White Gets Red And It Ends Up Rosé For The Blues. ITFC 2-1 Leeds 27 08 2011

It certainly was a colourful afternoon at Portman Road today, it always is when the Leeds circus comes to Town. There was the usual large police presence for their arrival including support from the Met police along with their horses in anticipation of trouble, but in the end there were only two arrests made and several evictions (including a Southampton fan)!

Andy D’Urso (who if Carlsberg made referees would probably the least popular at Ipswich) was in charge of the match and he got his customary welcome from the Town fans. With the three new signings made during the week Ibrahima Sonko ,Daryl Murphy (both from the start) and Jimmy Bullard (as a second half substitute) all making their debuts in blue there was a very vibrant atmosphere in the ground, even though quite a lot of supporters got a good soaking having been caught out by a heavy downpour half an hour before kick off.

 In truth Leeds should have been out of site, before Aidy Whites sending off in the 53rd minute, following a foul on JET, and may well have been if striker Billy Paynter had of been fit enough to play and convert the numerous chances created. The incident turned the match in Ipswich’s favour.  JET (injured in the clash) was replaced by the infectious Jimmy Bullard and as usual he wanted to be involved in everything, including a couple of very wayward free kicks (which underlined his lack of match practice following his falling out at Hull).

 There was talk among supporters in the ground about the quality and taste of the pies this season being of a lesser standard, a fact possibly born out by the trim physique of the new slim Scotland who stood up and produced a pearler of a goal with his left foot from outside the box to level the match in the 77th minute (cue an Eminem song - “The Real Slim Shady" for a goal celebration)?

Referee D’Urso brushed aside a strong Leeds appeal for a penalty 10 minutes later and Keith Andrews then scored the winner for Ipswich in the final minute with a wicked deflection which left keeper Andy Lonergan stranded in the Leeds goalmouth.

So after the dozen goals conceded and embarrassments of the previous two matches, Paul Jewell could relax with a nice glass of wine, whilst for the Leeds manager it was just Grayson.