Cole Skuse's first Ipswich Town goal, in their win against Cardiff City which kept them in the final playoff spot, was a long time coming but boy was it worth the wait.

After 21 months and 82 appearances since he signed from Bristol City in July 2013, Skuse opened his account with a 30-yard effort which could barely have been struck sweeter.

The score was already 1-1 when, in the 29th minute, Cardiff defender Bruno Ecuele Manga stretched to clear on the edge of the box and the ball bounced to Skuse, who hit it first time then watched it fly in off the right post.

'I don't think anyone has seen a better strike than that,' manager Mick McCarthy declared. 'It was so emphatic it got the crowd up and us up. We needed it, when they scored they had a good period and it changed the dynamic.'

It was a torrid night for Ecuele Manga who was all too easily shrugged away from the ball when Ipswich striker Freddie Sears ran on to a long pass from Christophe Berra, took a touch and then finished low under goalkeeper David Marshall to open the scoring after eight minutes.

But five minutes later Cardiff levelled. Scott Malone wonderfully arced a cross from the left which was headed in by Eoin Doyle.

Cardiff manager Russell Slade said: 'We had flagged up certain things before the match, we had to be aware of the long ball to Sears and we also flagged up stopping Skuse. That was disappointing.'

Ipswich restored their lead with Skuse's strike but Fabio Da Silva, formerly of Manchester United, missed a simple chance to level for Cardiff when he shot wide from three yards.

Marshall tipped Daryl Murphy's powerful header over on 49 minutes and denied Tommy Smith in the 76th before Berra sent the rebound on to the bar.

In stoppage time, however, Ipswich finally added a third. Skuse had a chance to shoot from distance and the Portman Road crowd were urging him on, but the midfielder passed to Murphy instead and the striker slotted in.

Sam Cunningham (Mail Online)