Ipswich Town

First half goals from Freddie Ladapo and Wes Burns and a late third from Conor Chaplin handed the U's their biggest defeat of the season in front of a packed ...

Indeed, but for a smart block by McGinty in injury time, it could have been three and fully game over. It all started so promisingly, despite injury and illness leaving the U’s without Simon Eastwood and Lewis Bate and meaning a league debut for Ed McGinty in goal. However, from the half-hour mark onwards the danger increased by the minute.

Freddie Ladapo, Wes Burns and Conor Chaplin scored as Ipswich Town beat Oxford 3-0; Ipswich Town: Walton; Donacien, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis; Morsy, ...

- Subs: Mousinho, Seddon - Att: 28,072 (550 Oxford fans) - Subs: Hladky, Edmundson - Oxford United: McGinty, Long, Moore, Findlay, Brown, Brannagan, McGuane (Goodrham, 89_, Brown (Henry, 15 (Wildschut, 59)), Anderson (J Murphy, 46), Taylor (O'Donkor, 59), Bodin - Ipswich Town: Walton; Donacien, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis; Morsy, Evans (Humphreys, 83); Burns (Vincent-Young, 83), Chaplin (Edwards, 83), Harness (Aluko, 66); Ladapo (Jackson, 72) - Freddie Ladapo, Wes Burns and Conor Chaplin scored as Ipswich Town beat Oxford 3-0

Freddie Ladapo, Wes Burns and Conor Chaplin were on target as Town comfortably beat Oxford United 3-0 at Portman Road, their first victory over the U's ...

Moments later the final whistle was met by cheers from the large Blues support. The Blues had been promising a third goal all half and it finally came in the 81st minute. However, the keeper cleared against one of his defenders with the ball fortunately falling safely. Moments later, Harness, who had been among the Blues’ best performers on his return, was swapped for Sone Aluko. Moments later, Vincent-Young was booked for a foul. Eventually it was played inside to Djavan Anderson, who stuck a shot from just outside the area which flew just wide of Christian Walton’s left post and hit the stanchion behind the goal. Following the flag-kick, Evans struck a shot from distance which was blocked. The one-time Oxford loanee claimed a penalty but referee Finnie showed no interest. From the resultant corner, Davis’s kick found Ladapo but the striker’s header was too close to McGinty, who claimed. Having gone two goals in front, the Blues maintained the pressure in injury time and went looking for a third, Harness cutting in from the left and hitting a shot which McGinty saved. Freddie Ladapo, Wes Burns and Conor Chaplin were on target as Town comfortably beat Oxford United 3-0 at Portman Road, their first victory over the U’s since February 1999. On 17, there was another stoppage, Sam Long requiring treatment after colliding with Cameron Burgess at a corner.

I am putting my head on the chopping block with this bold prediction, but I think it might happen for several reasons.

Big crowds have often worked against Town in recent years, but if the largely partisan crowd can get on the side of the home team, then referees’ can often be influenced by it, and this is how those dubious penalty decisions are often born. The principal reason for going for this result is that we have not had a 3-1 win at Portman Road all season – if we discount that friendly with Southend United in July. I am putting my head on the chopping block with this bold prediction but I think it might happen for several reasons.