KIER WE GO Mckenna has X Tractor
VITAL STATS
JON WEST
KIERAN MCKENNA inspired a performance that impressed the fans, but left Ipswich with much still to do to reach the play-offs.
Mckenna, 35, stepped down as a Manchester United coach last week to replace Paul
Cook as Town’s new manager.
The Northern Irishman (right) watched from the stands as James Norwood gave his new charges a deserved lead.
But Nathan Broadhead’s fifth goal in as many games extended Sunderland’s unbeaten league run to seven outings, although the draw saw them lose ground on Rotherham and Wigan, the two clubs above them.
Ipswich interim manager John
Mcgreal, who now reverts to the Under-23s, revealed Mckenna had addressed the players 90 minutes before kick-off.
He said: “Obviously that gave them a bounce. I’m sure he will be pleased watching from the stands and it gives him plenty of food for thought.
“The theme is just turning draws into wins on the pitch. It looks like happy times – there are a lot of positives at the moment.
“He has worked under (Jose) Mourinho and (Ole Gunnar) Solskjaer and with big players with big egos – it’s a big coup for the club.”
Town took the lead right at the beginning of seven minutes of first-half stoppage time.
Sam Morsy found Macauley Bonne in space on the right of the box, and, when his cross was deflected upwards, Norwood jumped highest to head in off the underside of the bar.
Sunderland were level within five minutes of the second half however, thanks to Broadhead.
Dan Neil put the on-loan Everton man through and he slotted calmly past keeper Christian Walton.
Sunderland manager Lee Johnson said: “We must have had five players slip in the first-half and I made those change to longer studs. We turned the tide in the second-half.”
IPSWICH: Walton 7; Donacien 6, Edmundson 7, Woolfenden 6; Burns 7, Morsy 7, Evans 6, Penney 6 (Vincent-young 64, 6); Aluko 7; Bonne 7, Norwood 7 (Chaplin 69, 6). Subs not used: Hladky, Burgess, Carroll, Fraser, Pigott.
SUNDERLAND: Hoffmann 6; Wright 7, Flanagan 7, Doyle 7; Dajaku 5 (Hume 41, 6), Winchester 6, Neil 7, Gooch 7; Pritchard 6 (Embleton 63, 5), Broadhead 7 (O’brien 86, 4), Stewart 6. Subs not used: Patterson, Alves, Younger, Kimpioka.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Wes Burns: Ipswich man was a menace on the right, especially in the first half.
REFEREE: Thomas Bramall 6.