A goal from former Wigan forward Connor Sammon was enough to secure a first ever victory at the DW despite a late rally from Wigan Athletic.
Manager Uwe Rosler opted to hand home debuts for midfielders Kvist, Forshaw and striker Delort with the injured Huws and Taylor dropping to the bench.
The game started off at a slow pace with WIgan seemignly content to pass the ball around at the back and midfield and Ipswich using their size advantage at the back and midfield to try and force Wigan off the ball. Ipswich employed a somewhat over physical approach with mercurial winger Callum McManaman coming in for particular attention.
Possession wise, Wigan were in the ascendancy with some nice touches from Adam Forshaw releasing McManaman on the right whose jinking runs gave the away defence a torrid time.
Ipswich resorted to questionable tactics and one particularly cynical body check on McManaman left the young Liverpudlian limping off with a suspected dead leg shortly afterwards.
Ipswich started to assert pressure especially down the left through wing back Mings and from one such foray a ball was fed to Murphy but the shot was well saved by Carson. A few minutes later Mings had more success when a simple slide rule pass found Hyams unmarked and he finished with aplomb leaving the WIgan defence questioning each other’s defensive roles.
Wigan looked at sixes and sevens and Ipswich almost made it two but Ramis cleared the ball away.
This scare sparked life into a moribund Wigan attack and a neat inter-passing released Maloney through the middle but a deliberate cynical challenge when Mings pulled down the Scotsman brought the move to an impromptu end, earning the Town player a yellow card the foul being too far out to be termed denying a goal scoring opportunity. Wigan continued to grow into the game but as the half time whistle blew the stark truth is that WIigan had not had a single attempt on target.
The second half was much the game, Wigan dominating possession but appearing to timid to actually push forwards in search of an equaliser. One case in point was when Delort who was starved of possession all evening , broke down the left. He got to the byline but when he looked up, not a single Wigan player was in the penalty area and the defence managed to scramble toe ball away for a throw in.
The second half continued in a similar vein, with Latics seeing plenty of the ball, but la
New signing Adam Forshaw caught the eye in the middle of the field, seeing plenty of the ball, and carved out the first opportunity of the second half in the 51st minute.
One nil became two when former Latics player Sammon seized on a ball from McGoldrick and with Kieran unable to put in a meaningful tackle the big Irishman muscled past his compatriot and rounded past Carson at the second attempt to score..
Rosler responded immediately, withdrawing Maloney and replacing him with Riera and looked a more potent attacking force, pouring forwards in numbers with young Forshaw playing some lovely balls through for Riera and McClean . McClenan’s direct running was beginning to cause problems for the Ipswich defence and eventually the pressure paid off as a powerful shot from the Irishman was diverted into the net off the chest of Waghorn.
One almost became two as Forshaw and Riera were denied by the keeper and the post respectively and when the whistle blew for full time Wigan trooped off no doubt reflecting on their inability to play consistently for ninety minutes
Team Line up and player ratings.
Carson….6, should have done better with the second goal.
Boyce……6, looked to attack with gusto but caught out too often at the back.
Keirnan…..5, lost out in a muscular battle with the Town forwards
Ramis……..6, worked hard
Perch………6, didnt look out of position ont he left
Maloney…..5, a shadow of the player from two season’s ago, withdrawn
Forshaw…..6.5, showed promise
Cowie……….5, little impact on the game.
Kvist……5, see Cowie
McManaman…..7, MOM and was only on pitch for 30 mins, withdrawn
Delort…….4, received little or no quality ball, totally isolated and withdrawn
Subs Used
McClean for McManaman…..6.5, his directness caused problems for Ipswich.
Riera for Maloney……………….6,5, looked sharp , unlucky not to score.
Waghorn for Delort……………..6.5, lifted the team with some creativ play
Att……………….12,817
Match rating….5/10, for 80 mins Wigan seemed frightened of making a mistake, for the last 10 mins they showed what they could do if they played without fear….too little too late
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