Match preview: Fleetwood Town v Ipswich Town

7 May 2023

Fleetwood Town face Ipswich Town on Sunday 7 May at Highbury Stadium in Sky Bet League One, and we have all you need to know ahead of the 12pm kick-off in our match preview.

Fixture: Fleetwood Town v Ipswich Town

Competition: Sky Bet League One

Date (kick-off): Sunday 7 May (3pm)

Venue: Highbury Stadium

General - Highbury Stadium (Mar 23) 1.jpg

Fleetwood Town

Scott Brown's side come into this game on the back of a 2-0 defeat away at Bolton Wanderers - who confirmed their play-off place following victory against the Cod Army. Jayden Stockley saw a straight red cardin the match at the University of Bolton Stadium, with the club yet to hear back from the EFL about getting the decision revoked.

Town sit 13th in the the league standings on 57 points, and a win on Saturday could see them reach the 60 point mark, which would be an impressive 20 more points that last season. The group want to finish off the season on a high, but will the management team be making changes? Or will the younger players be given a chance to impress in front of the Highbury faithful.

In what will be a full house on the Fylde Coast, let's make it a good atmopshere from start to finish!

Ipswich Town

The Tractor Boys come to Highbury on the back of securing automatic promotion to the Championship after a 6-0 hammering of Exeter City at Portman Road. Former Fleetwood Town forward Wes Burns was on the scoresheet last weekend - scoring his 9th goal of the campaign to help get his side over the line.

Ipswich Town have a chance of winning Sky Bet League One, but they need to better Plymouth's result to be crowned title winners. If Ipswich win and Plymouth draw or lose, the Blues will win the title. If Ipswich draw and Argyle lose, Ipswich will win the league on goal difference - it should be an interesting end to the season.

They have won 13 of their last 14 league games, winning 28 in League One this season, their most in a campaign in their entire history. They’ve scored 99 league goals this season, last netting more in 1960-61 under Alf Ramsey (100 scored), while the two goals they’ve conceded across their last 15 games is the fewest by an EFL side in a 15-game stretch since York City between February and April 2014.

Key matchday information for both sets of fans...

Both the Fleetwood and Ipswich players will be going back out to the pitch to show their appreciation for their fans after the final whistle so you can all get behind your teams and applaud them after a long campaign this season.

Alongside Ipswich Town, we are urging supporters without tickets not to travel to Highbury Stadium at the weekend as the away allocation is already sold out and the remaining tickets in the Memorial Stand are for home supporters ONLY. For local supporters with an FY postcode, you can still buy from the limited supply left in the club shop today and from 8am on Sunday.

As mentioned in previous ticketing pieces, away supporters should not be in the home stands during our final game of the season at Highbury and, if you are found to be in an area you shouldn’t be, stewards have the right to eject you from the stadium with the club also able to issue a ban.

For those Ipswich supporters without a ticket to the game, the Tractor Boys are hosting a Beamback event at Portman Road which you can attend, which will be showing the fixture live without having to travel up north – for more information on this, you can head to the Ipswich website HERE.

In terms of the potential trophy presentation at Highbury, we would like to express that – alongside the EFL – if anyone is seen encroaching the playing surface at any point during the day, you will be ejected from the stadium and receive a banning order from the club.

This would also ruin the occasion for other supporters as the club has been told that the potential trophy presentation would not take place on the pitch if this was to occur at Highbury Stadium, it would take place in the changing rooms instead away from the supporters for the safety of the players.

Thank you for taking the time to read these and enjoy Sunday afternoon.

What the gaffer had to say…

“I was disappointed with the way we played [at home] as we conceded a lot of late goals, but we were in most of the games. That was the hardest thing with all the managers coming in and saying that ‘we played some good football’ and that was irritating as we didn’t have that firepower or the quality in the final third – we had to rely on someone to steal us a goal.

“Since then, we’ve managed to kick on at home and the form at Highbury has improved dramatically. Even though it’s the last game of the season at the weekend, we’ve not thrown the towel in just to let Ipswich come and win, we know they’re an in-form side which will be full of confidence, but it’s all about how we work as a team together on Sunday.

“We need to go into this like we need the three points or need a point, and you also want to keep this form going at home until the end of the season and stay hard to beat, if we can get that foundation start of being a hard team to beat when teams come to Highbury, that would be a great start.”

iFollow information ahead of the Ipswich clash

All supporters of the Cods will be able to purchase either a Video Match Pass for £10 or an Audio Match Pass for just £2.50 so you can get behind the lads online and from the comfort of your own home – buy your iFollow passes HERE!

Commentary for both streaming services will be provided by Phil Gittins from BBC Radio Lancashire, live from Highbury, as he will be watching the game next to the Club’s media team in the press box.

If you want to view these passes, please click HERE – make sure you don’t miss anything from Fleetwood Town this weekend.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Town end the season with a draw against promoted outfit Ipswich

7 May 2023

Fleetwood Town and Ipswich Town ended the season by sharing the points on the Fylde Coast in a 2-2 draw at Highbury Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Freddie Ladapo gave the visitors the lead in the 50^th minute, but it was a brace by Jack Marriott which saw Town take the lead before Marcus Harness levelled things late in the game.

It was a bright start to the game for both sides in the glorious sunshine at Highbury. The visitors Ipswich had the first attempt through Conor Chaplin, but it was fired wide of Lynch’s goal.

Fleetwood were on the attack moments later, and when Phoenix Patterson’s cross was whipped into the box, it was Promise Omochere who was the closest to getting the all-important touch.

It was end to end early on, and when Omochere let Shaun Rooney fly on the under-lap, the defender got himself into the box before picking out Jack Marriott – whose effort rattled the keeper’s gloves, but not the netting.

Patterson was at the heart of Town’s attacks in the opening quarter and when he received the ball deep inside the opponent’s half, he came in on his favoured right foot but fired wide of goal.

Ipswich were forced into an early game with Hirst going off due to a calf injury, but up stepped Ladapo – who within 30 seconds of coming on the pitch had his first chance of the game, but again, not one that troubled Lynch.

Kieran McKenna’s side had a great chance to take the lead just before the half-hour mark. Nathan Broadhead beat his man on the left flank, and picked out Chaplin who fired his shot on goal, however, it was blocked and cleared by Brendan Wiredu.

Just before the half-time interval, Chaplin went close after Wes Burns broke the offside trap and played a delightful ball to his teammate, but he failed to get on the end of the ball for an easy tap-in.

The visitors took the lead in the 50^th minute through Ladapo. The striker held off Wiredu inside the 18-yard box and put his foot right through the ball to score his 21^st goal of the campaign.

Town levelled the scoring in the 56^th minute. Marriott got on the loose ball in the box after Patterson’s shot was blocked by Woolfenden on the six-yard line. Just as a good poacher goes, the former Peterborough man was on hand to tap home.

After the equaliser, it was all Town. Marriott, Patterson and Carlos Mendes Gomes all linked up well, with the latter shooting from distance troubling Christian Walton between the sticks to get the home crowd going once again.

Marriott did get his second goal of the game with a glancing header at the far post to give Town the lead, and it was thoroughly deserved by the home team.

Town’s head coach Brown made two changes with 20 minutes left on the clock. Connor Teale came on for his EFL debut, with Kyle White also coming on to replace Mendes Gomes in the heart of the midfield.

Marcus Harness – who was a second-half substitute – got Ipswich back level with just over 15 minutes to play. Teammate Harry Clarke picked up his second yellow card two minutes into added-on time, meaning Ipswich finished off the season with ten men.

The Club would like to thank the fans for their amazing support this season, as well as wishing Ipswich Town all the best next season in the Championship.

Town XI: Lynch (GK), Wiredu, Mendes Gomes (White, 68’), Vela (C), Marriott, Warrington (Glenfield, 87’), Holgate (Teale, 69’), Omochere (Quitirna, 83’), Patterson (Hayes, 87), Rooney, Johnston.

Subs not used: McMullan (GK), Johnson.

Ipswich XI: Walton (GK), Davis (Edwards, 81’), Woolfenden, Burns (Jackson, 81’), Chaplin, Ball, Burgess, Luongo, Hirst (Ladapo, 18’), Broadhead (Harness, 65’), Donacien (Clarke, 65’).

Subs not used: Hladky (GK), Keogh.

Match Reports

Ticket News

Adult tickets start from just £22 for Sunday's match

3 May 2023

Ipswich Town will be travelling up to Highbury this weekend ahead of the final League One match of the season, which will take place on Sunday 7 May 2023 at 12pm.

Ticket prices for the fixture will be the same as every other home game, with Adults prices starting from £22, and other price brackets available for Concessions (from £17), Under-16s (from £7), and Under-5s (from just £1).

Tickets are only available to purchase at the Ticket Office at the stadium, with previous purchase history or a local postcode needed to be shown to gain access into the stadium.

Click HERE to see the Club's statement regarding Ipswich Town tickets. We look forward to seeing you all back at Highbury this Sunday for yet another league clash, and the final game of the 2022/23 season.

Jim's Bar will be open from 9am on Sunday, with the full details to be found HERE!

If you wan to find out more on the ticketing, you can visit the club shop at Highbury Stadium or call us on 01253 775080 and speak to a member of staff prior to the match.