Football League World
·1 May 2024
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·1 May 2024
Ipswich Town’s Conor Chaplin heaped praise on his teammates after their hard-fought win over Coventry City last night moved them to within one point of the Premier League.
With Leeds losing 4-0 to QPR last Friday, the Tractor Boys went into tricky away games at Hull City and Coventry knowing that their destiny would be in their own hands on the final day if they picked up two points or more.
Whilst that made them favourites for the second automatic promotion spot, they still had work to do given the tough fixtures ahead.
Kieran McKenna’s side played out a thrilling 3-3 draw against the Tigers on Saturday, so all attention turned to the CBS Arena last night.
An early Kieffer Moore goal put Ipswich in a great position, but the Sky Blues battled back, and deservedly equalised through Haji Wright in the second half.
Yet, Cameron Burgess would force home what turned out to be the winner in the 69th minute, as Ipswich held on for a crucial win.
Therefore, they go into the final day needing only a point at home to Huddersfield Town to guarantee promotion to the top-flight.
With the Terriers effectively relegated, as they would need to win, have other results go their way, and a 15-goal swing, this is arguably one of the best fixtures possible for Ipswich. Plus, it will be played in front of a packed Portman Road.
So, last night felt like a pivotal win for Ipswich, and it has left them with one foot in the Premier League.
You could tell by the celebrations at the end that the group knew just how important that victory was, even if they all acknowledged that they still have work to do to finish the job.
And, taking to Instagram, forward Chaplin sent a message to the fans as he reflected on what he described as a ‘big win’.
“A BIG night. Special group. One more to go.”
Chaplin has been an influential figure once more for Ipswich this season, scoring 13 goals and registering seven assists in 43 games. But, he was somewhat surprisingly an unused substitute against Coventry, as McKenna opted for others to help see the game out.
McKenna did a brilliant job in his first full season as the Suffolk side won promotion from League One, and, given their squad, there was a feeling that Ipswich would be competitive on their return to the Championship.
Some will have felt they could push for the play-offs if everything went well, but to be sitting on 93 points after 45 games is a remarkable achievement.
Now, all the focus is on Huddersfield, and whilst Ipswich are huge favourites to join Leicester in the Premier League, they still have a job to do.
You do get the feeling they have done the hard work in the past two games, and there will be excitement about Huddersfield’s visit on Saturday, in what promises to be a fantastic afternoon for all connected to the club.