IPSWICH TOWN .............................................................1
MATCH STATS
Patrick Bamford, Martin Braithwaite, Stewart Downing and Jonathan Howson celebrate after Braithwaite’s opening goal. Inset, Grant Leadbitter answered his manager’s call second striker Joe Garner was introduced in an attempt to give Ipswich some much-needed dynamism.
But it was forgotten figure Bamford who came to the fore, the 24-year-old rolling back the years with a wonderful solo goal to raise the Riverside to its feet.
Receiving the ball to feet, Bamford beat his man effortlessly before driving towards the edge of the box – and seconds later the net rippled. Boro had lift-off, finally!
The 24-year-old’s roar said it all, all the frustration following months of anguish having been on the periphery flowing out.
His finish was fierce, low across Bialkowski to end his two-and-ahalf-year Championship goal drought. It must have felt like an eternity for the player – making his first league start since September 23. For Boro, it took the fans back to March 2015 when Bamford’s heroics sunk Ipswich on the way to promotion. He’s yet to hit those heights since his permanent move back in January – but this was an indication that his quality remains, ready to be utilised by Monk. From then on, Boro had the wind in their sails and Ipswich – who came into the game as the Championship’s second highest scorers – hardly laid a glove on a side starting to rediscover their confidence and poise.
That’s something we’ve seen before this season. For Boro, scoring the first goal has become of prime importance. They have now won all eight league games after forcing the opener.
The result rarely looked in doubt after Bamford’s goal, despite Ipswich boss McCarthy calling upon his cavalry in Freddie Sears and Teddy Bishop to try and mount a comeback.
But it was Boro who looked the most likely to score again, the story of the afternoon with Assombalonga only denied by a last-gasp challenge by Luke Chambers.
As the temperature plummeted, so did the game’s tempo, but it mattered little for Boro in what was only their second win against a top-half team this season.
Monk’s men had done their job, gone some way to making amends for the defeats to Derby and Bristol City and offered some much-needed optimism heading into the Christmas period.
As the clock ticked down, both Downing and Bamford were given standing ovations as they left the field as festive cheer spread across the North East.
Ipswich tried their best to dampen the mood late on, with a crucial Gibson intervention nicking the ball away from Garner inside the area, but the day belonged to Boro and Monk.
On a day of anniversaries, Monk finally had something to smile about.