Who ate all the pies? – Ipswich Town didn’t…
Let’s start this report with the brilliant news that Derek Adams has returned to Morecambe FC following the departure of Stephen Robinson earlier in the week. That is to say – I thought he had until I read the breaking news on the BBC Sport website last Thursday and learned that the man who has taken over was actually in charge at Southend United last term:
“League One strugglers Morecambe have reappointed Derek Adams as manager, less than nine months after he left the club to join Bradford City. Adams led the Shrimpers to the third tier for the first time in their history last season, via the play-offs.”
Some things never change, do they? But let’s continue with two updates and a bit more good news too. First of all, Rotherham Manager Paul Warne had this to say after Morecambe’s visit to the New York Arena last Tuesday night – a game which Barry Roche’s Shrimps unluckily lost 2-0:
“It could have been more but we could have lost. First half we were okay but not at our absolute best, but that’s respect to Morecambe. They’ve come here and made it difficult for us and Stockton up front is always a handful. Josh [Vickers] pulled off an amazing save from him in the first half. I’m sounding greedy but you always feel like you need that third goal. I thought in fairness to the opposition, it is probably the hardest game we’ve had at home all season. They kept peppering our goal and I think they had more corners and more shots than us. It just turned into a bit of a basketball match, which isn’t like us.”
High praise indeed from the Manager of the League One leaders. Elsewhere, as the controversy about the disorder which occurred when Bolton Wanderers visited Morecambe last month rumbles on, local police made this statement during the week:
Good afternoon folks !
We just wanted to give you an update regarding the investigation into the incident near to the Bolton Wanderers bench during the later stages of the Morecambe Vs Bolton football match on 5th of February.
One male aged 61 from Morecambe remains on police bail after being arrested on suspicious of racially aggravated public order. Enquiries are very much still ongoing into the events within the ground during the match. We are working along side both clubs and the FA.
We are aware that there has been an image circulated on social media of a Bolton player interacting with a man and women in the seats directly behind the Bolton bench. We would like to state that at this stage of the investigation, there is no evidence that has come to light thus far that these individuals have been involved in the racially aggravated public order. We are aware that a number of comments have been made towards the individuals assuming they are involved.
I ask that we be allowed to investigate the matter thoroughly and we will update you on the outcome.
Stay safe Folks ! Detective Sergeant Adie Knowles , Lancaster CID
Let’s just repeat the key part of that statement: “We are aware that there has been an image circulated on social media of a Bolton player interacting with a man and women in the seats directly behind the Bolton bench. We would like to state that at this stage of the investigation, there is no evidence that has come to light thus far that these individuals have been involved in the racially aggravated public order (offence).”
It would be interesting (to put it mildly) to compare this remark with the statements made by Bolton Manager Ian Evatt at the time of the alleged `incident’ and what this gentleman has insisted actually happened subsequently…
The good news is that the TV programme which slavishly repeated Evatt’s unsubstantiated accusations without even mentioning the crowd trouble and missile-throwing at the home goalkeeper indulged in by a minority of Bolton Wanderers’ alleged `fans’ beforehand is for the chop. ITV has won the right to broadcast highlights of EFL games as from the beginning of next season. So as for EFL on Quest – good riddance. Let’s just hope they get a better set of pundits than the likes of Professor Clinton Morrison who feature on the current show and dispense with the services of the extremely slippery Colin Murray altogether. (Let’s also hope that they, too, don’t constantly refer to us as the `Shrimpers’ as every incarnation of EFL coverage on terrestrial television has done so far on a depressingly regular basis…)
Anyway, Morecambe welcomed Ipswich Town to the Mazuma Stadium for the first time today to complete the reverse fixture of the opening day of the season. At Portman Road, the Shrimps led twice before finally coming away with a 2-2 draw as the Tractor Boys equalised with virtually the last kick of the game. Town arrived in north Lancashire today in League One’s ninth position and on an unbeaten streak, having won three and drawn two of their last five league games. So their relatively new Manager – Ulsterman Kieran McKenna – has an established track record far superior to his countryman who decided to jump ship last week after leading Morecambe into the relegation positions this season. The Record will indelibly state that Stephen Robinson’s final contribution to the Shrimps’ parlous position in League One currently was to lose two of his last five games, in which the Shrimps picked-up only three points out of a possible fifteen: relegation form indeed…
This is just the fourth time that the clubs have played each other. The first meetings occurred a long time ago when Morecambe was a non-league club and Ipswich was a member of the Premiership. Morecambe lost both FA Cup matches. But as we have seen, there is nothing between them as far as league games are concerned. The Ipswich Manager – implying that Morecambe’s renowned catering is not up to his high standards – said the following prior to the match:
“This is one of the longest journeys we have, but preparation has been good. The distance can be a challenge and we have to adapt the schedule slightly, but the players are used to it. Some things like meal times might change, so that we can get on the road and things like that, but it’s small things and we adapt as best we can in terms of nutrition and preparing for the game. Paul, our chef, travels as well and looks after the team as best as possible. We look after every little detail as best as possible, and we’re not the only team in a position where there is lots of travelling. Morecambe will be in a similar position when they have away games down South, so it’s a factor for most teams. We’ve moved on quickly from Tuesday and the preparation has been good. We’re well aware we are in for a test against Morecambe, but we are really looking forward to the challenge.”
Opposite Number Derek Adams had things than other the catering arrangements at the club on his mind. He said about his re-appointment as Manager and his hopes for the next thirteen games:
“I got a phone call late on Tuesday night from the chairman. I spoke to him and when I got the call, it was something that I wanted to do. I left on a high the first time round and we had a great day at Wembley and obviously a great season. Now, coming back here in League One, we’ve got another mission to accomplish We’re in the relegation places at this moment in time, and we want to get out of that and my job, between now and the end of the season along with the players (and) the staff is to get enough points to stay in League One. You would’ve hoped to have been in a better position than we are now. We’ve got three wins in the last 23 games. So that has to improve because we have to pick up wins now to get ourselves enough points to stay in the division. We’ve got really good characters in the squad, I know a number of the players that will have been here from last season which is great. They’ll help me and I’ll help the ones that haven’t been here before as well. I’ve got a really good relationship with the co-chairmen, the owners as well as the other board members. I obviously know the staff that are already here and some of the players, so that really helps. I know the environment as well, I know the stadium, the training facilities and that will help me get going really quickly, and that’s what we have to do.”
As far as today’s game specifically is concerned, he added:
“We’ve got Ipswich on Saturday which is the first game, it’s a game that we’re going to have to go out and win to give us that opportunity of catching the teams above us. We know that. Over the years – even last season – we had a really good home record and this season we’ve got the supporters back in the stadium. We’ve all seen how much that can affect this football club. We’ve seen the uptake in season tickets. We’ve seen the atmosphere that’s been here and I’m really looking forward to having them here and seeing them on Saturday.”
One of the first things the returning hero did was persuade his previous assistant – John McMahon – to return to the club after the latter had been effectively edged-out by the regime which was in charge just five short days ago. Personally, I was absolutely delighted by this news.
Today represented a potential New Beginning for the club as far as I am concerned. Derek needs to work with the players left behind by the previous Manager as he abandoned his failing project and sought Pastures New for himself instead.
But we can all remember a time when Derek inherited what was bequeathed to him by Jim Bentley only three short years ago. The Shrimps faced oblivion as they languished at the bottom of League Two at the time. He made a Silk Purse out what was basically of a Sow’s Ear – no offence to Saint Jim – then. He might or might not be able to do so again but in Derek Adams, I believe we have a man who can get us back into League One again if we stick with him even if the Shrimps are relegated this season.
But hopefully, it won’t come to that…
Derek came onto the pitch prior to kick-off to acknowledge the adulation of a crowd he last stood in front of at Wembley last summer.
There was a minute’s silence before the game to commemorate Life Vice President Ken Ormrod, who was instrumental back in the day for keeping a struggling Shrimps’ heads above water for several years almost single-handed. Without him, the club could have gone under altogether. So we all owe him a large debt of gratitude.
Both sides then Took the Knee – and the second instalment of the Derek Adams Era began under suitably sunny skies.
It was instructive to see the way Derek set the team up today. Captain Anthony O’Connor was moved to right full-back whilst Ousmane Fané and Rhys Bennett played across the middle at the back with Jacob Bedeau. And right from the off, it was All Hands To The Pump for Morecambe as the visitors opened brightly and played some neat, progressive football on a soft surface where players of both teams kept losing their footing in the first half in particular. Man of the Match Trevor Carson was busy throughout the game and pulled-off some simply superb saves this afternoon. At the other end of the pitch, Opposite Number Christian Walton had virtually nothing to do in the first half – and no saves to make. Cole the Goal was out of sorts today and Jonah Ayunga huffed and puffed but had little impact on the match.
For the visitors, the tricky Tyreeq Bakinson found James Norwood with a perfect lofted pass after about ten minutes but the latter completely missed the target. Efforts from Sone Aluko were then well blocked by a very committed home defence after both eighteen and twenty-five minutes. Three minutes later, a curling shot from Sam Morsy was well-saved by the home goalkeeper at full stretch. About half an hour had been played when Bakinson found a team-mate with another sublime pass. This time, Macaukley Bonne missed with a header. Then Bakinson tried his luck himself with a shot from about twenty years out which Carson did really well to save low to his right.
So that was it for the first half. Ipswich – with a lot of traffic coming through both Bakinson and impressive Captain Morsy in midfield – were undoubtedly the dominant side. But Morecambe – for almost the first time this season – looked organised, solid and resolute at the back.
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first. Town had most of the ball and the hosts were on the back foot most of the time with Trevor Carson still performing the occasional miraculous save at the back to keep the visitors out. He made his first of the second period after almost an hour from Bonne’s powerful strike from a long way out: pushing a fierce shot away from his top corner when the net seemed about to bulge. But – in a typical Soak Up The Pressure and Hit On the Break classic Derek Adams’ move – the hosts took the lead right on the hour itself.
Derek had sent both Aaron Wildig and Adam Phillips on as substitutes at half time.
Under Stephen Robinson’s regime, Phillips didn’t have a single effective game for the club and Wildig was injured most of the time. Last season, though, these two players combined well (before Adam defected to Accrington Stanley) to contribute significantly to the eventual promotion of the team. Today, they did it again. Phillips was fed the ball on the Shrimps’ right and looked-up before sending over a lovely cross which Aaron headed home at the far post with a perfectly-judged header.
After this, visiting goalkeeper Walton was rarely tested and the match was played mostly in the home half – as it had been most of the time until now. A combination of defensive determination, luck and Trevor Carson kept Ipswich out, despite their domination of possession and attempt after attempt on the home goal. I was personally still holding my breath in the eighty-sixth minute and hoping for the three points which would push us out of the relegation zone when the visitors eventually got the equaliser which nobody could begrudge them. This time, Carson was finally beaten when – following ping-pong in the home penalty area, Wes Burns managed to slot a shot from the centre of the box past a despairing home goalkeeper into the corner of the target. The visitors could have won it even at this late stage of the game as Janoi Donacien’s fierce strike was again miraculously kept-out by Carson right at the death but the game finally ended one each.
Derek Adams was honest enough to admit afterwards that Ipswich had lots of opportunities to win this afternoon and conceded that “Just to get a point today – we have to be happy with that.”
Town’s Manager bemoaned his team’s bad luck and said that Morecambe offered `nothing’ in the first half. This is true. But at least his team didn’t lose. As a result, the Tractor Boys remained in ninth position in League One. Morecambe also remain where they were before the game – very obstinately in twenty-first place.
With Crewe and improving Gillingham both winning away from home today, the jeopardy at the bottom of the Division was far more evenly spread this evening than it had been earlier in the day.
But it could be worse. A Stephen Robinson team would have lost this fixture for sure: Ipswich would have overrun the defence he had assembled. Robbo would then perform the Parrot/Broken Record routine which he has indulged in all season by saying that mistakes at the back need to be be eliminated.
North of the Border, his new employers saw him preside over a home defeat against Hearts, 0-2. I suspect that mistakes at the back need to be eliminated. No further comment required.
Morecambe: 30 Trevor Carson; 3 Greg Leigh; 4 Anthony O’Connor (C): 5 Jacob Bedeau; 8 Toumani Diagouraga; 9 Cole Stockton; 17 Jonah Ayunga (18 Adam Phillips 45’); 19 Shane McLoughlin; 21 Ryan Cooney (10 Aaron Wildig 45’); 27 Ousmane Fané; 31 Rhys Bennett.
Subs Not Used: 41 Adam Smith; 11 Dylan Connolly 14 Jonathan Obika; 22 Liam Gibson; 28 Courtney Duffus.
Ipswich Town: 28 Christian Walton; 5 George Edmundson; 6 Luke Wolfenden; 7 Wes Burns; 10 James Norwood (21 Conor Chapli 68’); 12 Tyreeq Bakinson (Y); 18 Macaukley Bonne (Y) (19 Kayden Jackson 68’); 22 Dominic Thompson; 23 Sone Aluko (43 Bersant Celina 68’); 44 Janoi Donacien; 55 Sam Morsy (C).
Subs Not Used: 31 Vaclav Hladky; 9 Joe Pigott; 18 Macauley Bonne; 25 Tom Carroll; 26 Cameron Burgess.
Ref: Matt Donohue.
Att: 4,928 (Including a quite amazing 1,270 perfectly behaved away fans.)
