Stowmarket reach cup quarter-finals
IPSWICH Town ended with nine men as they bowed out of the Turners Hyundai Suffolk Premier Cup to Stowmarket Town.
The Isthmian League North leaders came from behind to win 3-1 in their second-round tie at Greens Meadow on Wednesday night and book their place in the quarter-finals.
Callum Page put Ipswich ahead after 14 minutes, but Evan Collard equalised before half-time.
Centre back Brooklyn Kabongolo was then sent off after 59 minutes and Chris Casement fired Stowmarket in front straight after, before Willie Clemons added a third eight minutes later.
Ipswich’s misery was compounded by a straight red card for striker Tete Yengi following a melee in the 89th minute.
Stowmarket centre back Josh Curry (yellow & black shirt, No.5) makes a vital interception from Ross Crane's (blue shirt, No.3) low cross to prevent Ipswich Town taking a 2-0 lead in their Turners Hyundai Suffolk Premier Cup Second Round match at Greens Meadow. Main photograph: Stowmarket goalkeeper James Bradbrook spreads himself to deflect Ipswich Town striker Tete Yengi's shot wide of his near post. Photographs: Paul Voller
Adem Atay, who was in charge of the Ipswich Town side, cited their lack of discipline as well as not being clinical enough in both boxes for their defeat.
He said: “The game started reasonably well for us and we felt we were in control and deserved our goal and then it was unfortunately a catalogue of mistakes – we don’t take our chances in the penalty box and we don’t defend our penalty box very well, so we end up on the receiving end of a bad scoreline.
“We lacked discipline throughout to do the right things over again and the discipline with our behaviours and we have ended up losing two players and going down to nine men.
“It is hard enough with ten and we have conceded two red cards tonight which is really, really disappointing because it is not the manner in which we want to go about our work.
“The players will have to take humble pie I am afraid and learn from this experience and go back to the basics of trying to get better every day.”
Atay said that Kabongolo, who received a second yellow for pulling back former Ipswich Town winger Reggie Lambe just minutes after being booked for kicking the ball away, was about to be substituted.
“We were just about to take Brooklyn off because that was his first game after a lot of months out injured. It is just typical that just before we were about to make the sub he gets his second yellow card.
“It then becomes harder, but at the end of the day we just weren’t clinical enough in both boxes and it has cost us with the mistakes we made tonight,” added Atay.
Stowmarket Town's Willie Clemons (yellow & black shirt, No.7) follows up to score from close range after Ipswich Town goalkeeper Antoni Bort parried Josh Mayhew's shot. Photograph: Paul Voller
Goalscorer Page, who has been on loan to Needham Market, was one of four players recalled from Suffolk clubs to play for Ipswich – Ross Crane (Bury Town) and Harry Knock and Jesse Nwabueze (both Felixstowe & Walton United) being the others.
Page showed good feet in a tight area to fire Ipswich ahead, and Yengi saw his effort saved by Stowmarket keeper James Bradbrook before Josh Curry did well to cut out Crane’s dangerous low cross.
Stowmarket drew level when goalkeeper Antoni Bort spilled Casement’s right-wing cross and Collard sidefooted home the loose ball in the 38th minute.
The home team went ahead from the free-kick following Kabongolo’s dismissal, ex-Ipswich defender Casement showing good control before volleying home from just outside the penalty area.
They took a firm grip on the game with a third goal after 67 minutes, Clemons following up to score from close range after Bort had parried Josh Mayhew’s low strike.
Stowmarket manager Paul Musgrove admitted his side had struggled to get a foothold in the game early on.
“We started quite slowly and it probably took us 25 minutes to get to grips with their shape and their movement. Once we had done that and our communication was better and people went with runners we really stepped on to them and showed we had good senior players who took control of the game.
“The sending off did change it a little bit as they changed their shape, but we could then step on to people and make it easier in the wide areas.”
Musgrove said of Casement’s goal: “Chris has been superb and has stepped up with some great goals this season and that’s another one for contender for goal of the season. He has caught it on the volley with one touch and hit it all in the same movement.”