- Jeremy Sarmiento scored a late winner for Ipswich to send them top of the table
- The hosts found themselves behind after the Saints struck twice in the first-half
- Four points from safety and a favourable run of fixtures… Burnley DO have a sniff at the great escape – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
In the end, it was utter carnage inside this famous old ground. All season they have dreamed but was this the night that it all started to feel like a reality?
Not since 2002 have Ipswich Town played in the Premier League. They are almost there now.
To run towards adversity is the mission statement in these parts and Kieran McKenna’s side took that quite literally with a 97th minute winner by Jeremy Sarmiento to go top of the Championship again.
‘It was right up there. To win it in the last minute like that, it’s a moment to really cherish,’ said McKenna, who joined in the wild celebrations in the dugout before gesturing at everyone to calm down and see the game out.
‘We all got a bit lost, the subs, the staff, everyone. If you can’t get lost in that moment, you’ll probably never get lost in anything so there’s five to ten seconds of jubilation but after that, I knew the job wasn’t done. Crazier things have happened in football and it’s my job to be the first one to dial back in,’ he added.
Earlier, Southampton had equalised through Che Adams a minute after Ipswich had taken the lead through Leif Davis and the visitors then went ahead thanks to Adam Armstrong.
Russell Martin’s side were in control when McKenna turned to his bench on the hour mark with an inspired triple change that changed the game. Substitute Nathan Broadhead equalised in the 68th minute before another replacement in Sarmiento sent a packed-out Portman Road into delirium.
Instead of Fergie Time, he was asked whether it was McKenna Time after yet another late Ipswich goal.
‘It’s a good habit. It doesn’t happen by chance, it’s a great way to win a game.’ McKenna insisted.
With seven steps to go till the promised land, this was arguably the trickiest game left for Ipswich.
Pre-match the fans joked how Norwich were never going to do them any favours after their earlier defeat at Leicester and for much of this exhilarating contest, it looked like an ex-Norwich man in Southampton manager Martin was going to spoil their Easter Monday.
It was Ipswich who struck first with a thunderous strike by Davis. Skipper Sam Morsy picked out Davis on the left-hand side of the penalty box, who took one touch before thumping in a left-footed shot past Gavin Bazunu.
The home supporters had hardly stopped celebrating when Southampton instantly levelled from the restart as Joe Aribo found Che Adams, who smartly finished past Vaclav Hladky. Nine minutes later, they were ahead after a ruthless move from the back with the two Armstrong brothers in Stuart and Adam combining.
With the Saints in control, McKenna made three changes on the hour mark and Broadhead finished wonderfully after a brilliant Ipswich move to level.
Both sides pushed for a winner and Southampton were left to play the last few minutes with ten men after last man James Bree was sent off for bringing down Davis.
They were made to pay too as Sarmiento finished at the second time of asking from Davis’s ball to send the ground into raptures.
‘We were the best team, the dominant team,’ insisted Martin. ‘We didn’t deserve to lose. I’m so proud of the players and it gives me a huge amount of confidence about what’s to come. If we win our eight games, we’ll finish on 98 points and I don’t think anyone’s never gone up with that many points,’ he added. But this is no ordinary season.
For McKenna and co however, Ipswich are almost there. Even if he refused to talk about the Premier League just yet.
‘It’s about days like this in front of a full stadium, going toe to toe against a team that was in the Premier League last season with the trajectory we’re on. These are things to enjoy and cherish in isolation really,’ he insisted.
From running to adversity to running with sheer joy, towards the Premier League.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
