So You Win Again

Aston Villa 2-1 ITFC January 5th 2013

This was my first visit to Villa Park, I’ve been past it many times on the M6 so when the draw was made it was a done deal to go to the game but I have to say that the magic of the third round of the FA Cup was not very evident. The clubs had agreed a ticket price of £20 for adults which is fair enough with an initial 2,900 tickets for ITFC fans. However these were just about sold out to season ticket holders before going on general sale. When the club tried to get more tickets they were given the option of buying another 3,000 with a no sale no return clause attached, they duly declined the offer thus excluding many fans from attending the match. As it turned out there were only 24,854 fans in a stadium that holds 42,788, surely Villa could have been a little more hospitable?

William McGregor founder of the Football League

“The FA Cup with Budweiser - where everyone has their day.” - We had ours back in 1978 and the importance of winning the cup has certainly changed, it’s still a dream for a club like ours but for the big boys The Champions league qualification is more important and survival in the Premier League for clubs such as our opponents takes precedence, a fact born out by Villas team selection. They have been on a poor run of form and are hovering just above the drop zone and ex scum manager Paul Lambert made several changes to his starting line up. Mick McCarthy also made six changes to his starting lineup, many forced upon him by the loan system. Patrick Kisnorbo him self on loan from Leeds, Scott Loach, Elliot Hewitt, Nigel Reo Coker, Luke Hyam and JET all started the match and with Carlos Edwards dropping to the bench it meant that Tommy Smith captained the side. 

Villa had a couple of early chances well saved by Loach before we took the lead after half an hour. Defender Eric Lichaj turned Michael Chopra’s cross come shot into his own net. Chopra who for once was having a decent game had an excellent shot well saved by Shay Given soon afterwards, had he of scored I feel that we would have gone on to win the tie.

Old boy Darren Bent leveled things up just after the restart with a trade mark finish across Loach and into the corner of the net. From this point on Villa looked a bit more like a Premiership side and were on top of things. McCarthy made three changes during the second half, bringing on another two new loanees, David McGoldrick, and Aaron McClean as well as Edwards. Given had to make another fantastic save, this time from McClean’s first time volley denying us the lead after eighty minutes and then the home side scored the decisive goal three minutes later when the impressive left back Joe Bennett’s cross was cushion headed in by Andreas Weimann past a stranded Loach.

Captain Tommy Smith

Must be 3 o'clock

Will we return next season?

So I doubt that there’ll be much more excitement this season, out of the cups and with the playoffs looking like a distant fantasy we can now start to plan the summer, thats of course after our little break in Vietnam!

The playlist

So You Win Again by Hot Chocolate - Have we ever beaten a Paul Lambert side? Smug bastard!

Don't Leave Me This Way

ITFC 0-3 Brighton January 1st 2013

Hungover!

With the games coming thick and fast over the Christmas/New Year period this was probably one game too many for a jaded looking Ipswich side, some of whom looked like they had been on a bender the night before! Following two good away wins at Charlton & Wolves, they were brought back down to earth with a bang by a well organised Brighton side whom I wouldn't be surprised to see end up in the playoffs. I can only remember Albion creating four chances during the match but they managed to use them well, whereas we seemed to be very short on ideas.

There were no "farewell or is just goodbye?" goals from DJ Campbell who was playing the last game of his very successful loan spell before returning to QPR. Daryl Murphy had a shot from a tight angle well blocked by summer target keeper Tomasz Kuszczak in the first half. With the score at two nil to the visitors midway through the second half Mick McCarthy decided to replace the front two with Jason Scotland and Michael Chopra, I got the feeling that there would be no goals forthcoming from Town and so it proved to be right as Albion scored a third just to complete a miserable start to the new year for the home fans.

With players cup tied or ineligible due to their loan deals there will be a different looking Town side that take on the out of sorts Aston Villa in Birmingham next Saturday in the FA Cup.

Don't Leave Me This Way by Harold Melvyn & The Blue Notes - a disappointing end to DJ Campbell's loan spell and the Christmas break.