Alex Dicken rates the Birmingham City players after their 3-1 defeat to Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday afternoon
Birmingham City slipped to a 3-1 defeat to Ipswich Town in their first game without manager Tony Mowbray.
Jordan James cancelled out Conor Chaplin’s opening goal to ensure the scores were level at half-time. But Ipswich scored twice late on through substitutes Jeremy Sarmiento and Omari Hutchinson to seal Blues’ fate at Portman Road.
A fifth minute applause for Blues manager and former Ipswich defender Mowbray – who temporarily stepped down on Monday for medical treatment – was almost interrupted by an Ipswich goal. Wes Burns crossed from the right and Kieffer Moore was lurking ominously before Marc Roberts rushed in with a goal-saving clearance.
Ipswich dominated the first 20 minutes and should have taken the lead through Chaplin. Leif Davis’ corner found Chaplin in space on the penalty spot but he couldn’t power his header past John Ruddy.
Ipswich’s pressure eventually resulted in the opening goal just after half-an-hour. Sam Morsy took aim from the edge of the box and his shot trickled over the line via a deflection off Chaplin. Blues’ defenders appealed for offside and looked bemused when the flag wasn’t raised, while Chaplin sheepishly celebrated his 11th Championship strike of the season.
Blues barely laid a glove on Ipswich in the opening 45 minutes before equalising against the run of play in first half stoppage time. Koji Miyoshi drifted down the right wing and pulled the ball back perfectly for James to steer home from 12 yards.
Interim boss Mark Venus introduced the attacking flair of Juninho Bacuna and Siriki Dembele just after the hour, tempered by tough tackling midfielder Ivan Sunjic, in a triple switch. Blues showed their hand and started to chase three points.
One of Ipswich’s substitutes, Hutchinson, crafted the game’s next meaningful chance for himself. He darted down the right and attempted to beat Ruddy at his near post but the Blues stopper was equal to it.
Another Tractor Boys substitute had more success. Hutchinson slipped a pass through to the onrushing Axel Tuanzebe and his cut-back was guided beyond Ruddy by Sarmiento in the 81st minute.
Blues never looked like forcing their way back into the contest and succumbed to a third goal in stoppage time. Moore flicked on a long throw-in and Hutchinson raced away to seal Ipswich’s victory.
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