Ipswich Town's unbeaten start to the season over after 4-1 defeat away to Doncaster Rovers
Blues' unbeaten start to the season is over following a 4-1 defeat away to Doncaster Rovers.
Town took the lead through a Joe Wright own goal with a quarter of an hour gone after good work from Luke Chambers, whose 344th League appearance for Blues this evening took him joint-10th in Town's all-time League appearance holders.
Rovers equalised just short of the half hour with a well-taken strike from Cameron John. The hosts went in front eight minutes before the break with a fluke goal from Ben Whiteman.
Doncaster secured the three points in two incisive second-half minutes, with Whiteman adding his second from the penalty spot, before Fejiri Okenabirhie notched a fourth.
Paul Lambert made one change to Town’s XI from Saturday’s 2-0 win over Accrington – Jon Nolan coming in for Teddy Bishop. Meanwhile, Oli Hawkins was named on the bench after overcoming a groin problem which saw him omitted from Saturday’s squad.
Emyr Huws had the first chance of the game in the 9th minute, his low right-footed effort from just outside the box was saved comfortably by Josef Bursik in the Rovers net.
On 15 minutes, Chambers burst into the penalty area and squared a low cross that Donny defender Joe Wright turned into his own net to give Blues the lead in South Yorkshire.
The hosts came close through Matt Smith, with the Rovers midfielder’s fierce strike from the edge of the box just inches over Tomas Holy’s crossbar.
Rovers were level on 28 minutes, John found a yard of space in the Town penalty area and saw his effort smash in off the underside of the crossbar leaving Holy with no chance.
The hosts turned the game around on 38 minutes and took the lead through Whiteman in bizarre fashion. A quick free-kick led to the Rovers skipper's deep cross taking one bounce in the area, missing everyone and finding its way into the back of the net.
Donny could have added to their advantage through Josh Sims on 51 minutes, but the Southampton loanee dragged his effort wide of the mark from a narrowing angle 10 yards out.
It was Sims who was the architect of Rovers third - after beating Toto Nsiala on the left-hand side, the Town defender was adjudged to have brought Sims down just inside the penalty area. Whiteman converted from the penalty spot.
On 64 minutes Rovers put the game beyond Town as Holy gifted the ball to Sims, who laid it on a plate to frontman Okenabirhie to fire into the corner and make it 4-1.
Town introduced Keanan Bennetts and Hawkins to the fray, with both doing their best to try and find a way back into the game for Blues, the former had a low effort that was gobbled up by Bursik.
Doncaster: Bursik, Halliday, Anderson, Wright, Gomes, Whiteman (C), Okenabirhie (Richards 77), Taylor, Smith (Williams 85), Sims (James 77), John.
Subs: Jones, Lokilo, Butler, Coppinger.
Town: Holy, Chambers (C), Nsiala, Wilson, Kenlock, Dozzell, Huws (Bishop 60), Nolan, Judge, Sears (Hawkins 69), Edwards (Bennetts 76).
Subs: Cornell, McGuinness, Woolfenden, Lankester.
Booked: Dozzell, Wilson, Nsiala.