Ipswich 1 Northampton 0

Ipswich 3 Northampton 1
After calling for more attacking threat from his shot-shy side, Roy Keane was more than satisfied as goals from all three areas of the team secured a fairly comfortable passage into the League Cup quarter final.
On Friday, Keane called on his side to produce goals from other areas- “Its not just about the strikers. We’ve got widemen, we’ve got Andros and Carlos and other players who we feel are capable of scoring goals for us.”
As if on cue, Carlos Edwards rewarded his manager with a rasping shot across the goalkeeper, a strike which was later added to by central defender Damien Delaney and striker Tamas Priskins late strike.
Keane was delighted with the goalscorers, particularly with two of the goals coming from set pieces, an area that has been open to criticism in recent weeks. “Carlos always scores outstanding goals. I was pleased for Damien coming back from injury and Tamas put in a good shift today. We do work on set pieces, the delivery for both goals was very good. It was a very good finish from Damien. Its always on the delivery and the desire of the players to get in there”.
Despite Keanes suggestion that he would look to give his younger players a chance, the Ipswich manager made few changes from the side who suffered their third successive defeat on Saturday at Nottingham Forest. Whilst Tom Eastman earned a recall at right back, Keane opted to retain the same back four as featured in the previous two games.
The only other significant change saw cup-tied Jack Colback make way for a second forward in Tamas Priskin.
Having gone behind to a speculative, and heavily deflected, long range effort from the visitors Liam Davies, Town quickly recovered their early momentum, resulting in Edwards crisp-finish. The blues finally found a finish from a setpiece with Townsends drilled cross deflecting out to Damien Delaney, the Irishman producing the kind of decisive finish that Keane would have delighted in seeing from any of his attacking players.
In contrast to recent league performances, the second half was the one which saw Towns performances dip, as Northampton pressed for an equaliser. However, under limited threat from the opposition, Town finally added the game-sealing third goal, as Tamas Priskin headed home smartly from another set piece, this time delivered from the boot of Grant Leadbitter.
Keane was happy with the performance against what could have been troubling opposition, highlighting its necessary moral boosting effect, as his side entered the quarter final draw for the first time in ten years.
“We had the early set back of conceding. But we’re glad to be in the next round. Were not dancing in the streets, but glad to give the supporters something to cheer about. We feel the fans frustration after the last week or two, it builds. But winning football matches creates the feel-good factor. The fans went home happy and we want them to go happy again on Saturday.”
The performance of Tamas Priskin proved to be one of the highlights of the win, as the Hungarian enjoyed perhaps his most sprightly game so far this season. Whilst the level of the leagues 91st placed club will guard against any over-optimism, it was nevertheless a good performance with a high-work rate maintained throughout and culminating in a late goal as reward. Whether Priskin is able to maintain the level against league opposition remains to be seen, but clearly the player is far more comfortable playing with a support striker, having found himself pushed onto the left wing in many of his more recent substitute appearances.
After a largely injury-disrupted 2010, Damien Delaney is finally managing to get first team matches under his belt and his partnership with Gareth McAuley continues to improve as the two regain the understanding that provided the foundation of Towns recovery through the second half of last season.
Town again looked uncomfortable with two centre-backs at full back and whilst Jamie Peters will inevitably return to the starting line-up against Millwall on Saturday, Tommy Smiths continued involvement at left back seems entirely dependent on Mark Kennedy or Shane O’Connor returning to full match fitness.
Ronan Murray produced another bright performance from the substitutes bench and, with each passing appearance, he further enhances his position as Towns 4th choice striker, behind Wickham, Priskin and Scotland. With Wickham having suffered an ankle injury in training on Sunday and Scotland continuing to struggle to retain fitness levels to see out a match, Murray is likely to see more match action over the coming weeks.
Ahead of Saturdays match at home to Millwall, Keane continues to look for an additional forward to come in on loan. However, assuming the cavalry do not arrive early enough, Tamas Priskin would appear to have done enough to earn a second successive start, as Town look to continue their newly restored winning, and goalscoring, ways into league action.