightmare first outing for Town ended on 58 minutes when he chopped down Matthew Lowton and referee Andy D'Urso produced a second yellow card.
The game was all over five minutes later when Yeates left makeshift right-back Jaime Peters for dead and fired in a shot which Murphy saved well, but the rebound fell kindly for Cresswell to nod in off the bar.
Walters fired wide for Town before Wickham brought a decent save out of Kenny with a low 25-yarder and then Lowton burst clear only to blaze wide.
Both sides came close to scoring in the last ten minutes as Town sub Troy Brown was denied a debut goal by a fine save by Kenny and then Yeates curled inches wide.
Both teams will feel they have under-performed this season and will be hoping for much better in 2010-11, when no doubt they will be fielding a number of new faces. |
>> Terms & Conditions