Ipswich Town manager Paul Lambert delighted with result and performance against Wigan Athletic as Teddy Bishop and Gwion Edwards get on the scoresheet
Paul Lambert was pleased with both the result and the performance as Ipswich Town started their 2020/21 Sky Bet League One campaign with a 2-0 win against Wigan Athletic at Portman Road yesterday.
Teddy Bishop and Gwion Edwards did the business for Blues - the former with his first goal for the club since 2014.
"I thought we played some very good football," Paul told iFollow Ipswich.
"I'm very pleased and I'm very happy with the guys. We haven't played league football for six months so to be producing some of the football we are is very encouraging.
"The midfield three were excellent. Jon Nolan was outstanding and is getting better.
"At the back we looked solid as well. Willo (James Wilson) came in and did well, as did everyone else as the back."
Asked about Teddy's header that opened the scoring, the Town boss said goals will need to become part of the midfielder's game.
"He needs to play game after game, but we are pleased with the start he has made this season," Paul added.
"He has a lovely touch of the ball, and great instinct. The way he plays by driving at the defence from the middle of the pitch is excellent. It would be great for him to add more goals."
Bishop grabbed the opener in the first half with a well-timed header from close range, the midfielder then came close to doubling his tally and Blues’ advantage but was denied by the post.
Gwion Edwards made sure that the three points stayed at Portman Road with a close-range finish late on in the second-half.
Paul Lambert handed league debuts to Aaron Drinan and Stephen Ward.
Wigan could and should have been ahead with Emeka Obi heading just wide of the post from a Gary Roberts corner.
But it was Town that broke the deadlock in the 12th minute through Bishop as he latched on to a loose ball in the penalty area and headed beyond Jamie Jones to score his first Blues goal since 2014.
Three minutes later, the Latics should have been level through Obi, who had another good chance but the Wigan defender headed over from close range – again from a Roberts delivery.
Town were then beginning to get on top in the half and Luke Chambers found himself unmarked in the six-yard box with a free header but the Blues skipper didn’t get enough purchase on the ball.
Blues were peppering the Wigan goal again, this time Jon Nolan drove into the visitors' penalty area with purpose, playing the ball into Drinan’s feet who laid it off to Bishop and the Town midfielder’s curling effort was tipped on to the post by Jones.
The visitors were not lying down and former Town forward Joe Garner had an overhead kick cannon off the crossbar on 34.
At the other end, Freddie Sears played a neat one-two with Alan Judge and got in behind the Latics defence but his effort was well saved by Jones who stood tall.
James Norwood was on for Drinan at the break and Blues started the second half well, with Judge heading narrowly wide of the near post from a Ward cross.
Town continued to search for a second goal and James Wilson came close to scoring his first goal for the Club with a side-footed effort from a drilled Andre Dozzell cross but it trickled wide of the mark.
The Latics kept looking for a way back into the game and substitute, Alex Perry brought the ball down with his chest on the edge of the area and got a well-executed volley off that whistled just over the bar.
Blues’ patience was finally rewarded in the 80th minute as Edwards hammered the ball home from close range after Judge had got to the byline and cut the ball back with Norwood's spinning touch laying it on.
Town: Holy, Chambers (c), Wilson, Nsiala, Ward, Nolan, Dozzell, Bishop (Huws 76), Judge, Drinan (Norwood 45), Sears (Edwards 73).
Subs: Cornell, Donacien, Kenlock, Hawkins.
Wigan: Jones, Pearce, Naismith, Evans, Garner (C), Gardner (Perry 45), Soloman-Otabor, Roberts, Obi, Merrie, Long.
Subs: Evans, Crankshaw, Joseph, Jolley, Aasgaard, Webber.
Booked: Chambers, Perry.
