It was a case of like father like son at Hillsborough as football history repeated itself in spectacular style for the Dozzell family.
Andre Dozzell, 16, emulated the feat of his famous dad Jason by coming off the Ipswich bench to score on his debut. However, unlike the one against Coventry back in February 1984 – Dozzell senior retains the record as the youngest scorer in the English top-flight – this one did not come in an Ipswich victory, and the result therefore terminated the Championship play-off hopes of Mick McCarthy’s team.
The sealing of their fate could not prevent a smile from McCarthy, back on his South Yorkshire stamping ground, having thrust Dozzell – a player already courting attention from the Premier League ahead of signing his first professional contract at Portman Road – into the action at the start of the second half.
“I guess good genes produce good players and that’s what’s happened here,” McCarthy said. “He gets in the box, he gives you that bit of creativity. He’s a really talented young fella who has deserved his opportunity. People have been talking about him since he was 14 and I was never going to play him then. But I always said that if we got to the end of the season and it started drifting away I’d give him a chance.”
Part of the reason for holding the England Under-17s international back – he was 293 days older on debut than his old man – was his physique. However, he has been on an intensive weights programme in a bid to cope with the demands of first-team football and he showed recognisable Dozzell attributes with his perfectly timed burst into the six-yard area 20 minutes from time to head in Liam Feeney’s curved delivery from the left.
While Dozzell’s debut demanded post-match attention, the draw does not alter the scrimmage for play-off places. Wednesday, one of the northern clubs attempting to redress the Premier League’s geographical balance should Newcastle and/or Sunderland be relegated, retain a five-point buffer over Cardiff in the pursuit of sixth place.
Carlos Carvalhal’s team have turned Hillsborough into one of the division’s strongholds, losing only twice on home turf all season. It has been the basis for the Yorkshire club’s promotion push, although their Portuguese manager refuses to allow the P word to pass his lips.
This was not about to change after Fernando Forestieri’s 15th goal added another point to their tally. Carvalhal said: “We are in a good position and we have four games to finish the season, so let’s keep fighting. Let’s see the product of our work then.”
Ipswich, whose recent slump of one win in eight saw them fall out of top-six contention, knew only victory would do to keep their season alive. However, despite Keiren Westwood snuffing out Freddie Sears early on, it was his opposite number, Bartosz Bialkowski, who was forced into a string of fine saves.
Bialkowski, the man of the match, had already stood his ground to block the marauding Lucas João when Christophe Berra inadvertently helped Ross Wallace’s cross into Forestieri’s path via a bodged headed clearance.
Barry Bannan lacked a clinical finish when he burst clear, before Dozzell’s leveller. Then at 1-1 Bialkowski twice repelled Ross Wallace drives during a frantic finale.
Equally Ipswich could have preserved their own slim hopes of appearing in post-season action at the death when a counterattack climaxed with Jonas Knudsen dragging the ball across goal when Brett Pitman was better placed. Pitman was incensed and had to be restrained by McCarthy at the final whistle.
“For me that anger can only go so far. I have to love them all for what they give me, warts and all, whether it’s good, bad or indifferent,” said a sanguine McCarthy, acknowledging this was a good news day.
