Sadly Town lost away at Norwich in the playoff first round and this meant Norwich won the playoff 4-2 on aggregate.
Norwich now meet Middlesborough in the play off final at Wembley.

Obvious disappointment for all Town fans and team after another derby loss. Town though played very well in the first half and Norwich seemed rattled at 0-0 at halftime.

However Norwich started to pay with more urgency and determination at the start of the second half and gained a penalty and sending off for Christophe Berra for handling on the line (stopping a certain goal).
Norwich scored the penalty and with Town down to ten men it was always a near impossible task to win from there, but Town stuck at it and Tommy Smith scored to level the game!

Unfortunately though Norwich kept applying pressure and scored twice more, through Redman and Jerome, to secure the 3-1 win. In the end it was a comfortable win, but up until Norwich’s first goal with the Town sending off, Town were the better team but couldn’t recover from going down to 10 men, and Norwich made the most of the extra man advantage.

A sad end to a good season for Town, but there are plenty of positives for Town to get stronger for next season’s games. For now, Town go on their summer holidays and the fans and team get a break from football. Have a good break all and then get back refreshed to do even better next season…COYB!

2014/15 season has been a good season for ITFC.
A sixth place play off position finish for Town with presently Town to play the 2nd round match playoff against Norwich on Saturday.

As I blogged last Saturday the home first leg play off match against Norwich ended 1-1 and the Town played well. However they will need to either play better next Saturday or be ruthless and clinical to win the away game at Carrow Road. Then there would be just one remaining game between Town and Premiership football for next season. Town must only focus on the Norwich game though.

So manager Mick McCarthy urged the Town supporters to praise Town for their good work this season and quite rightly. McCarthy took over a Town team in disarray and bottom of the Championship and with him and Terry Connor he has brought the team to the brink of a promotion place to the Premiership in just over 2 years. This is great work (under difficult constraints) and I’m very grateful for that and say well done to Mick McCarthy and the whole Town team.

However there is a Premiership promotion play off place still to be played for and if Town can dig deep and win 2 more games there will be much more cause for praise and celebration. Town are currently the longest serving Championship team and have been trying to return to Premiership football for TEN years/seasons! It is time Town to get to the Premiership!

COME ON YOU BLUES….Goodluck for yopur preparations for the away game at Norwich..the biggest Town game for somewhile and how sweet it would be to win away at Norwich! With good application and effort, this is entirely possible for Town to do.

Goodluck to Town for Saturday to beat Norwich…… GO TOWN!

Town played well to get a draw today against Norwich in the play off first round match.

Daryl Murphy was immense and I was surprised he didn’t get man of the match. That award though went to Town captain Luke Chambers who had a good game too.

Town started really well and that has been a regular feature of Town over the last few games. Norwich keeper John Ruddy made a vital double save early on to deny a Town opening goal. Unfortunately Luke Varney suffered a freak ankle injury and had to be stretchered off. Kevin Anderson came on and played well as did all the Town players. It was the best I’ve seen Town play all season. Well done Town!

Norwich scored a well taken goal to grab the lead with good play from Jerome and Howson doing well with an excellent finishing shot to the left of Town keeper Bialkowski right in the corner of the net, giving the keeper no chance to make a save. Town though reacted well annd did not let the Norwich

Anderson actually scored Town’s equaliser just before half time. A long ball from Bialkowski fell to Freddy Sears from Martin’s clearing header and Sears’ long range shot was spilled by keeper Ruddy and Murphy followed it in but the ball fell to Anderssen who shot past the Norwich defenders on the line for his second Town goal off the season. A vital goal for Town at a good time just before halftime.

The game lost a bit off it’s high energy in the second half but Murphy, Sears and Smith all had header chances for Town. Tabb came on for Bru and Parr on for Bishop and the game sort of fizzled out. I watched the game on Sky tv and my only disappointment was that the Town fans didn’t seem loud enough at the end. Next week, Town are away at Norwich for the second leg and the Town fans have to be the “12th” man for Town then! However I’m sure the Town away fans will be!

So well done Town! There is every chance to beat Norwich next week away from home and wouldn’t that be sweet for the team and fans?!

COME ON IPSWICH…

Last Saturday Town lost away against Blackburn 3-2 and still managed to get to the play offs finishing the season in sixth place.

This was because Derby inexplicably lost against Reading at home (Derby 0 Reading 3). Brentford and Wolves both won and Brentford finished in fifth place.

Town started really well against Blackburn with a great goal from Murphy after around 1 minute! This shook Blackburn but gradually they got some composure and started to play well. Town gave away 2 poor goals then. First was a header from Town old boy Jordan Rhodes. Then just before half time Gestedt won a header from Tommy Smith and Conway picked up the headed flick on to shoot unopposed into the goal. This was a big set back for Town as Blackburn were really playing well.

In the second half things got worse for Town with Blackburn scoring when Town messed up simple derending as Ming’s headed clearance rebounded to Gestedt and Tommy Smith had left him unmarked and able to score easily past Bialokowski. An easy gift goal for Blackburn. At that point it was really strange as Town were losing badly yet still in the play offs with the Derby result in their favour.

Thankfully Town pushed on late in the second half and tried to get the draw they needed to definitely secure the play off place, Teddy Bishop pushed forward with a positive run and won a penalty. Daryl Murphy scored, shooting straight down the middle. It wasn’t enough as Town couldn’t get the equaliser but Sears and Murphy had good chances to score.

Town fans celebrated anyway due to the Derby result that allowed Town to get to the play offs with the derby play off against Norwich the reward for the end of a fairly good season for Town!

Town vs Norwich

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Today (Sat 090515) is the Town vs Norwich first play off at home at Portman Road.

COME ON YOU BLUES!!

There is a full house at Portman Road and the game is on Sky tv.

COME ON YOU BLUES!!