Substitute Alex Mathie was the two-goal Ipswich hero when he came off the
bench after 52 minutes against Bradford City and turned the game.
After a barren first half Bradford took the lead in the 56th minute. Robbie
Blake cut in from the left, made ground along the byline and slipped the ball
past Richard Wright at the near post.
Ipswich then made inspired substitutions with the arrival of Danny Summer in
midfield and Mathie up front.
Bradford came under intense pressure and to add to their worry had two players
sent off for second bookable offences. The first to go was Nigel Pepper in the
80th minute and he was followed by Eddie Youds two minutes from the end against
one of his former clubs.
It was a torrid final 20 minutes for Bradford. In the 70th minute Gary Walsh
blocked a drive from Mathie with his legs after a shot from Dyer had rebounded.
Then Jason Cundy, up for a corner, had a volley blocked.
Ipswich were level in the 72nd minute when Mathie gathered the ball after
Bradford had failed to clear a throw from Mick Stockwell.
In the 80th minute Mathie collected a through ball from Mauricio Taricco and
cut in from the left. He passed to Dyer just outside the penalty area but the
England under 21 international was bundled off the ball by Pepper who had
already been booked for a foul on Gus Uhlenbeek. That was the first red card.
Even then Bradford almost saved the day. Rob Steiner, who had taken over from
Edinho put in a header which Matt Holland nearly deflected into his own net five
minutes from the end.
Then Ipswich grabbed the winner. Mick Stockwell crossed from the right and
Mathie controlled the ball well in the penalty area before firing home a right
foot drive into the roof of the net.
Then came the Youds dismissal. He seemed to catch Dutch substitute Bobby Petta
in an arm lock and, as he had been previously booked for a foul on James
Scowcroft he was shown the red card to reduce Bradford to nine men.
Ipswich started brightly and could have been three up in the opening quarter
of an hour a volley by Scowcroft struck Andrew O'Brien on the arm after six
minutes but referee, Robert Styles of Waterlooville decided it was accidental. A
minute later David Johnson headed wide from a cross by Stockwell and in the 15th
minute Walsh brought off an acrobatic save to deny Scowcroft whose left foot
shot on the turn from 12 yards was struck perfectly.
Teams:
Ipswich: Wright, Stockwell, Taricco, Dyer, Tanner (Mathie 62),
Cundy, Uhlenbeek (Petta 80), Holland, Johnson, Scowcroft,
Clapham (Sonner 56).
Booked: Scowcroft.
Goals: Mathie 72, 86.
Bradford: Walsh, Wilder (Beagrie 87), Jacobs, O'Brien, Youds,
Ramage (Bolland 81), Lawrence, Pepper, Blake,
Edinho (Steiner 78), Murray.
Sent Off: Youds (88), Pepper (80).
Booked: Youds, Ramage, Pepper, Lawrence.
Goals: Blake 56.
Att: 11,864
Ref: R Styles (Waterlooville).
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