Ipswich 5-2 Sunderland: Match Report & Player Ratings - An absolute embarrassment

Ipswich 5-2 Sunderland (Jones 9’, McGeady 65’)

Sunderland lost yet again this evening, their worst of the season - a 5-2 drubbing away at Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich Town.

Whilst Sunderland added goals from Billy Jones and Aiden McGeady, it probably disguises just how bad the performance actually was - Sunderland were, in every single aspect, appalling.

Here’s how it went, and how the players rated.

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Match Action

First Half

The game started in much the same way that it did at the weekend against Cardiff - in the seventh minute, former Sunderland man Martyn Waghorn headed his new side in front after some typically poor defending from Simon Grayson’s men, flicking the ball beyond Jason Steele and in to the net to give Ipswich the lead.

But, much to the surprise of the away supporters it wasn’t very long until the mackems were back in the game.

Aiden McGeady’s excellent cross was whipped right in to the penalty area and Billy Jones rose highest to nod home the equaliser, just two minutes after Ipswich had taken the initiative in the game.

Sunderland’s poor defensive woes continued in the 27th minute though when Ipswich again took the lead from another header - Jordan Spence got on the end of a Martyn Waghorn corner to put the home side 2-1 up.

The rest of the half was embarrassingly familiar for Sunderland, who were unable to get any foothold in the game.

More comical defending from Marc Wilson and Jason Steele threatened to further aid Ipswich in their pursuit for three points, but fortunately for the pair - signed in the summer - their mishaps came to nothing and their blushes were spared.

Bar a semi-decent chance which fell to Callum McManaman towards the end of the half, the away side never looked likely to score again before the opening forty-five minutes were over with and Ipswich went in at half time deservedly ahead.

Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Second Half

Both teams reemerged unchanged, with Ipswich starting the second period firmly in control of the ball - but, having lost possession it was Sunderland who had the first chance of the half, with Lee Cattermole seeing his point blank header tipped over the bar by Bartosz Bialkowski.

And then in typical fashion, having started fairly well, Sunderland conceded again as Ipswich went 3-1 up through Bersant Celina in the 55th minute. All too easy for the hosts.

Five minutes later it was four - poor goalkeeping and defending led to David McGoldrick putting the hosts even further ahead on the hour mark.

The sixth goal of the night soon followed and it was an absolute scorcher, this time from Sunderland’s Aiden McGeady. Cutting in from the left, the Irishman fired an unstoppable strike off his right foot beyond the Ipswich ‘keeper and into the net to offer his side a slim chance of getting back in to the game.

But, it wasn’t to be.

The home side added their fifth just minutes from the end of the game through Grant Ward, with more terrible goalkeeping from Steele aiding Ipswich as they embarrassed Sunderland further before the referee had time to blow the full-time whistle.

Sunderland never looked capable of finding a way back in to the game, and it would be an understatement to say that the best team on the night walked away with all three points - despite scoring twice, Sunderland were decimated in embarrassing fashion yet again and surely now, in the fallout, surely questions will be asked of the Sunderland manager and whether he has the ability to continue on in the role he took up just a matter of months ago.

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Player Ratings

Jason Steele - 0/10: Shocking. Didn’t do a thing right all night.

Adam Matthews - 1/10: Why was he playing left back? Another stupid decision by the manager. He’s only got one foot, ffs.

Marc Wilson - 0/10: Shocking. Didn’t do a thing right all night.

Lamine Kone - 0/10: Another frankly embarrassing showing from an embarrassment of a player.

Billy Jones - 2/10: Scored so he rates slightly higher than some of his teammates.

Bryan Oviedo - 1/10: Ineffective. No idea why he wasn’t playing in his actual position.

Darron Gibson - 1/10: Overran all night. Horrific.

Lee Cattermole - 1/10: Another abysmal performance. He looks finished, even at this level. Such a shame.

Aiden McGeady - 6/10: Cracker of an assist for our first and then his goal in the second half was an absolute thronker. Should have done better for their fifth but I guess the game was lost by that point, and it counted for little. It’s such a shame he’s surrounded by a tremendous amount of shit.

Callum McManaman - 4/10: Might have done better had the defence and midfield behind him been capable of going five minutes without falling to pieces.

James Vaughan - 0/10: Couldn’t trap a bag of sand, falls over loads. Got booked again.

John O’Shea - 3/10: Wasn’t on long enough to take as much of the blame as his teammates, but still.

Lynden Gooch - 3/10: Ineffective.

Honeyman - 3/10: Ineffective.