Ok, that’ll be it from me. One apiece there, and I hope you enjoyed all that late drama. I’m back for Rochdale-Spurs later, via a lie down. Bye!
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Full-time: Norwich 1-1 Ipswich
That was the game’s last action. What a finale there. Chambers boots the ball away in frustration. Ipswich have a habit of not hanging onto situations like these. A draw is fair but they will be gutted.
Goal! Norwich 1-1 Ipswich (Klose 90+5 min)
One last chance indeed! Oh my goodness. Bialkowski thinks he has seen a long ball out for a goal kick but he hasn’t. Hanley retrieves the ball, keeps it in play and crosses for his centre-back partner Klose to bullet in a game-saving header at the back post!
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90+5 min: Knudsen could lay on a second for Waghorn but centres too far. One last chance for Norwich perhaps?
90+3 min: Hanley looks to get on the end of something. He can’t. Ipswich aren’t far away now ...
90+2 min: Here it comes. Will Vrancic and Hernandez, on for Tettey and Reed, provide the element of surprise?
90+1 min: Norwich will soon make a double sub. We’ll have FIVE added minutes. The tension now!
90 min: My word! Waghorn’s outswinger, the captain’s bullet header and there are blue shirts all over the place! They are moments away from breaking the barren spell, and it’s come right against the run of play!
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Goal! Norwich 0-1 Ipswich (Chambers 89)
They might have have won it!!!
88 min: Now Spence wins a free-kick right outside the area, on the right. They couldn’t, could they? No, it’s one of Waghorn’s better deliveries by some way but it’s just about smuggled away. Ipswich keep going and win a flag kick ...
86 min: Applause from the away end for Sir Bobby Robson’s birthday, just as Spence makes it to the byline in what is these days an exceptionally rare foray. His ball is dealt with.
84 min: A first Norwich change now, Murphy’s race being run and Dennis Srbeny’s only just beginning.
83 min: Reed finds himself in an unfamiliar position with space to set his sights 20 yards out, but drags wide. Has that ferocious Norwich spell between 65 and 78 been seen out?
82 min: Lewis, who looks a very good young player, beats Spence before carrying the ball 60 yards and being dumped over. And Spence is booked.
80 min: Waghorn leaves too much on Klose and is the latest Ipswich player to be booked. They last produced anything of note around 25 minutes ago.
79 min: Ipswich bring on Spence for Iorfa. He might be a slightly more defensive, but more composed, wing-back.
77 min: Maddison has another go, it takes a deflection and Bialkowski has to see it behind. This is such a different game now. The corner is defended but Ipswich cannot get out at all at present.
75 min: Save of the game, there, from Bialkowski! Delightful link-up play between Oliveira and Murphy ends up with a low shot from the former that looks destined for the corner .. but the Polish ‘keeper flips it round with an outstretched hand! Super stop. The corner comes to nought.
73 min: Norwich win a corner and are working the ball so much better this half. It’s worked short and ends up with Murphy, who should probably pull the trigger a moment before he does but just allows Knudsen to block. Lewis fires high and wide when it comes back out to him. Ipswich need a foothold here.
71 min: For the first time in the game it’s fair to say Ipswich are playing on the stretch, and Norwich are getting some reward. If a goal is coming, at the moment, it’s coming at the away end.
69 min: Even better save by Bialkowski! In fact quite similar, looking again, as he parries from under his bar. Maddison is in danger of running amok at the moment though.
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67 min: Another Ipswich change. Luke Hyam, a local lad, replaces Gleeson. Immediately Maddison is brought down yet again, by Connolly, and wins another set piece right on the edge. Very dangerous, again ..
66 min: From the resulting free-kick, Knudsen gets some of Klose’s shirt but the Norwich player makes nothing of it and perhaps should do. But Norwich maintain the pressure and are certainly on top at the moment.
64 min: Maddison gets away from Skuse, who has done such a good job on him, beautifully and is hauled down. Booking for Skuse. Could that be crucial?
63 min: Maddison is now allowed to carry the ball into the box, tries to work an angle but, with Connolly in attendance and the pitch bobbling nastily, slices far off.
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62 min: A first change for Ipswich. They lose Garner’s bustle and niggle but they gain McGoldrick’s craft and, at times, mesmerising technique.
61 min: Oliveira fails to play Maddison in and the home crowd aren’t especially happy with that.
59 min: Knudsen looks to break away from Leitner down the left and is tripped cynically. Yellow card. Leitner knew he had stopped a decent chance on the break there.
58 min: Waghorn, again, disappoints with his corner delivery and it is down Gunn’s throat. They have wasted a lot of these chances.
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57 min: A dangerous Gleeson cross is dealt with by Hanley. Ipswich have a spell of possession and Iorfa is, perhaps luckily, awarded a corner ...
55 min: That early Norwich fizz has faded for now but they are certainly asking more questions. Maddison draws a block from Chambers and then a foul from Garner, who is rightly booked for repetitive fouling.
52 min: Maddison, much more involved now and clearly told to stay further forwards, seeks another free kick under pressure from Chambers but nothing is given.
51 min: Ipswich counter and Waghorn gets away down the right but can’t quite find Garner. This one looks like opening up considerably ...
50 min: That’s all more than Norwich produced in the entire first half, and might just get their tails up ...
49 min: And it’s saved brilliantly by Bialkowski! It’s fairly central but he has to be really sharp to claw that over. Norwich have a corner ... and Klose should score! It’s half-cleared, Reed hooks a second ball back in and Klose is alone in front of goal. He scuffs it when any sort of good contact would do!
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47 min: Oh, this is dangerous ... Maddison makes an appearance in that pocket just outside the box for the first time, really, and wins a free-kick in a brilliant position for them and him ...
46 min: Garner seeks Waghorn diagonally but Hanley intervenes well and Gunn smothers the back header.
Peeeeeeep! Second half underway
Who will crack first – if anyone?
The second half will be upon us shortly. Will Norwich come out firing? It’d take some effort for Ipswich to keep them that quiet again ...
Tell you what Nick, we’ve done alright here - but not sure I enjoy the tactic of collapsing anytime a Norwich player is near in the box. Referee is obviously only going to give a stonewaller in a big game. Wish they’d stay on their feet and take a chance with a shot or cross
— EC-E (@elliottconway) February 18, 2018
Yes, Ipswich are finding good positions but need to make more of them. If Norwich start finding areas like that you suspect they’ll capitalise.
Half-time: Norwich 0-0 Ipswich
That’s the half. Ipswich, despite the appearance of their team selection, have dominated and should perhaps be ahead – Knudsen, in particular, missing a good chance. Norwich have not created a thing. Surely that won’t last? As it stands, the visitors are the happier.
44 min: And now Iorfa bustles into the box with a strong run, full of intent, but he runs out of ideas and goes down with Lewis nearby. Oh my, that’s a really bad dive, and Norwich are rightly furious he isn’t booked because nobody is having that.
43 min: Saved by Gunn! It’s tapped to Waghorn, drilled low, takes a nick and Gunn parries it behind with two firm hands. The corner is repelled well at the near post.
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42 min: It is still Ipswich who look sharper and now Klose clumsily fouls Waghorn in an area inviting the shot ...
40 min: Waghorn’s shot is deflected and spins up into the air ... into the path of an onrushing Connolly, whose header is blocked by Gunn! But he’s just offside so it wouldn’t have counted anyway.
39 min: Skuse fouls Murphy and Ipswich need to be careful now, as a goal for Norwich in the next few minutes would spoil a very satisfactory half’s work. Maddison delivers from deep but it’s easy for Bialkowski.
37 min: Garner, who is a professional pest of a striker, gets a talking to for nibbling at Lewis when the ball was clearly going beyond them both for a goal kick. He’s the kind of player derbies were made for.
36 min: But that’s a decent effort from Murphy, who is found by Leitner and works space to curl a yard or two wide of the post. No real danger for Bialkowski, but Norwich can cause problems if they find those areas more.
35 min: Iorfa, working very high up the pitch at wing-back, is behind a move that ends with Reed blocking a Knudsen volley. Ipswich remain the more threatening side by some way.
33 min: Ipswich respond and Waghorn is fouled 35 yards out. They – well, he – need/s to find better deliveries from these, and it’s very central. Too far for a shot? No! Connolly drives it with some real venom and Gunn fumbles the ball. Garner follows in and falls over under pressure from Lewis, but again that’s no penalty.
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32 min: Now Norwich’s first set-piece of any promise, won by Murphy after Carter-Vickers got too tight. Can they create their first chance of the match here? Maddison puts the ball down meaningfully ... but a cross-shot whizzes past everyone.
30 min: What Ipswich don’t really have is a lot of quality on the ball here, although there is plenty on the bench in the forms of Celina and McGoldrick. They might like some of the positions their team-mates are working so hard to get into.
28 min: Connolly, a very promising midfielder on loan from Everton, goes in sharply on Lewis. Ipswich are still winning those duels and the home crowd are pretty quiet for now. Maddison is being forced deep to get much of the ball.
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26 min: The fear was that this was a negative selection from McCarthy but Ipswich are pressing Norwich high. Gunn shanks a clearance out of play. Ipswich look to get the ball forward quickly again but Garner’s latest free-kick appeal is waved away. Murphy then gets some space down the Norwich left, his first real involvement, but his centre is booted away.
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24 min: Waghorn delivers again, from a slightly deeper position, but again doesn’t get the height on it.
23 min: Oliveira outdoes Carter-Vickers but dribbles one wide from range when there were better options. This is going as Ipswich might have wanted so far, but Norwich have the players to pick you apart in an instant. At the other end, Garner wins another set piece ...
22 min: He undercooks it, really, and it’s cleared in relative comfort. Wasted chance.
21 min: Iorfa wins the ball for Ipswich in a good position, and then the niggly Garner wins a free-kick from Lewis in an even better one. It’s a chance, this, for Waghorn to deliver something from the right ...
18 min: For a split-second Waghorn seems to be in on goal after Norwich lose possession in midfield, but Hanley recovers superbly as he looks to take aim! Waghorn, eventually, goes down optimistically but that is never a spot kick in a million years.
17 min: Norwich fans are, after the passing of the 16th minute, applauding Ipswich’s 16 years in the second tier. Yet here they both are and Norwich haven’t a great deal to show from the last decade.
15 min: Now some promise for Norwich as Oliveira, onside, runs behind the defence onto a sublime Maddison ball. But his touch takes him away from the ponderous Bialkowski and in the end he has to attempt a cross to the back post, which sails beyond Reed.
14 min: Norwich are trying to calm things down a bit but can’t really get enough of the ball. Ipswich try and send Garner away, but he’s pulled up rather ungenerously for fouling Zimmermann.
12 min: Yes, Knudsen should really have scored that on second view. Ipswich haven’t taken their chances in recent derbies, so will they feel regretful here? They’ve begun with real intent.
10 min: Chance for Knudsen! He scored here last season and is close to doing so again, a nice Gleeson cross seeing him rise above Reed but head wide. He could have done better. Ipswich come again immediately and Gunn has to tip round a 20-yard skimmer from Waghorn! It’s another corner but, at length, Norwich clear. Good stuff from the visitors here.
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8 min: At the other end Garner makes headway near the corner flag but runs it out of play when presumably seeking another flag kick. No real pattern to this one yet and, of the two, Ipswich won’t complain.
7 min: Maddison starts Norwich’s first move of menace, though, with some deft play in his own half. But it ends with a harmless Leitner dink through to Bialkowski.
5 min: It is definitely Ipswich who have made the better start, quicker to most things, but they’ll need to keep this up against Norwich’s technicians.
3 min: Gunn claims a Knudsen cross, now, as Ipswich continue with the early tempo.
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2 min: Early corner for Ipswich after a panicky miscue from Zimmermann. They have started aggressively. Waghorn delivers from the right and it almost finds a blue shirt at the far post before being returned back out to him. He then wastes the second chance by slicing wildly.
Peeeeep! The East Anglian derby kicks off!
Norwich kick off; Ipswich kick left to right on your telly.
Mick McCarthy has just given the camera a smile not too dissimilar to that famous GIF. A good omen, Ipswich fans?
The players are in the tunnel. Luke Chambers, the Ipswich captain, is doing everything possible to avoid looking at his Norwich counterpart Alex Tettey. And out they come, to a predictably hot reception ...
“Nick, do you think this will be Mick McCarthy’s last Old Farm derby?” asks Dan Place. “I’m going for a Norwich 2-1 win with Knudsen getting his customary derby goal late on to make the final minutes interesting.”
I do, Dan – I think he’s off, and that Ipswich’s next appointment may be the most important in their history.
Still time, East Anglian fans, to put your heads on the block with a prediction or two ...
Farke speaks: “We know we have a good shape and are pretty close to the top of the form table. We can play this game full of self-confidence but I’m sure Ipswich have a plan as well and will be motivated to answer our win in the first derby.”
“I’ve had a bit of a soft spot for Ipswich since under Bobby Robson they beat Manchester United 6-0 in 78-79 (Gary Bailey also saved three penalties!),” writes Kev Sparke.
Understandably, Kev, as that was a wonderful side. I’d be interested in hearing from more neutrals in fact: which of these clubs has really got you going down the years, both recently and in the past?
McCarthy on Maddison: “You’ve got to be aware of him, you’d be a fool if you weren’t.” He’s a superb player; they’ve definitely set out to keep him quiet here though.
My feeling about this one is that, if Norwich can move the ball around quickly, they’ll be OK. And if Ipswich can stay in it for an hour, it will get very interesting. An early Norwich goal and they might streak away though.
Obviously I don’t have a favourite; I’m here to faithfully document proceedings with a Guardian-style light touch. This, for what it’s worth, was the first East Anglian derby I ever attended:
Whoever wins today – if someone wins – will break the tie of 40 victories apiece in this fixture. Norwich have caught up impressively of late. Supporters of either club: what’s been your favourite?
That’s a ... respectful lineup from McCarthy, who has left his flair players on the bench and matched Norwich up with a back three (which, I suspect, will work out as more of a back five). Plenty of craft and guile, though, in a Norwich side that includes Maddison and the mercurial German playmaker Moritz Leitner. Presumably Ipswich would like to keep this tight for an hour and then see about opening things up.
Teams
Norwich City: Gunn; Reed, Zimmermann, Hanley, Klose, Lewis; Tettey; Leitner, Maddison, Murphy; Oliveira. Subs: McGovern, Pinto, Vrancic, Watkins, Stiepermann, Hernandez, Srbeny.
Ipswich Town: Bialkowski; Iorfa, Chambers, Carter-Vickers, Webster, Knudsen; Connolly, Skuse, Gleeson; Waghorn, Garner. Subs: Crowe, McGoldrick, Celina, Spence, Ward, Hyam, Carayol.
It's East Anglian derby day!
Contrary to appearances, this remains one of the country’s biggest regional set-tos. Yet these sides sit 12th and 13th in the Championship, level on points and with play-off hopes barely flickering. How on earth has it come to this?
Norwich must be kicking themselves. They could have smacked this derby out into the long grass, rendering it a Southampton v Portsmouth or worse. Instead they wasted their most recent spells in the Premier League, overreaching with some ill-judged signings and poor backroom decisions, and find themselves four months shy of a parachute payment-free existence. They are rebuilding under Daniel Farke and it has not been all bad: they pass the ball very nicely at times, still have plenty of residual top-flight quality – including a real gem in the form of James Maddison – and are in their best form now since October, when they won 1-0 at Portman Road. Just one defeat in eight league games for them, and none in their last 11 (eleven) East Anglian derbies, so they rightly start as favourites today.
Ipswich really need a spark. What could be better than a first derby win since 2009, a year that preceded a barren run few could have envisaged. While Norwich have participated in the top flight more recently and held sway in the past decade and a half, it is Ipswich who have the history of major silverware and genuine greats of the game passing through. Yet Sir Bobby Robson, whose birthday it would have been today, might shake his head at what he sees today. They are not doing badly – and indeed are almost certainly overperforming given the budget Mick McCarthy works to – but it is all so stale, so samey, everything around the club seemingly pared back to the bare minimum with the honourable exception of an enduringly fine academy. Sixteen years in the second tier have taken their toll; they are treading water and, when their direction of travel finally changes, there is genuine concern in Suffolk for the way things will head.
All that matters in the next couple of hours, though, are those 90 minutes on the pitch. Enjoy.
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