Ipswich v Albion - from Portman Road (From The Argus)

4:54pm

A summary of the action is now online elsewhere on this website.

4:53pm

Full-time

4:52pm

David produced a superb pass to send Hoskins clear but the striker lobbed too high with the final kick of the game

4:51pm

Five minutes were added as hushed home fans made their way to the exits.

4:48pm

Scotland had perked Ipswich up in attack but it appeared to be too little, too late while Albion were still working hard in pursuit of a first away clean sheet in seven outings.

4:43pm

Dobbie took the role of lone front man.

4:42pm

Scotland beat two men just outside the box, teeing himself up for a right-foot blast. But El-Abd flung himself at the ball and produced a super block.

Seconds later, in the 86th minute, Dobbie went on as sub for Mackail-Smith.

4:39pm

Orlandi made way for Hoskins in the 80th minute.

4:38pm

4:37pm

Edwards' low cross offered a chance of consolation for Town but Greer, facing his own goal, managed to hook it over the bar and, again, the Seagulls stood firm when the subsequent corner came in.

4:31pm

Hyam replaced N'Daw as the hosts' final change.

4:30pm

4:29pm

4:26pm

El-Abd won his first headed contest with Scotland, then gathered the loose ball to play a considered pass into the path of Mackail-Smith, the only Albion man upfield, and it proved to be the source of great things.

4:23pm

4:23pm

The first Ipswich changes came on 65 minutes as the front pair of Murphy and Campbell were replaced by Chopra and Scotland, the men who had caused Albion such problems here last season.

4:21pm

Bridcutt was booked for fouling Martin just outside the penalty area in Town's inside-left channel. El-Abd, having been spoken to seconds earlier, then saw yellow for jostling in the penalty area as players waited for Martin to loft in the resulting free-kick.

But, as it turned out, the ball went nowhere near any of them as Martin went direct for goal with a right-foot curler which was about a yard too high.

4:17pm

Attendance: 19,018 (909 away fans)

4:14pm

4:13pm

Dicker replaced LuaLua in the 55th minute.

4:12pm

N'Daw latched on to a headed clearance to thump in a volley from the edge of the box. His full-blooded effort drew "ooooohhhs" from the crowd but was about six yards wide.

4:10pm

LuaLua tracked back well to concede a corner as he covered Orr's run from right back. Albion again cleared - and then blocked Cresswell's follow-up shot - but Ipswich were starting to build some momentum.

4:05pm

Albion were angry with a free-kick decision five yards outside their own box in the opening minute of the second period as they challenged Campbell. Cresswell's curler deflected wide off the wall for a corner which was cleared. 

4:02pm

Second half is now in progress

3:46pm

Half-time

3:43pm

When Ipswich did produce decent service from wide, via Cresswell from deep, Bridge got in a fine defensive header just beyond the far post.

3:42pm

3:40pm

3:39pm

Albion were then almost gifted a third as Mackail-Smith fed Barnes, who got to the byline and saw his cut back deflect narrowly wide off a defender.

3:38pm

3:33pm

The corner count was rising rapidly at both ends. David blocked a Martin cross at the expense of a corner, which led to another which Barnes headed clear on the edge of the six-yard box.

3:31pm

An awful error of judement by Henderson, who failed to gather a routine ball over the top, forced Ipswich to concede another corner on the Albion right. Again Orlandi aimed for a runner at the near post but this time Ipswich scrambled clear.

3:29pm

@davegoods - whose tweet I just used - is Dave Gooderham, who covers Ipswich for the East Anglian Daily Times.

3:27pm

3:27pm

Murphy made something out of nothing for Ipswich with a volley from an angle on 25 minutes but Kuszczak pawed it away.

3:24pm

3:23pm

Martin's next corner was hit more cleanly but Kuszczak held it above his head at the far post.

3:22pm

Left-back Cresswell was keen to get forward - with Barnes clearly detailed to track him back. Cresswell worked room after combining with Martin to deliver a dangerous low cross between the Albion back line and Kuszczak. Greer stretched to clear it behind and the Seagulls cleared Martin's poor flag kick.

3:19pm

3:19pm

Orlandi and LuaLua then combined to win a flag kick on the other flank but this time Ipswich survived.

3:15pm

It was a flag kick at the other end, won by Barnes after David had again got forward down the right, which led to Albion going ahead.

3:12pm

Ipswich lifted their fans by winning a corner which eventually fell to the recalled Reo-Coker just outside the box. But the midfielder fired high and wide.

3:10pm

David produced a good first touch to get away from Martin and go on a dangerous run. He cut inside and then slid the ball back outside to Mackail-Smith on the right edge of the box. Mackail-Smith drove the ball low into the goalmouth but it was cleared before Barnes could get there.

3:08pm

There was a subdued atmosphere around Portman Road in the early stages of this New Year's Day game but Albion had made a pretty solid start and enjoyed plenty of possession.

3:06pm

3:05pm

3:05pm

David's next action was to trot over to the left to take a free-kick just inside the home half. He whipped in a terrific delivery which Chambers nodded just over his own bar at full strength.

3:03pm

Stand-in right-back David was in the wars inside the first minute. He was caught late by Martin as he looked to hook the ball away and required treatment before resuming. Martin was booked.

3:00pm

David at right-back today. Match is in progress.

3:00pm

2:59pm

Team news is elsewhere on the site but essentially it is Hammond and Barnes in for Bruno and Crofts. 

2:59pm

Happy New Year!

Just a moment. Let me re-phrase that.

Happy New Year?

That question mark is arguably the most appropriate form of punctuation as we go into 2013. There appears to be a fair bit of negativity around after the 3-1 defeat to Watford on Saturday, taking the winless run to five games. However, the Seagulls remain above halfway and those within the squad insist they are very close to being a very good Championship side. Let’s see if they get back to winning ways against in-form Ipswich here at Portman Road today.