JUST what will he do next? Ipswich's muscular French defender Manuel Thetis scored a spectacularly improvised winner, survived two penalty appeals and finally got himself sent off for a bizarre act of revenge.

It was all rather out of place in an otherwise undramatic contest between West Bromwich - fitful, uncertain and likely to miss the play-offs - and Ipswich - measured, controlled and on course for automatic promotion.

Thetis, Ipswich's Gold Coast-born former France Under-21 player, has already added to his lively reputation with a shoal of yellow cards and a couple of goals since arriving from Sevilla for £50,000 in September.

The goal that sunk West Bromwich could scarcely have been better timed but the impending suspension will deny Ipswich one of their key performers at a crucial time of the run-in.

His unconventional strike arrived after a quarter of an hour. Even though he initially miskicked, West Bromwich's defence were so unhinged by Jim Magilton and Jamie Clapham's short-corner ruse that Thetis was able to dispatch a rising shot from a near horizontal position at the second attempt.

The dismissal came six minutes from time following a skirmish with Sean Flynn, whose red card was inevitable the moment he lashed out. That should have been an end to the matter but Thetis ensured his own departure by jumping to his feet and grabbing Flynn's neck.

Otherwise, Ipswich exercised plenty of self-control and were unfortunate when Magilton hit a post from 20 yards after 63 minutes.

West Bromwich manager Denis Smith has criticised supporters' pessimism but, coming after a 4-0 mauling at Birmingham, this was scarcely a performance to raise spirits. Mark Angel wasted their only notable chance, Fabian De Freitas got nowhere with a couple of penalty appeals against Thetis, and the only bright spot was the promising debut of right-back Daniel Gabbidon.

Daily Telegraph