A GOAL down after only four minutes, George Burley's maturing team responded with a performance of character and confidence to sweep to an impressive victory and within sight of a return to the Premiership, at last, at Portman Road yesterday.

Goals from their talented striking duo of David Johnson and James Scowcroft, topped off by a fine Matt Holland drive, ensured Ipswich won well after Chris Kiwomya had given relegation-threatened QPR an unexpected early initiative in front of the Suffolk club's biggest home crowd of the season, 22,162.

It may not have been the kind of Easter feast that the big holiday crowd had hoped for after last Saturday's six-goal romp at Swindon, but the character revealed in Burley's team suggested that after their successive play-off disappointments, Ipswich are ready to take the automatic route to the Premiership this time. Their form, which has earned them 31 points from 12 games, proves it.

"I am confident we can do it this time," said Burley afterwards. "It is up to us to go out and win our games now and the players believe they can do it."

Yesterday, no sooner had the brass band marched off than it seemed QPR were on top and in the lead, the unmarked Kiwomya meeting an early free-kick from Paul Murray with an easy glancing header past Richard Wright.

Ipswich drew level when Johnson, always a threat, met a deep cross from Jim Magilton with a towering far-post header after 12 minutes. However, they struggled to gain the ascendancy during a tight spell before the interval when Wright was called upon to make an alert spreading save from Ian Baraclough and George Kulcsar was booked for a foul on the busy Mick Stockwell.

After the interval, however, it was a different story once Scowcroft had put Ipswich in front after 65 minutes following the award of a contentious free-kick on the left. Mark Venus took it and his left boot found the swift Scowcroft, whose header had too much power for Ludek Miklosko's late dive.

The goalkeeper was at fault for Ipswich's third goal when he failed to deal with a corner, Johnson poked the ball wide to Holland on the left and a 20-yard drive found the far top corner.

Daily Telegraph