Joe Royle now knows what it's like to inherit the jinxed managership
ofManchester City.
His side led from the first five minutes but were denied victory by two goals
in the dying minutes.
First they conceded an equaliser when Alex Mathie grabbed a deserved goal with
seven minutes left.
Then disaster struck Royle in the second minute of injury time when Kieron
Dyer stabbed in a left wing cross for Ipswich's winner.
The Suffolk side fully deserved their win after controlling long periods of
the game, and the defeat left City still in the bottom three.
The moment those two late Ipswich goals went in, the Lee Out banners were
unfolded in the Kippax stand, chairman Francis Lee still the butt of fans'
displeasure which was not deflected by the appointment earlier in the day of
Royle to replace Frank Clark.
Outside the ground straight afterwards, another demonstration took place
calling for Lee to go.
Royle's honeymoon lasted less than a match.
He'd seen all the reasons for his new side's decline, and one new appointment
on an amazing day could not deflect angry fans from their protests, which
started last weekend when local rivals Bury won at Maine Road.
Royle received the perfect start to his career as City's latest manager with a
goal virtually before the welcoming applause had died away.
It came when skipper Kit Symons arrived in the box to crash home a header from
Craig Russell's right wing cross after just five minutes.
But from then on, the East Anglians dominated long spells to underline to
Royle just why City are deep in the relegation mire.
Royle received the sort of reception you'd expect for a former City legend
returning as their managerial saviour, on the day he took charge from Frank
Clark.
A standing ovation from another big Maine Road crowd, more in hope than
expectation after so many false dawns - nine managers in 12 years is testimony
to that.
Another debut boy, Peter Beardsley, also was welcomed with open arms ... an
Englishman actually signing for City instead of the long trail of foreign
imports.
City had their two Georgian defenders - who did so well in the World Cup games
against Italy - Murtaz Shelia and Kakhabar Tskhadadze in harness in the centre
of their defence for the first time.
Ipswich must have felt like they were gatecrashing a very special party, but
they soon showed why they are one of the division's form sides of the moment.
Their midfield play was more assertive, and they maintained possession for
long periods to cast an air of concern around the stadium.
The fact that City scored so early, their first goal after three scoreless
matches, lifted the whole side.
Symons arrived in the box after just five minutes to rise high to power home
Russell's cross.
Georgi Kinkladze then set up young Jeff Whitley with a fine slide-rule pass,
but the Northern Irish lad saw his close range shot blocked by Richard Wright.
But Ipswich maintained control from then on and City produced a worrying
display which no doubt gave Royle all the food for thought he needed as he plots
their passage away from the relegation zone.
Lee Crooks replaced the injured Richard Edghill at half time, but it failed to
change the pattern of the match.
Ex-Manchester United youngster David Johnson really should have equalised
after 52 minutes when he mishit a shot high over from just 12 yards after Alex
Mathie's cross had reached him, unmarked, in the box.
It didn't take Royle long to stamp his own mark on the proceedings. He soon
abandoned the five at the back system favoured by Clark, bring off Crooks,
replacing him with another big defender in Paul Beesley and pushing Russell into
midfield.
But it did little to turn the tide. Beardsley was next to go off, with Lee
Bradbury taking over upfront, and he produced one fierce header just wide.
But Ipswich got the goal they deserved after 83 minutes when substitute Bobby
Petta's right wing cross was touched in by Alex Mathie.
The winner shattered another 27,000 plus City crowd when Dyer forced the ball
home.
It was a cruel end for a City side that had fought bravely, but still revealed
the lack of quality and confidence that Royle knows he must erase, and quickly.
Teams:
Man City:Wright, Edghill (Crooks 46), Tskhadadze, Shelia, Symons, Jim Whitley, Jeff
Whitley, Russell, Beardsley (Bradbury 74), Kinkladze, Rosler, Crooks (Beesley
66).
Goals: Symons 5
Ipswich: Wright, Stockwell, Taricco, Dyer, Mowbray, Cundy,
Uhlenbeek, Holland, Johnson (Naylor 86), Mathie, Clapham (Petta 74).
Subs Not Used: Sonner.
Goals: Mathie 83, Dyer 90.
Att: 27,156
Ref: G B Frankland
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