Ipswich Town 2-1 Coventry City: George Hirst scores as Tractor Boys keep pace with Championship leaders Leicester

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Ipswich Town and Coventry City at Portman Road on Saturday | Goals from George Hirst and Wes Burns see Tractor Boys keep pace with leaders Leicester

Saturday 2 December 2023 18:26, UK

Ipswich maintained their impressive home record in the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-1 victory over Coventry.

George Hirst scored in the opening minutes and Wes Burns' wonder-strike put the hosts 2-0 ahead at half-time.

The visitors' improved in the second half and missed the opportunity to narrow the gap when Matt Godden's spot-kick cannoned off the underside of the bar, before they got a late consolation goal when Brandon Williams headed the ball into his own net.

It was the Tractor Boys' ninth win in 10 home games and their second three-point haul in four days, maintaining their seven-point cushion over third-placed Leeds and keeping them within a point of leaders Leicester.

Coventry, who had not conceded a goal in their three previous games, slipped two places to 17th as a result of this defeat.

The game was only six minutes old when Hirst opened the hosts' account. Nathan Broadhead's pass dissected the Coventry defence and the striker fended off the close attention of City's centre back Liam Kitching to coolly side-foot home past Brad Collins.

Ipswich tails were up and nine minutes later Broadhead held his head in his hands after he missed a good chance to extend the lead. Harry Clarke found the Welsh international clear on goal with just the Coventry goalkeeper to beat but he slipped his shot just wide of the left hand post.

Ipswich were dominating proceedings and a shot from Burns went just over the bar, then Broadhead's header was just off target following a free-kick.

Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky had to dive full length to his left to keep out an effort from just outside the penalty area by Jake Bidwell in the visitors' first real attack of intent after 29 minutes.

American international Haji Wright had the ball in the Ipswich net after 36 minutes but he was ruled offside as the Sky Blues again threatened but Ipswich went further in front six minutes later in impressive fashion.

Burns bent a right-footed shot with the outside of his boot, which looked like it was going wide, before curling into the top left corner and past a stunned Collins to double Ipswich's lead.

Hladky dived at the feet of Wright following a crossfield ball from substitute Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and fellow sub Godden wasted a good chance when well placed inside the penalty area.

Broadhead was fouled on the edge of the box in the 55th minute but Leif Davis' free-kick was charged down by Callum O'Hare, then a long range shot from Clarke arrowed into the sidenetting.

Coventry had the chance to reduce the arrears in the 73rd minute after Clarke was adjudged to have tripped Sakamoto in the penalty area but Godden struck the bar and the ball bounced clear.

However, the visitors did get on the scoresheet in the sixth minute of added time with Williams' own goal.

The managers

Ipswich's Kieran McKenna:

"(It was) a fantastic result and a top, top performance in the first half so (I'm) really pleased, really proud of the players. I thought (our) first half performance was outstanding. I know how much hard work goes in to deliver a performance like that, especially a couple of days after your last game. (There's) so much to enjoy. Of course (the) second half (is a) different half...we could have got through the pitch a little bit quicker. I think the intent on the pitch was right, to try and control the game. But we just needed to control it higher up the pitch.

"(There are) things to improve there but even having said that apart from two moments really - the penalty and then the goal at the end, which I think is a foul - they have (had) very, very few chances and we controlled a lot of the game well. (It was) an excellent effort from everyone. The atmosphere was great, the football was great, the goals were great, it was a super first half of football. We've executed really well the last two games and got off to great starts and backed it up with goals."

Coventry's Mark Robins:

"It felt like watching us last season. You could see that the connections have been made between the players so for
instance Conor (Chaplin) and Wes Burns in those positions, they link up really well together. Hirst off the back and (Nathan) Broadhead comes in off that left hand side and makes good runs and they have got some pace and power within the team and they keep the ball pretty well, so they make it difficult for you.

"There's a couple of moments we get it clearly wrong, the first was the first goal and the second was a worldly goal so I don't think you can really put that down to anything other than a great finish. The second half we grew into it a little bit more but they had plenty of possession. The penalty came and went, it just hits the underside of the bar, it's just one of those things, had we taken that chance that would have put them on the back foot. We just looked like we were a little bit timid at times. It's one of those games that we have to learn from."