Ipswich Town

    • 2nd in English League One

    Ipswich Town

    SOCCER

      Bamford header seals fifth spot for Boro and Championship play-off against Villa

      Middlesbrough will face Aston Villa in the Sky Bet Championship play-offs after substitute Patrick Bamford's header in the sixth minute of injury time gave the Teessiders a 2-2 draw at Ipswich.Tony Pulis' side were facing a sixth-place finish and a semi-final against Fulham after falling 2-1 behind when Martyn Waghorn struck from the spot seven minutes from time at Portman Road.But Bamford levelled deep into time added-on, a goal which lifted Boro back above Derby and into fifth in the second tier, securing a clash with Steve Bruce's Aston Villa, with the first leg to be held at the Riverside next Saturday.It was the second time Middlesbrough had come from behind, with Stewart Downing's 71st-minute strike cancelling out Freddie Sears' early goal.Middlesbrough had won each of their last three matches while the Tractor Boys were looking to capitalise on thrashing Reading last weekend.The hosts made a positive start as neat interplay between Cole Skuse and Waghorn led to the latter shooting into the side netting. Waghorn also struck the outside of the post from a corner soon afterwards.Ipswich went ahead in the eighth minute when Sears broke free of a tackle by Boro defender Ben Gibson wide on the right and ran in on goal to fire a perfect shot past goalkeeper Darren Randolph.The visitors' first meaningful strike at goal came in the 16th minute following persistent pressure which culminated in Muhamed Besic firing over the bar.Then Ipswich defender Adam Webster deflected a cross from Downing just past the post in the 33rd minute. And from the resultant corner Middlesbrough nearly equalised following a goalmouth scramble which ended with Callum Connolly clearing the ball off the goal line.The visitors began the second half as they ended the first with much of the possession but the Ipswich defence held firm.In the 57th minute an appeal for handball in the penalty area by Ryan Shotton was turned down by referee David Coote and then Randolph produced two wonderful saves to deny the home side. He first tipped the ball over the bar from a Waghorn shot following a cross by Sears and, from the following corner, did similar to a goalbound shot by Skuse.But Middlesbrough equalised in the 71st minute through Downing, who fired through a crowded penalty area following a corner by Adama Traore.Substitute Shane McLoughlin made an immediate impact in the 83rd minute when he charged down a clearance by Daniel Ayala and was fouled in the penalty area by Ben Gibson. Waghorn stepped up to convert the penalty.Good chances by Britt Assombalonga and Bamford in injury time were kept out by the Ipswich defence.Ayala thought he had grabbed the leveller when he volleyed home after Besic had struck the bar, only for the effort to be chalked off for offside.The away side would not be denied, however, and Bamford struck right at the death when he headed home.
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      2022-23 L1 Ladder

      TeamGPWDLGDP
      Plymouth Argyle463187+35101
      Ipswich Town4628144+6698
      Sheffield Wednesday4628126+4496
      Barnsley4626812+3386
      Bolton Wanderers46231211+2681
      Peterborough United4624517+2177
      Derby County46211312+2176
      Portsmouth46171910+1170
      Wycombe Wanderers4620917+869
      Charlton Athletic46161416+462
      Lincoln City46142012062
      Shrewsbury Town4617821-959
      Fleetwood Town46141616+258
      Exeter City46151120-456
      Burton Albion46151120-2256
      Cheltenham Town46141220-1654
      Bristol Rovers46141121-1553
      Port Vale46131023-2349
      Oxford United46111421-747
      Cambridge United4613726-2746
      Milton Keynes Dons46111223-2245
      Morecambe46101422-3144
      Accrington Stanley46111124-3744
      Forest Green Rovers466931-5827

      2022-23 Team Leaders

      English League One

      10

      Conor ChaplinF #10

      26
      Matches45
      Assists5
      9

      Freddie LadapoF #9

      17
      Matches46
      Assists2
      7

      Wes BurnsF #7

      8
      Matches42
      Assists11

      Rankings

      English League One

      Goal Difference
      66
      1st
      Goals Scored
      101
      1st
      Assists
      61
      3rd
      Goals Conceded
      35
      1st
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