Can AFCB knock Ipswich off their pedestal?

While AFCB are the professional club in Dorset, Ipswich are the only such league club in Suffolk, but that's just about where the similarities end. We know every game is hard in the Championship, but some are harder than others. I put this fixture as the most difficult home game AFCB have had since Derby County.

While Ipswich Town have not been a Premiership team since the 2001-2 season, their fans can still look back on their fantastic European history and I certainly still view them as a big weight in the Championship. I was told by an Ipswich fan that they had not beaten AFCB at Dean Court since 1953, which indicates how AFCB have been playing their football at a much lower level in the last half century. But now we can compete with Ipswich Town and it shows you how far AFCB have come in recent seasons.

AFCB will have to be at their very best to get
anything out of a vibrant Ipswich team. 

In their last 11 games, Ipswich have only lost twice and those defeats were against teams riding high in the Championship -  Burnley and Leicester City. Such form has seen the Blues steadily climb the table and they are now in the top 10. Mick McCarthy has them being very hard to beat. While September was their most productive month in terms of points. Recently they have drawn games against two of the divisions strong teams - Watford and Nottingham Forest - so that gives us a good indication how well the Cherries are going to have to play just to keep Ipswich at bay.

While AFCB's home form could be better, there is a glimmer of hope in that Ipswich have managed only 3 away wins this season, compared to 6 at home. So they are not the best of travellers, although they are good at getting draws away from home - 5 in all so far. Their last 0:3 win against Doncaster does give AFCB plenty to think about.

That tells me that AFCB will have their usual challenge to breakdown a stubborn, well organised team at Dean Court, which has been the Cherries undoing more often that not this season. 

AFCB did very well against Yeovil in their last home match and found plenty of space to attack. The Cherries also had Harry Arter in midfield who is now suspended for this game, but that gives an opportunity for Shaun MacDonald to come into the team and perhaps Eunan O'Kane will play in a slightly more advanced midfield role with Andrew Surman. 

Batten down the hatches it's going to be another 90 minutes of nerve jangling tension. Let's see if the Cherries can start to build with a few more home wins. If they get a result against Ipswich the New year's match against Brighton is going to be a cracker with raised excitement. 

Get behind the team today and try and help them perform to the standard we know they are capable of. UTCIAD!   

Ipswich Away form:
DWWDW

AFCB Home form:
LLDLW

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