Jay Rodriguez and Harvey Barnes on target as West Brom edge struggling Ipswich

Posted Saturday, November 24, 2018 by PA

Jay Rodriguez and Harvey Barnes were on target as West Brom held on to claim a narrow 2-1 victory over lowly Ipswich at Portman Road to move up to second in the Championship table.

Suffolk striker Kayden Jackson pulled a goal back in the 85th minute as the hosts threatened to take something from the game, while fellow substitute Jack Lankester saw his stoppage-time free-kick sail wide.

The result leaves the home side five points adrift at the bottom of the standings without a win in their last six matches and still searching for their first home victory this season.

A long pass forward for Baggies striker Hal-Robson Kanu in the early exchanges was brought down as he tried to turn away from Matthew Pennington. The defender became the first man in the book for Ipswich but the resulting free-kick came to nothing.

While – minutes later at the other end – Jonas Knudsen’s long-range shot from just outside the penalty area had Ipswich manager Paul Lambert leaping around as the ball just sailed over the crossbar.

Midway through the first half, a long-range free-kick fell invitingly to West Brom defender Ahmed Hegazi, who volleyed wide with only home goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski to beat.

The visitors broke the deadlock after 26 minutes through Rodriguez, who was well placed to tuck home Kieran Gibbs’s header following a cross from Matt Phillips.

With the first half coming to a close, the visitors should have gone further ahead when they broke upfield but, as Harvey Barnes drove forward and picked out Rodriguez, the latter’s shot was blocked.

Ipswich midfielder Jordan Roberts had a clear shot on goal two minutes into the second half but his effort was deflected wide for a corner by Hegazi, while – three minutes later – Trevoh Chalobah had a chance held out as the home side pushed for an equaliser.

A free-kick played short to defender Pennington moments later saw the Everton loanee skew a speculative shot wide from outside the box.

Five minutes later, Barnes hit the post as the Baggies searched for a second and – at the other end – Chalobah burst forward but his strike went wide.

Edwards got himself between two West Brom defenders to head Roberts’ cross over and the visitors went down the other end and almost got a second, with Jordan Spence making a cover block on Rodriguez.

Ipswich make a mess of a corner after 77 minutes and West Brom countered as Matt Phillips found Barnes, who cut inside Jordan Spence and squeezed the ball into the bottom corner.

The hosts were given a lifeline when substitute Kayden Jackson pulled a goal back with five minutes remaining.

On-loan Manchester City defender Tosin Adarabioyo failed to control the ball in the penalty area and the Ipswich forward had the easiest of chances to put the ball in the net before Lankester’s stoppage-time free-kick clipped the post and went wide.