A LIFELONG Ipswich Town fan who missed out on tickets for tonight's play-off crunch match due to a drama exam mix-up can now go to the game.Town chairman David Sheepshanks read about 17-year-old Katie Welham's agonising predicament in last night's Evening Star and today offered her the chance to join the Blue Army for the second leg clash at West Ham.

A LIFELONG Ipswich Town fan who missed out on tickets for tonight's play-off crunch match due to a drama exam mix-up can now go to the game.

Town chairman David Sheepshanks read about 17-year-old Katie Welham's agonising predicament in last night's Evening Star and today offered her the chance to join the Blue Army for the second leg clash at West Ham.

The teenager was in line to get seats for the game, but was "gutted" and "upset" to find out she had a drama exam lined up for this evening and had to refuse them.

To her horror, she was then told the exam had been rescheduled, because a boy in her class at Chantry High School had tickets for the match.

After hearing all the tickets had then been sold, she said: "I just wanted to cry."

But when she heard the good news this morning, she was ecstatic.

"I'm going to be so excited," said Katie, of Heron Road, Ipswich. "I phoned my mum straight away and she thought I was joking. I'm a lot happier now."

Her mother Anne added: "When she found out she was absolutely over the moon. Football is her life."

Mr Sheepshanks said: "Having children of a similar age, I know the importance of exams and I felt that Katie's responsible actions deserved reward for putting school exams ahead of her passion for the club.

"Although our ticket allocation is sold out, I knew we had one spare one and I wanted Katie to have it. I hope she enjoys the action along with 5000 other town fans and together they will roar the Blues on to the final."

Katie added: "I would like to say thank you to David Sheepshanks and the club for giving me this opportunity to go and support the boys and do what I like best."