Match Review: Ipswich Town 2-0 Burnley

They then doubled their advantage five minutes later, after David McGoldrick headed home a corner from on-loan Arsenal youngster Ainsley Maitland-Niles. I thought we had a good share of that game, but we lost because (Scott) Arfield scored with a header. It is thoroughly deserved and reflects his status at the club.

“It was a good result and a good performance”, said McCarthy.

“Eighteen months ago we had the same here (against Burnley). It was the one bit of quality from them, but tonight we’ve shown that – certainly with Freddie’s goal”.

At times, it seemed a dreary game was edging towards a goalless draw.

Burnley hit a post when Michael Kightly drove in a loose ball but the rebound went straight to keeper Bartosz Bialkowski.

After Sears and McGoldrick found the net, the home side were buoyant and they nearly grabbed a third when Jonathan Douglas’ volley whistled just over.

Sean Dyche’s team, who were relegated from the Barclays Premier League last season, are due to arrive at The Wardale Williams Stadium at 10.30am and have booked the pitch, only converted from grass this summer, for an hour-and-a-half in preparation for facing Mick McCarthy’s men.

Michael Keane nearly halved the deficit late on but his header from Kightly’s corner was superbly kept out by Bialkowski.

“When you lose a number of big players, it is hard to expect it not to have an effect”, he said.

‘Wow. The talent of him; I think he’s going to play for Arsenal, there’s no doubt in my mind, ‘ the Ipswich boss told BBC Radio Suffolk.

“We played our own football to open up some good chances, but there was nothing in it until the goal”.

Ipswich started well with Sears putting a teasing low ball across the six-yard box within the first 60 seconds of the game, but it was the visitors who came closest to taking the lead in the opening exchanges.

The only negative for Ipswich was a suspected knee injury to winger Ryan Fraser in the first half – an incident which paved the way for McGoldrick’s introduction – and a calf injury to Daryl Murphy which saw last season’s Championship top scorer replaced at half-time.