IPSWICH compiled the best possible reply to Dave Bassett's criticism that followed last month's goalless League fixture between the First Division sides. The Palace manager had labelled them "boring" but last night there was only admiration for the way they booked their fourth- round Coca-Cola Cup place.

With the rumblings of discontent gathering momentum after recent, lacklustre performances the Ipswich manager, George Burley, would not have wished to go a goal down to Palace's first attack. Carl Veart capitalised on Dougie Freedman's pass to beat Richard Wright.

It would have been easy for Burley's side to have become unsettled by that immediate setback but, commendably, they stayed true to their footballing principles and knocked the ball around to good effect.

The number of chances they were to create encouraged them no end. Alex Mathie could have scored on two occasions and, on a third, he attempted to set up Paul Mason. At the next time of asking, on 25 minutes, Mason made it count, taking Steve Sedgley's pass before cleverly working himself space to score.

Mason showed his elusive qualities again in the 37th minute when Mauricio Taricco played him in down the left and he neatly picked out Mathie who obliged with his eighth goal of the season.

Only a goalline clearance from David Hopkin prevented Mathie from helping himself a second time but neither he nor Ipswich were to be denied. In the 63rd minute he increased their advantage after a slip by the Palace substitute Robert Quinn.

All Palace's fight had by now disappeared and Mason jinked his way through to score a fourth.

Daily Telegraph