Delap nets winner for Ipswich at Bournemouth but survival hopes still faint
If Ipswich could have been forgiven for having next season’s Championship already in mind, Bournemouth are plunging their own depths of disappointment. Winless since mid-February, Cherry-flavoured European dreams fade fast, defeat to the strugglers following exit from the FA Cup. Still nine points shy of safety, Kieran McKenna’s team’s chances remain remote. The only certainty appears that Liam Delap, scorer of a rampaging second goal, will be playing Premier League football next season but, with eight games to play, after a first Premier League win in 2025, their small chance is far better than no chance at all.
Ipswich, without a game since 15 March, have seen survival hopes crumble while they could only watch in impotent pessimism. The revivals of Everton, West Ham and most obviously Wolves have trampled on any seeds of a comeback; Wolves’ defeat of the Hammers on Tuesday was another dagger to hearts. Autumnal expectations have been crushed by a scolding winter, and some harsh lessons learned. Back in December, Ipswich took the game to Bournemouth only to be denied at the last. Here they set up with far greater pragmatism. Six changes from a 4-2 home defeat to Nottingham Forest suggested McKenna had done plenty of thinking.
