ONE could not have blamed David Johnson, Ipswich's highly-rated striker, for having other things on his mind but he still helped his team climb the table at Portman Road.

Quite apart from the small matter of Scotland's double-header against England that he may now play a part in, Johnson's decision to turn his back on Jamaica has caused fury and he has been threatened by Yardie gangs if he ever returns.

Having scored twice in five games for Jamaica, it's no wonder his passionate supporters are so incensed.

But he did not let that distract him from the small matter of helping Ipswich in their desperate pursuit of Premiership status to show why he could be a threat to England, bringing the first save of the afternoon, his close-range header being tipped over by Grimsby goalkeeper Danny Coyne.

The visitors seemed intent on containment, rarely venturing forward, and Johnson should have given Ipswich the lead almost half-an-hour into the game.

Mick Stockwell lofted a wonderful ball over the Grimsby defence and it fell straight into Johnson's path but the ball sat up and his shot drifted over the crossbar.

Richard Naylor and John McGreal both had chances to give Ipswich the lead, only to be thwarted by Coyne, but the breakthrough finally came 10 minutes from the interval when Jamie Clapham hit a delightful curling shot into the far corner that Coyne could do nothing about.

Ipswich played impressive one-touch football and it seemed only a matter of time before they extended their lead.

While Johnson may be taking the limelight, Naylor is playing his part in the side's success and he doubled the advantage an hour into the game. His deflected shot looped off a defender and onto the top of the net and from the corner, Naylor poked the ball home.

With the points as good as secured, Ipswich's threat faded, as did that of the unfit Johnson, who still showed enough to give Kevin Keegan something to think about.

Daily Telegraph