Bournemouth 1 Ipswich 2: Tractor Boys keep slim survival hopes alive as Cherries’ Euro charge takes shock dent

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NATHAN BROADHEAD and Liam Delap secured Ipswich’s first win of the year at Champions League chasing Bournemouth.

Town’s first league victory in Dorset for nearly 72 years gave Kieran McKenna renewed hope for their survival chances.

Ipswich Town players celebrating a victory.

Nathan Broadhead celebrating a goal for Ipswich Town.

Liam Delap of Ipswich Town celebrating a goal.

Francisco Evanilson of Bournemouth in action during a soccer match.

But the Tractor Boys still have a big job ahead digging their way out of trouble, trailing fourth bottom Wolves by nine points.

Former Everton man Broadhead stunned the home side when he fired his 34th minute shot through Cherries goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s legs.

Then striker Delap showed just why he is being chased by a host of clubs when he lashed home his 11th goal of the campaign on the hour.

Brazilian striker Evanilson did pull a goal back for the Cherries but it was not enough to save them from losing four successive Premier League home games for the first time.

Rested Ipswich made six changes from the side that played 18 days ago-and lost 4-2 at home to Nottingham Forest.

The Cherries made five changes from the team that saw their Wembley FA Cup semi-final dreams ended by Manchester City on Sunday.

Gaffer Andoni Iraola took out three of his four defenders, bringing back fit-again Adam Smith plus Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi who had served their FA Cup suspensions.

Iraola was desperate to put the spark back into Bournemouth’s Champions League bid after winning just one of their last six league games.

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Both teams made a tentative start until, on 15 minutes, Dango Ouattara’s driven cross was cleared off the line by Ipswich’s Dara O’Shea.

The hosts were constantly pinging the ball around the visitors’ box without finding the breakthrough centre or pass.

When Ouattara tried his luck on 23 minutes the winger’s vicious drive curled the wrong side of the post.

Ipswich’s first shot in anger arrived two minutes later when Julio Encisco found himself with a bit of room from a long throw but his drive was blocked by Kerkez.

Then Encisco let rip from 30 yards but his handsome long-range effort dipped just over the bar.

Antoine Semenyo then tried his luck with a powerful effort which Town goalkeeper Alex Palmer comfortably punched clear,

But really the Cherries should have gone ahead on 33 minutes when Alex Scott was left with a simple opportunity but his under-hit effort allowed O’Shea to clear again.

And that miss was compounded up the other end 60 seconds later when Broadhead gave the Tractor Boys the lead.

The home defence allowed Encisco to run at them before he slipped the ball through to Broadhead who simply fired the ball through Kepa’s legs.

No wonder the world’s most expensive goalie looked glum having been nut-megged by City’s Omar Marmoush at the weekend.

Blues fans were loving the fact they had taken the lead as a sense of shock and disbelief descended on the Vitality Stadium.

And there was nearly a shock start for Bournemouth seconds into the second half when Alex Scott’s shot was tipped over the bar by Palmer.

This roused the home faithful who next saw Ryan Christie’s tame effort effortlessly saved by the visiting stopper.

But Ipswich weren’t going to surrender their precious lead without a fight and instead doubled the score on 60 minutes.

Conor Townsend cleverly picked out the unmarked Delap who thumped the ball home from 10 yards.

Bournemouth were awarded a penalty two minutes later when Axel Tuanzebe tripped Semenyo but VAR ruled the offence had taken place outside the area.

But Evanilson was soon celebrating a home goal on 67 minutes when Palmer could only push Lewis Cook’s shot into his path-but the damage had already been done.