Azor Matusiwa’s second-half wonder strike was enough to seal a narrow 1-0 win for Ipswich Town against Hull City in a clash of the Championship’s promotion hopefuls at Portman Road.
A resolute City display looked like earning them a valuable point, before the midfielder sent a rasping drive into the top corner of Ivor Pandur’s net to end the Tigers’ long unbeaten run away from home, which stood at eight games.
City were organised and well disciplined in a quiet first half where they frustrated the home side for long periods, and with sharper decision making at the other end, could have had something to show for their efforts.
Jakirovic made four changes from the win at Fratton Park, with him keen to manage players’ minutes with crunch games against rivals Millwall and Wrexham to come in the next week. Cody Drameh, Liam Millar, Paddy McNair and Saturday’s matchwinner Matt Crooks came in to start. Those changes also saw a change in shape with City going to a back three and Lewis Koumas deployed through the middle as he was against Chelsea in the FA Cup. Akin Famewo, Amir Hadziahmetovic, Kyle Joseph and Oli McBurnie were rested and named on the bench, where there was a welcome return for fit-again Semi Ajayi.
Though the hosts were seeing plenty of the ball, Jakirovic’s side were organised and in fact, had the first real moment of promise inside 10 minutes, when Koumas galloped free down the right and into space, but lacked conviction as he tried to find Millar at the back post. It was an opportunity he could have made more of. Town countered immediately, with Egeli cutting into the box and seeing his effort deflected behind for the game’s first corner, which was eventually blazed miles over by scorer of Ipswich’s first at the MKM in November, Marcelino Nunez.
It took until the 18th minute for Ipswich to fashion their first opening, with a slick move finding Taylor on the line of the 18-yard box, driving wide of Pandur’s right-hand post.
City were a threat on the counter-attack, though probably didn’t make the most of the opportunities they fashioned, and they were nearly made to pay after Hughes and Gelhardt were caught trying to be clever by their own corner flag, and saw the ball pinched by Clarke, who thrust in for Hirst to see a shot well saved by Pandur, largely a spectator in the first period aside from some generic mopping up.
Coyle was then booked for a challenge on Egeli, before he had to be replaced by Famewo after picking up a knock seconds before McNair was fouled by Egeli, who wasn’t booked, much to the annoyance of Dean Holden, who was, by referee Smith, for his protestations.
Boss Jakirovic kept his calm, amid some interaction with the home supporters behind the dugout, and made his feelings known in conversation with the referee. The official was clearly irritating the City bench, blowing for a free-kick on each occasion, Jack Clarke’s hair blew out of place.
At the start of the second half, leading marksman McBurnie was brought on for Joe Gelhardt, with Koumas switching to the right side of the attacking trio.
Millar shot over the bar after a good lay-off from McBurnie, and that signalled the time for Kieran McKenna to make a double change just shy of the hour with ex-Tigers star Greaves and Egeli replaced by Leif Davis and Wes Burns.
McBurnie then sold Slater short in the middle of the City half, and racing back, Crooks fouled Nunez to collect his tenth booking of the season, and see him suspended for the next two games. Pandur was another in the book for taking his time over a goal-kick.
Twenty-five minutes were left when Crooks and Millar were replaced with John Lundstram and Kyle Joseph on in their place and then Man of the Match against Swansea, Anis Mehmeti, replaced Jack Taylor.
Egan joined the City card collectors for going through the back of Hirst, and shortly after that, the hosts finally break City’s stout rearguard and in some style. Azor Matusiwa’s drive from the edge of the box flew past Pandur and into the top corner. Amir replaced John Egan, and seconds later, it should have been 2-0 when Burns’ cross at the back post was casually plugged towards goal by Clarke and Pandur made a fine save.
Nunez and Hirst were then brought off with Ivan Azon and Dan Neil coming on. As time ticked by, the away side just couldn’t fashion that killer moment. The focus now turns to twon huge games against Millwall at the MKM Stadium on Saturday, and then Wrexham in a weeks’ time.
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Ipswich Town: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea, Greaves, Matusiwa, Taylor, Nunez, Egeli, Clarke, Hurst. Subs: Palmer, Davis, Neil, Cajuste, Burns, McAteer, Mehmeti, Akpom, Azon.
Hull City: Pandur, Coyle (c), Hughes, Egan, McNair, Drameh, Slater, Crooks, Gelhardt, Millar, Koumas. Subs: Phillips, Ajayi, McBurnie, Amir, Dowell, Joseph, Lundstram, Famewo, McCarthy.
Referee: Lewis Smith
Attendance: 26,103 (around 600 from Hull City)
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