Ipswich Town 0 Brighton & Hove Albion 2: Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter strike in second half to send Blues back into the relegation zone
Ipswich Town conceded twice in the second half to fall to a 2-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion at Portman Road that saw Kieran McKenna’s side drop back into the Premier League’s relegation zone on fewer goals scored than Wolves.
Despite not seeing as much of the ball, the Suffolk side had the better of the first half with Nathan Broadhead, Liam Delap and Omari Hutchinson all drawing good saves out of Dutch international Bart Verbruggen.
But it was Christian Walton’s goalmouth that was much the busier in the second half as mid-table Brighton went up the gears to end their eight-game winless run.
Kaoru Mitoma broke the deadlock just before the hour mark with a low shot form mid-way into the area which was eventually added to by substitute Georginio Rutter’s shot on the turn following a free kick on 82.
Town offered very little as an attacking force in the second half with only a Wes Burns wayward effort registering towards the visitors’ goal as they saw their three-game unbeaten run in all competitions come to an end to move them up from 11th place to eighth in the table.
The teamsheet provided plenty of interest ahead of kick-off on both sides with captains Sam Morsy - for only the second time in the league in his Town career - and Lewis Dunk - following injury - finding themselves among the substitutes.
McKenna went with Kalvin Phillips, who scored his first Blues goal in a much-changed FA Cup line-up against Bristol Rovers but who will be unavailable for Sunday’s visit of his parent club Manchester City, to partner Jens Cajuste in central midfield.
The other big news was Omari Hutchinson going straight back in following missing the 2-2 draw at Fulham with a groin injury, while Burns for Ben Johnson at right back was his third change from their last Premier League outing.
Brighton made two changes from a 1-1 home draw with Arsenal with former Town defender Matt Clarke coming in for the injured Igor Julio, and taking the captain’s armband, while Mitoma replaced Barjan Grunda.
It was the Seagulls who made a strong start with Joel Veltman’s dangerous cross from deep just eluding Japan international Mitoma in the sixth minute before a lovely outside of the boot throughball from the later saw Phillips make a good recovery interception on Yasin Ayari in the area.
It took until the 12th minute before Town, via a lovely interchange between Phillips and Hutchinson got into the visitors’ half.
A lapse playing out from the back led to Mitoma sending in the game’s first shot a minute later but his low curling effort from outside the area was never troubling Christian Walton who comfortably got down to it.
The former Brighton shot-stopper was also happy to see Joao Pedro’s downward header go straight at him.
Town’s first chance came midway through the half and saw them only denied the lead by a strong low save from Bart Verbuggen. Broadhead carried the ball well before checking back inside the area and seeing his well-placed effort draw a strong low hand to divert it out for a corner.
The home crowd certainly responded and a lovely flowing move between Cajuste, Broadhead and Delap saw the latter fire an angled effort too close to the Netherlands international.
Despite not seeing the majority share of the ball it was Town who were looking more dangerous.
Hutchinson turned the ball round the corner nicely to send Burns down the right for the first time with the former timing his run well to get onto the Welsh international’s cutback only to see his shot well blocked.
Town’s longest passage of passing in the Brighton half led to Hutchinson firing in a right-footed shot from the left edge of the box that saw Verbruggen getting down low to push away.
It was the last notable action of a half where the hosts had very much grown into and were certainly unfortunate not to have got their noses in front after three decent saves from Verbruggen.
The second half began in frantic fashion with Delap the first to go into referee Tony Harrington’s book for an off-the-ball shove while he saw nothing in Pedro’s theatrical fall under the attentions of O’Shea.
Greaves executed an important block as he turned his back on a Pedro shot before the Portuguese drew calls for a red card after a heavy jumping challenge that knocked Walton down as he chased down a backpass. But the referee took his time before issuing another yellow with VAR also deeming it not a reckless challenge.
Up the other end Burns fired several yards wide of the left post following a long throw into the box from Greaves breaking loose.
But it was Brighton took the lead just before the hour mark when a ball from Joel Veltman saw them get in behind Greaves down the right-hand side. Ayari cut the ball back for O’Riley who laid it across the area for Mitoma to sweep it under Walton’s body via a touch off the keeper’s body.
The Seagulls looked hungry to quickly add to their advantage but substitute Yankuba Minteh danced his way across the box without finding a way through a sea of Blues.
Walton had to produce a good tip over save with one hand to turn Pedro’s half volley on the turn over its top corner trajectory on 68.
McKenna turned to his bench with 20 minutes to go with Morsy and Jack Taylor replacing Cajuste and Burns.
Another Pedro shot, this time from outside the box, deflected wide ahead of the former Watford frontman departing the pitch to a chorus of boos as Danny Welbeck entered for the final 12 minutes.
And the Brighton pressure resulted in them doubling their lead in the 82nd minute when, from a low left-sided free kick Town were unable to get the ball clear at their near post, following Danny Welbeck’s flicked boot and substitute Rutter squeezed his low shot on the turn inside the left-hand post. VAR checked for a possible offside involving substitute Dunk, who was in Walton’s line of sight, but the referee’s whistle signalled a restart of the celebrations in the away end.
Jack Clarke was brought on for Phillips as McKenna went for broke but they were unable to trouble Verbruggen as six minutes of added time ran out with the Dutchman having had nothing to do since his challenging first period.
There is little time for McKenna’s side to lick their wounds though with champions Man City next up at Portman Road on Sunday (4.30pm).
Read more: McKenna felt side were better team until conceding
Ipswich Town: Walton, O’Shea (c), Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Phillips (J Clarke 85’), Cajuste (Morsy 71’), Burns (Taylor 71’), Hutchinson, Broadhead, Delap (Hirst 85’).
Unused subs: Muric, Johnson, Godfrey, Townsend, Luongo.
Booked: Delap (50’), Woolfenden (62’).
Brighton: Verbruggen, Webster (cpt) (Dunk 63’), Pedro (Welbeck 78’), Adingra (Minteh 63’), Baleba, Mitoma, Ayari (Moder 94’), Van Hecke, Estupinan, O’Riley (Rutter 63’), Veltman.
Unused subs: Steele, Lamptey, March, Enciso.
Booked: Pedro (54’), Veltman (90+1’).
Referee: Tony Harrington (Cleveland).
VAR: Michael Salisbury.
Attendance: 29,403 (2,977 away)
SuffolkNews Man of the Match: A hard one to pick as the performances of all seemed to visibly tail off in the second half but Wes Burns carried a strong threat down the right and also did his defensive duties well.