Ipswich overcame struggling Millwall to end a three-game winless run in the Championship and move within three points of the automatic promotion spots.
The Lions got off to a bright start at The Den, but Nathan Broadhead, who met Omari Hutchinson's whipped cross with his back to goal, hit a superb backheader with his back to goal, beating keeper Matija.・After getting past Sarkic, things calmed down.
Wes Harding then slotted a Broadhead center ball into his own net from close range, and in first-half stoppage time, Kiefer Moore headed downwards from Harry Clarke's cross from the super-far post and over Sarkic's head. Looped it.
Millwall looked to regain their pride after the break as Ipswich loosened up, but Murray Wallace hit Ali Al Hammadi to convert a penalty in stoppage time and score their fourth goal in stoppage time. It was the away team.
It was an important win for Ipswich as it was their second in 10 league games. Southampton lose to Bristol City On Tuesday, they moved within points of third-placed Saints and three points behind second-placed Leeds with a game in hand.
Millwall, by contrast, appear to be on the cusp of a relegation battle, with their fifth defeat in six league games without a win, leaving them in first place, just four points above the relegation zone.
Despite the struggles, the hosts again pounced on Ipswich's poor start, and after a flurry of early set-pieces, George Saville's clean strike and Ryan Leonard's low shot ended Václav Hradky's uncertainty. He was forced to make a huge save.
However, their confidence visibly eroded as Ipswich performed well, inspired by an excellent Broadhead, who scored a goal and an assist in eight minutes for the visitors after his shot on goal earlier was deflected. He took control of the team.
The platform allowed Town to showcase their skills in manager Kieran McKenna's 100th league game, with Moore scoring his third goal in the game after having been on the back foot in their last five games. There was no turning back now.
Zian Fleming's shot was deflected wide and Tom Bradshaw forced Hladke in as Millwall reacted to manager Joe Edwards' half-time talk, but Town conserved their energy for the upcoming battle and had a 2-0 win at the break. It seemed content to attack the host.
Jeremy Sarmiento fired Wes Barnes' cutback just wide from close range before Al Hammadi rounded out a great night for the Tractor Boys. However, Wallace's challenge to concede the spot-kick appeared to have been made outside the box.
Millwall manager Joe Edwards:
“It's a bit of deja vu. We started well with a clear plan that the players were executing. Their goalkeeper made some saves early on.
“When you play against a team of Ipswich's level you can always score goals, but the way you do it is [first] Goals can't happen.
“A lot of things came together and we were thrown into disarray. We had the momentum and felt like we were in a good position, but then a bad goal took the wind out of us and we were stale from there until half-time. I lost it.”
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk:
“We knew we weren't far from our previous form. We've had a lot of bad luck, but tonight we played our part in the game and the win was well worth it. I think so.”
“If we can get set pieces early in the game, they always set them in the box when they get a chance, so one point could lead to two or three.
“We got through the first phase very well and defended first contact well all night. Once we got through that and settled on the ball, I thought we controlled the majority of the game from then on.”
lineup
millwall
formation 3-4-2-1
- 20Sarkic
- 18leonardBooked in 88 minutes
- 45hardingReplacementde norein 45 minutesminutes
- Fivecooper
- 2mcnamaraBooked in 60 minutes
- 39honeymanReplacementmitchellin 71 minutesminutes
- twenty threesavilleBooked in 84 minutes
- 3M. Wallace
- twenty fiveessayReplacementMayorin 71 minutesminutes
- Tenfleming
- 9bradshawReplacementWatmorein 71 minutesminutes
substitute
- 6Tanganga
- 8mitchell
- 12Mayor
- 14campbell
- 19Watmore
- twenty fourde nore
- 33Biakowski
- 38boateng
- 44walker
ipswich
formation 4-2-3-1
- 31hradky
- 2Clerk
- 6wool fenden
- 15Burgess
- 3davisBooked in 58 minutes
- Fivemosey
- twenty fiveLuongoReplacementtravisin 76 minutesminutes
- 7BurnReplacementjacksonin 86 minutesminutes
- 20hutchinsonReplacementchaplinin 67 minutesminutes
- 33broadheadReplacementSarmientoin 67 minutesminutes
- twenty fourmooreReplacementAl Hammadiin 76 minutesminutes
substitute
- 1walton
- Tenchaplin
- 11Harness
- 16Al Hammadi
- 19jackson
- twenty oneSarmiento
- 28travis
- 30Humphreys
- 40Tuanzebe
- Referee:
- Samuel Barrott
- Attendance:
- 15,890
live text
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Game over, Millwall 0, Ipswich Town 4.
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End of the second half, Millwall 0, Ipswich Town 4.
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goal! Millwall 0, Ipswich Town 4. Ali Al Hammadi (Ipswich Town) converted the penalty with his right foot into the bottom right corner.
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Penalty Ipswich Town. Ali Al Hammadi committed a foul inside the penalty area.
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Murray Wallace (Millwall) commits a foul in the penalty area and is awarded a penalty.
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Foul by Ali Al Hammadi (Ipswich Town).
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George Saville (Millwall) wins a free kick in defence.
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Jeremy Sarmiento (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Dan McNamara (Millwall).
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Foul by Lewis Travis (Ipswich Town).
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Adam Mayer (Millwall) wins a free kick on the left.
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Ryan Leonard (Millwall) was shown a yellow card for a serious foul.
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Jeremy Sarmiento (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ryan Leonard (Millwall).
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Alternative site for Ipswich Town. Wes Barnes is injured, so Kayden Jackson will take his place.
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I'm late. They are ready to continue.
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Wes Barnes (Ipswich Town) was late to the game due to injury.
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George Saville (Millwall) was shown a yellow card for a serious foul.
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Jeremy Sarmiento (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul on George Saville (Millwall).