JAMES SCOWCROFT'S first professional hat-trick could hardly have arrived at a more opportune moment - in five days' time David Johnson is due to undergo cartilage surgery which will keep him out of action for at least a month.

Since his arrival last season from Bury, Johnson has been Ipswich's leading goal-scorer and he was two ahead of Scowcroft in this season's chart going into Saturday's match at Gresty Road.

However, Scowcroft had levelled it 11 apiece by the time Johnson was brought down by Shaun Smith to earn a penalty kick - normally the province of Mark Venus.

It was a symbolic moment, therefore, when Johnson gave the ball to Scowcroft, who scored and claimed not only the match ball, but also the mantle of chief marksman and the responsibility of being the main source of goals once Johnson has bid a temporary farewell after Wednesday night's match at QPR.

As Johnson's gesture demonstrated, though, this young Ipswich side enjoy a degree of team spirit which transcends personal glory and will serve them well in the months ahead. And as they regained second place in the Division One table, they also revealed one of the essentials of promotion aspirants - putting setbacks behind them.

Perhaps a Crewe side who have not won a League match since Aug 28 and have now lost 11 of their last 16, were not worthy opponents, but last weekend's defeat by Bolton still appeared the furthest thing from Ipswich minds as they put Dario Gradi's strugglers to the sword.

George Burley's team are a class act whose passing and movement will trouble better sides than Crewe. They had few anxious moments once Scowcroft had given them the lead and the build-up to Scowcroft's second goal, in which practically every member of the team was involved, was reminiscent of Manchester United.

Daily Telegraph