City 1 - 2 Ipswich Wanderers

With the season reaching the sharp end, and City's chances of grabbing a play-off spot over, the Lilywhites took on Ipswich Wanderers on a mild April afternoon. City were hoping to build on their late show against Haringey Borough from last week, whereas Ipswich had nothing left to fight for after the Wanderers' defeat to Newmarket confirmed their relegation.

Just like with Redbridge, City were hoping to do the double over their opponents, the Lilywhites winning the previous fixture between the two, 2-1, back in January. City were also hoping to add to their four clean sheets on the bounce at home, knowing that Ipswich Wanderers had lost their last three matches without scoring in any of them.

As the game started, it didn't take long for City to become a threat. Three minutes had passed when Jahkyah Ebanks-Blake beat his defender and saw Codey Cosgrave steaming into the penalty area. Cosgrave's shot bounced away from the post and Ipswich fans breathed a sigh of relief.

A minute later, those sighs of relief became shouts of joy as Ipswich took the lead early on. Benjamin Wyss and Emmanuel Osei-Owusu combined well on the  left-hand side, Osei-Owusu then passed the ball towards Jose De La Paz at the far post, the striker's shot wasn't the most convincing effort, but James Philp couldn't hold on to the shot and let it slide under his legs and into the net.

Having conceded at home for the first time in four matches, City were expecting an immediate response, but it was the visitors who carried on the pressure. On the right it was Max Tate, who then crossed to his teammate De La Paz. The no.15 was already looking for his second of the match, but Philp denied him by steering the ball beyond the post.

Osei-Owusu was free roaming on the left side again after 9 minutes, Wyss and captain Ben Stannard were there to help, sending the ball to De La Paz. Once again the striker's hopes for netting a second were dashed when he fluffed his lines in front of goal.

Jack Thompson had been contained by the Ipswich midfielders, but after 11 minutes he showed what a dangerous player he could be, setting up Alfie Mason for an opportunity to cross. Wyss coming to the rescue to clear the ball to safety.

Again, after 17 minutes, Thompson was found on the right-hand side, he wriggled his was into a shooting position, but his strike was straight at Craig Brand in the Wanderers' goal.

Samrai Gebrai then had a run on the right, he then found his teammate Ebanks-Blake, the Cambridge United loanee went down in the area, feeling there was enough contact for a penalty. The referee waved away the appeal, and Ipswich were then steaming down the field for a counter attack, De La Paz again forcing Philp to keep the score at 1-0.

Ipswich then pounded the City goal for the next few minutes. A corner that was taken by Stannard was eventually cleared away, then Samuel Coombes and Ted Johnson tried their luck but Mason was on hand to marshal them out for a goal kick. Ashley Blow then found a cross towards Osei-Owusu, the Lilywhites defence doing their work to keep out the tricky forward.

Then, after 23 minutes, City thought they had scored the equaliser when Alfie Mason picked up the ball on the left. He then sent in a pass towards Gebrai who headed the ball from close range. The celebrations were short-lived when the assistant referee had adjudged that Gebrai had been in an offside position.

Four minutes later, Gebrai was though again. A lobbed pass fell to his feet and he expertly finished low into the bottom left corner, but, frustratingly for the home supporters, the offside flag was raised once again to deny Gebrai the equaliser.

With 30 minutes on the clock, Ipswich had a free-kick on the left that was taken by their captain Stannard. The no.8 delivered into the area and Tate connected well with the ball, but headed just wide of the post.

City then had a couple of chances in the next four minutes. The first one was a free-kick which was sent into the box for Jack Thomas, who then nodded in on towards Teniola. Teniola then spun nicely to get his shot away, but Brand come up with the save. The Lilywhites then had a corner that Jamie Dicks took, but Ipswich were wise to the cross and cleared the ball away.

With 39 minutes gone, De La Paz was through to a crossing position once again, and this time his cross fell to Tate. Philp being equal to the strike to keep out the no.4.

With just three minutes left to play in the half, Gebrai was out on the wing and got his cross away with the pass heading toward Teniola. Brand was able to pick up the pieces after Teniola was unable to get his shot away.

Jose De La Paz then beat Alfie Mason to run towards the goal and only an expertly time defensive challenge prevented Ipswich Wanderers from doubling their lead shortly before the half-time whistle.

There was just enough time for Jayden Randell and Codey Cosgrave to both combine to find Jack Thompson, but Owen Andrews came in to block the shot and Ipswich held the lead at the conclusion of the first half.

Referee Liam Botten then got the second half underway and, once again Ipswich Wanderers came flying out of the blocks when they won an early corner. Tate came in with a free header that didn't trouble the City defence too much but it was the following corner that proved to be an issue. The corner was sent towards the far post and Owen Andrews appeared to get Ipswich's second goal. The assistant had originally raised the flag to rule the goal out for a handball, but the referee then finally awarded a goal after some debate with his assistant to allow Ipswich to double their lead.

With Ipswich stunning City with a second goal, they then went on to cause more trouble as Blow was played through, although the City defence coped well this time around. Then De La Paz found Stannard on the right, but Stannard's cross floated harmlessly wide.

With 56 minutes gone, City had themselves a throw, taken by substitute Ramiah Mills, captain Jayden Randell connected with the throw but sent his header straight into Craig Brand's arms.

Ebanks-Blake was then sent on a run on his own, he was sent right by the Ipswich back line and Ebanks-Blake's shot then trickled wide of the far post.

The City 16 was at it again when he beat the defender on the right-hand side, Brand coming to Ipswich's rescue again to palm the ball out for a corner. With the corner not coming to much, Ipswich then countered themselves with Stannard and, once again, De La Paz, but the cross on the right went across the face of goal with nobody to send the ball home.

Codey Cosgrave then gave the ball to Mills on the right, but Brand came up with the save once again. And City then had Mason latch on to a pass on the left, he then gave the ball to Dicks who sent in an early cross, but Brand came to claim again.

With 76 minutes gone, City had a corner. Jack Thompson took it, although the corner didn't bother Ipswich too much, the build up play afterwards did as the ball was switched to Mills on the right. As the no.19 danced into the penalty area an Ipswich defender preceded to trip Mills up in the box and referee Liam Botten showed no hesitation to point to the spot. Gebrai stepped up to take it and his luck finally turned for the good as there was no question of offside this time when he emphatically thumped home the penalty to reduce the deficit to 2-1. Gebrai scoring City's 60th goal this season.

City then had all the momentum going into the final 10, Cosgrave sent through Gebrai again on the right but his cross was, unfortunately, overhit. Thompson was then able to get a cross away although the resulting shot was blocked by an inspired Ipswich defensive unit.

With time running out, Jamie Cureton looked to the bench to make a substitution... himself. With Jack Thompson told to make way for the player-manager, it wasn't long before Cureton was in the thick of the action. With Gebrai on the left, his cross looked set to be gathered by Brand, but Mason jumped in front of the keeper and, as the ball dropped near the goal-line, Cureton came advancing towards it, but City's gaffer was unable to prod the ball home for the equaliser.

City then had the all the pressure for the finale of the match, but the closest they got was when a long ball was launched into the air, Cureton nodding on towards makeshift striker Alfie Mason, but the left-back took his shot too early and Brand watched the ball harmlessly roll wide of the post.

And with that, the final whistle blew. The Lilywhites being stunned by an Ipswich side who had already been condemned to relegation. City also saw their three match unbeaten run come to an end. But, for the Ipswich Wanderers fans, they celebrated just a third win in their last 33 matches.

Match report by

Connor Taylor-Creek