MAGIC MURPHY’S SIX OF THE BEST!
DARYL Murphy’s return to form continued with a double at The Valley – and Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy insists he never doubted his front-man.
Murphy struggled at the start of the campaign after finishing as last season’s top scorer in the Championship with 27 goals to his name.
But the striker’s surprise barren spell is now well and truly a distant memory, as evidenced by his six goals in three Championship games.
Tractor Boys boss McCarthy explained: “We had a goalscorer who hadn’t scored in 13 games, and now he has scored six in three.
“There lies the difference – we’ve put to bed the chances that we’ve created and we did defend well today.
“Daryl came back late from his preseason because he played in the summer with Ireland.
“There was a different challenge when he got back with Freddie Sears who had been brilliant, and Brett Pitman who has been excellent.”
McCarthy added: “I think Brett Pitman has been a big part of him (Murphy) getting back to form because when I put him in I felt he would take a bit of weight off him.
“What he has benefited from is our belief in him and our consistency in just keeping him going.”
Charlton fans held a second minute protest against the way their club is being run by absentee Belgian owner Roland Duchatelet.
They suffered a blow on the pitch 11 minutes later when influential skipper Johnnie Jackson limped off to be replaced by Chris Solly. Jackson’s departure deflated the hosts and they fell behind in comical circumstances.
Goalkeeper Stephen Henderson initially did well to deny Freddie Sears, but the danger was only half cleared as Ainsley Maitland-Niles whipped the ball back into the box where a game of head tennis ensued.
It eventually ended with Murphy heading past Henderson, although replays showed Solly had been shoved in the face by Tommy Smith as he flicked it on to the goalscorer.
The visitors doubled their advantage in first half stoppage time when Luke Chambers’ long pass found Sears inside the box and his shot took a slight deflection off Patrick Bauer on its way past Henderson.
Ipswich pulled further clear midway through the second half as a great passing move ended with Murphy sweeping home after Jonathan Douglas had cleverly dummied the ball into his path.
Dean Gerken had to be alert to keep out Bauer and Ricardo Vaz Te twice as the hosts tried in vain to give their disgruntled followers something to cheer.
But they were ultimately unable to get themselves back in the game, leaving interim head coach Karel Fraeye to admit everything that could have gone wrong for his side had done so.
He said:“All the statistics are in our favour except one and it is unbelievable that we did not score and that they scored three goals out of this game.
“The first goal is very important for every team and I think the first goal should never have been allowed because there was a clear foul and then it is very difficult to defend.
“I think that might have been decisive for the game.The second and the third goals we didn’t look too good ourselves and it was one of the games where things were against us.
“Firstly with the injury of Jackson, who really was the heart of the team last week, and losing him was a blow, although I think the team reacted very well.
“Then the first goal and the timing of the second goal was very bad.”