Town outplay Bluebirds

Ipswich Town moved into the play-off places at the expense of Cardiff City after a well-deserved success at Ninian Park.

The Bluebirds were rarely in the game until the closing minutes, when Peter Thorne made it 3-2, and Joe Royle's side fully deserved a victory.

'It was 75 minutes before our keeper had to make a save and although one or two of my side switched off in the second half, that is only natural when you're 2-0 up,' said Royle.

'The first half was the best we have played all season and it is good to score three goals in a match away from home.

'Cardiff is a hard place to come and this was only their second home defeat of the season.

'At times we were passing through Cardiff at will and though we have been playing catch up since our poor start to the season, I still expect us to win automatic promotion.'

Ipswich took the lead in the 28th minute after Mark Bonner downed Ian Westlake in the box. Tommy Miller, who had replaced injured skipper Jim Magilton a minute earlier, gave his side a deserved lead from the spot.

Five minutes later the unmarked George Santos doubled the lead when he headed home from a corner.

Robert Earnshaw raised home hopes with his 21st goal of the season and his 100th for the club when he despatched a penalty in the 57th minute after Tony Vidmar had been felled in the box.

Vidmar was very disappointed with City's performance, particularly during the opening period.

'We made it difficult for ourselves with a poor first half and gave them too much time on the ball, but we did improve after the interval,' he said.

'We couldn't seem to find that second equalising goal and their third really killed us off.'

Ipswich restored their two-goal advantage thanks to a blunder from City keeper Neil Alexander, who flapped at an 82nd minute corner to gift Chris Bart-Williams an easy score.

Thorne powered in a header four minutes later to set up a rousing finish, but the visitors held firm for a deserved victory.

City boss Lennie Lawrence accepted that his team were second best on the day.

'If we had shown the same pride and will in the first half as we did after the break I would have been a little happier,' he said.

'We were always chasing shadows in that first period and maybe the midweek game against West Brom took too much out of us.

'Had we equalised it would have been a great injustice to Ipswich.'

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