Ipswich beat Blackburn to go top of Championship

On March 30, 2024, 4:29 AM

Conor Chaplin’s early goal sent Ipswich Town to the top of the Championship as they squeezed past Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.

Chaplin’s mistimed strike in the ninth minute should have been saved but it beat Rovers keeper Aynsley Pears at his near post and proved enough to take the Tractor Boys one point clear of Leeds United, who drew with Watford later on Friday.

Blackburn thought they had equalised through Joe Rankin-Costello but the goal was ruled out for Sammie Szmodics interfering with keeper Vaclav Hladky’s line of vision when stood in an offside position.

Rovers were then much the better side after the break and had a second goal chalked off from Andrew Moran for a foul on the keeper before Hladky saved with Szmodics about to tap into an empty net.

Victory was an eighth in nine games for Ipswich but they were forced to hang in to earn three more points in Lancashire.

By stark contrast, Rovers have now not won in eight league games and are just three points above the relegation zone.

The home side would have cursed their ill fortune that began with Pears’ early error as Chaplin slipped away up the right wing, cut infield and played a ball to Leif Davis, whose cross back to Chaplin was hit the first time with his left boot and crept past Pears.

Rankin-Costello then turned in Tyrhys Dolan’s cutback from the left only for referee Stuart Atwell to consult with his assistant and decide that Szmodics, who was in an offside position, had got in the eye line of the keeper.

Rovers pressed hard in the second half and saw another goal disallowed for a foul by Scott Wharton on Hladky before Moran’s excellent right-foot finish.

They were then almost gifted an equaliser when Hladky took far too long inside his six-yard box and Szmodics blocked his clearance, spun and seemed certain to score, only for Hladky to dive and make a desperate save with his left arm.

It seemed like Ipswich needed a second goal and they created two chances on the break but Ali Al-Hamadi shot well over the bar from Kayden Jackson’s cutback before Jackson himself fired wide from a narrow angle.

It left a slender lead for the visitors to cling on to and they held firm among a flurry of late corners and Harry Pickering’s shot that was deflected over the bar.

Blackburn Rovers head coach John Eustace:

“Frustrated but very proud as well. I thought the effort of the group was outstanding.

“After the week we’ve had with the injuries and bit of sickness in the camp as well, to have possibly four starters out of the XI, I thought the effort was outstanding.

“We’ve gone up against a very good team and played very well and we’re disappointed not to get anything out of the game.”

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna:

“Fantastic result, you have to enjoy every win you get in the Championship.

“The performance was mixed. I thought the first half we started ever so well, big credit to the way we came out, especially after international duty, we imposed ourselves really well on the game.#

“Didn’t control the game as we would have liked but sometimes you have to show that other side and I thought we did that really well.”