Bristol City 0-0 Ipswich
Things are finally looking up for Roy Keane with his Ipswich Town side now
on an unbeaten run of eight games.
They so nearly won this one with a late 30-yard shot from Grant Leadbitter
which thudded into a post before the rebound was scrambled away.
In a spirited second half, City twice found a post for themselves, but as
they wait for the transfer window to open have seen five games go by without
a win.
Ipswich arrived knowing they had to protect their rookie keeper Arran Lee-Barrett
starting his first Championship game.
They need not have worried about City's attack as, until manager Gary Johnson
was able to make adjustments at the break, they offered no threat.
Apart from coming off his line to grasp two corners, the only saved the young
keeper had to make came from a Paul Hartley free-kick just outside the box.
The former Celtic midfielder bent it very conveniently into his arms.
While City largely neglected their wings, Ipswich were constantly pushing
Jon Walters through on the right flank where he exposed a lack of cover in
the home defence.
Leadbitter won an early corner with a long-range shot which home keeper
Dean Gerken could not hold cleanly, but Gareth McAuley headed well over the
top from a good position.
It was the first of several chances which should have seen Ipswich into a
comfortable lead and would have done so if Gerken had been less on his game.
The football was textbook rather than stirring but this began to change in
the second half when Danny Haynes, who was playing against his old club, crashed
a shot against the foot of an Ipswich post.
Ipswich had a former City player in Stern John but the on-loan striker was
taken off just short of the hour.
Bristol were having their best spell and put in by Evander Sno, Haynes hit
the base of Ipswich's other post.
His shift was not over as he was then back on City's goalline to clear a
deflected shot from Leadbitter.
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Evander Sno
Alvaro Saborio (81)
Marvin Elliott (31)
