Daryl is just the trick for Mick
EVEN the most optimistic Ipswich Town fan might have conceded any chances of maintaining a topsix push after top scorer David McGoldrick saw his season cut short with a knee injury.
But yesterday’s 1-0 win over Birmingham City – a more comfortable three points than the scoreline suggests – restored some faith about an unlikely promotion push.
First up was matchwinner Daryl Murphy, in the form of his life and back in the Republic of Ireland squad following a sixyear absence.
Then there was a virtuoso man-of-the-match performance from Paul Taylor, a man whose career has stuttered through injury and ill-form after his £1.5 million move to Suffolk 19 months ago.
Taylor was only given a rare start after new loan signing Jonny Williams sustained an injury in training 24 hours prior to the match.
With Frank Nouble provid- ing the assist to Murphy’s goal and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake another option, Mick McCarthy is banking on a combination of his other strikers to fire Ipswich into an unlikely top-six finish.
McCarthy said: “It was nice that all three strikers were involved in the goal – they all played well after a slow start.
“Paul Taylor played very well. Jonny Williams’ injury gave someone else an injury and I was really pleased with Tayls.
“We know he can be a bit of a maverick. But he did all the boring stuff that you have to do.”
In keeping with much of the football at Portman Road this season, some of the ‘entertainment’ on show was dismal.
The entire match then turned on Murphy’s opener. Taylor muscled the ball through to Nouble whose low cross evaded everyone but Murphy to tap home at the far post for his ninth of the season.
The goal galvanised the previously under-par Ipswich and it was they who deserved the three points on a solid second-half showing.
Taylor twice went close to capping a fine performance with a goal, but Birmingham boss Lee Clark was left wondering how his side didn’t leave without a point after Lee Novak missed an identical chance to the one that gave Ipswich the win.
Chris Burke did well to beat Tommy Smith and his low centre was met by Novak at the far post who fired over with the goal gaping.
Clark offered little excuses, admitting: “We were a little toothless. We did the ugly stuff well but our lack of quality didn’t warrant anything from the game.
“Lee Novak usually puts those chances away but unfortunately he hit it over the bar. A chance like that, away from home when you are not creating many, has to be taken and that seemed to be a problem for us.
“We didn’t have enough quality. The defence was solid and we stood up to a big physical team in Ipswich.”
A run of just one defeat in seven and four consecutive home clean sheets has kept Ipswich in the hunt for a top-six finish. “I think the top five are clear and Wigan are the favourites for the sixth spot,” added McCarthy.
“They are ahead of us and they still have players from the Premier League last season.
“But we are still in there, scrapping away.”