Enter our great 2010 Junior Journalist competition and you could finish the season at Wembley!

2009 winner Simon Bartlett meets Roy Keane

How do you fancy watching Town from the press box and attending the post-match press conference?  And going to Wembley to see the Championship play-off final?  These are just two of the prizes on offer to any budding young journalists who enter The Football League’s Official Junior Reporter Competition.

The competition is open to all supporters aged 14 or under and all you have to do is to email us your own match report from one of Town’s home or away matches in January, February or March (we need to receive your entries by March 31^st 2010).  Your name, age and contact details must be included on your match report.

We will post the best of your match reports on the Ipswich Town Community Trust and Junior Blues websites over the competition period and then an expert panel will select the best of these.  The winner will receive:

·         A “press pass” for you (and a family member) for the pre-season friendly game at Portman Road at the start of the 2010/11 season, including access to the post-match press conference.

·         Your winning report framed, signed by the team and presented to you by one of the players.

·         Your winning report posted on to the Club’s website.

 

In addition the winning ITFC entry will be entered into the Football League’s Official Junior Reporter Competition and if your entry wins, you will win a VIP media day out for you and up to 3 family members to the  2009/10 Championship play-off final at Wembley in order to write a match report for the Football League’s own website.

 

To give you a flavour for what's required to win you can read last year's  winning ITFC entry below.

 

To enter just email your match report to reporter@itfc.co.uk.  Alternatively, post it to Camilla Haycock, Ipswich Town Football Club, Portman Road, IPSWICH, IP1 2DA. 

 

Don’t forget to add your name, age and contact details.  Good luck!

 

Terms and conditions: By entering this competition you agree that if you are selected by the Club as the winner we can provide your name, address and other contact details, together with a copy of your winning entry to The Football League for it to be judged against the winners from all the other clubs as part of The Football League’s Official Matchday Reporter competition.  Terms and Conditions of that competition are available on request.

 

Simon Barlett's winning 2009 entry:

 IPSWICH 3 NORWICH 2:  19 April 2009

On a sunny day, the East Anglian derby kicked off at Portman Road at 12.45pm.  It was an important game for Norwich who were desperate for points to avoid relegation.   Ipswich had nothing to aim for apart from ‘bragging rights’ and the possibility of sending their local rivals to League 1.  Clearly, the North Stand had their songs ready and the crowd was at near capacity!

 

Norwich had a bright start with a shot from Alan Gow going just wide of Richard Wright’s left-hand post.  There was a lot of activity down the right hand side for the Canaries and Town fans grew nervous of the threat of a first goal to the visitors.  After just 16 minutes, their fears were realised when a ball from Sammy Clingan was headed home from around the penalty spot by David Mooney into the bottom corner of the net.

 

Ipswich responded well, lifted by their supporters.  The players rewarded the fans with a goal just 10 minutes after Norwich had gone ahead when a skilful pass from Giovani allowed Alan Quinn to get behind the defence and finished it from a tight angle. 

 

At 1-1 before half time it was end to end with the best chance falling to Dos Santos after some good play by Lisbie but in the end he turned down the shot and tried a pass.  By this stage,  Giovani was delighting the crowds with his skill and was linking well with Counago in only his second game for Ipswich.  Norwich also had good chances especially when Alan Lee beat two Town defenders but his shot was weak and went straight into Wright’s gloves. 

 

In the 34^th minute, a strike from the edge of the area by Norwich youngster, Darrel Russell was superbly tipped over by the former England goalkeeper – one of many crucial saves he has made for Ipswich.

 

Ben Thatcher was taken off three minutes before the break after a crunching tackle and was replaced by Jaime Peters playing his first game for the first team in two years.  The Canadian’s first touch was a dazzling run up the left wing and he clipped the ball into Counago who missed the header from six yards out.

 

In the second half, Town had more drive and purpose and the crowd got behind them.  Giovani hit a shot from a tight angle and it took a great low save from Marshall to deny the Mexican winger.  However, a long ball over the Norwich defence wasn’t dealt with and Lisbie appeared clean through.  He took the ball by Marshall but was tripped by the Norwich Number 1.  The referee had no option but to give a penalty but he did not award any card to the goalkeeper to the surprise of the Ipswich fans.  Santos stepped up to take the kick and struck an amazing penalty to the keeper’s right hand corner after he had sent Marshall the wrong way.  This was the on-loan player’s second goal for Ipswich in as many games.

 

The Canaries had a few chances as well, for instance when Bertrand, the right back for Norwich passed the ball to Gow who crossed to Mooney who should have scored.  The move was similar to Counago’s chance early in the first half.

 

Another long ball over the Norwich defence, was flicked on by Lisbie and, substitute, Jon Stead was clean through and beautifully tucked the ball away in the corner making it 3-1 and sealing the points for Ipswich. 

 

In the 91^st minute, Norwich were awarded a soft penalty after a push from Quinn on Lee in the area, much to the displeasure of Town fans.  Clingan took the penalty and although Wright guessed the right way, he had no chance of saving it. 

 

To the delight of the Portman Road crowd, Town held on and won the game 3-2 leaving their East Anglian rivals in deep trouble.

  
Simon Bartlett – aged 12