Norwich City sent a strong message to their promotion rivals last night as they hit five past local rivals Ipswich Town.
In a game in which the Blues hoped to earn revenge for their 4-1 humiliation in the reverse fixture at Carrow Road earlier in the season it was Norwich who came out on top, gaining a valuable three points and subsequently moving back up to second in the Championship table.
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| Andrew Surman sets Norwich on their way with the first goal in a 5-1 rout at Portman Road. |
With a fantastic atmosphere inside Portman Road, complete with the equally fantastic glittered costumed Suffolk samba band, the home side looked to snatch an early lead when Jason Scotland fired a shot towards goal after just eight minutes, but the low drive was saved comfortably by Norwich ‘keeper John Ruddy at his near post. Five minutes later however, it was the visitors who were in front. A low cross from the left hand side by the impressive Wes Hoolahan was tipped straight into the path of Andrew Surman by Town stopper Aaron Lee-Barrett, with the Canaries midfielder driving the ball home into an empty net.
With Ipswich trying to press but all too often lacking any vision or creativity in the final third, it was Norwich who doubled their lead in the 24th minute. A corner from David Fox into the six yard box evaded three Town players, as well as goalkeeper Lee-Barrett, before striking Ipswich defender Gareth McAuley and rebounding into the Ipswich net. For all of the Blues possession, it was Norwich celebrating a two goal lead courtesy of two horror shows from the Ipswich back line.
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| Ipswich defender Gareth McAuley stands helpless as he diverts the ball into his own net to make the score 2-0. |
With both sides continuing to create few clear opportunities in front of goal, the half-time whistle blew with the visitors in front and the Canaries supporters celebrating the prospect of their team’s first league double against the Tractor Boys since the 2003/04 season.
The start of the second half saw a change for Paul Jewell’s side, with the hugely ineffective Jason Scotland replaced by Andy Drury. The substitution certainly seemed to spring a new life into the home side, with Town’s creator-in-chief Jimmy Bullard firing a volley just wide on 47 minutes. Ipswich continued to dominate possession in their opponents half and had a number of opportunities to reduce the deficit, but the Blues’ efforts were repeatedly too far out to cause the Norwich ‘keeper any real problems.
For all of the Tractor Boys domination in the second period, it was the Canaries that scored the game’s third goal in the 73rd minute. City striker Grant Holt held off Town defender Damien Delaney before crossing in low at the by-line to Simeon Jackson who finished well at the Ipswich near post. It was a bitter pill to take for the Blues who had looked a different side in the second half and certainly could have got something from the game if their pressure had indeed created a goal.
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| Ipswich's Jimmy Bullard to manage to pull one back for Paul Jewell's side. |
Town managed to pull a goal back in the 78th minute thanks to a thunderous 25 yard strike from Jimmy Bullard – ironically the goal of the game despite the Londoner being on the losing side – picking up the ball up from David Norris before unleashing a shot into the top corner of the net. Town’s goal was all too late to spark a comeback however and Norwich reinstated their three goal lead just two minutes later. With Ipswich caught short at the back, Russell Martin found himself on his own at the far post and fired the ball through a ghostly Lee-Barrett to make the score 4-1.
Clearly unhappy with simply matching the score line from earlier in the season at Carrow Road, City substitute Daniel Pacheco lashed home a rebound from close-range after Simeon Jackson hit the bar as the Canaries sprinted three-on-one towards the Ipswich goal. Pacheco’s first goal for his loan club signalled a record 5-1 win, the Norfolk’s side biggest ever victory over their East Anglian rivals.
The 27,000 Town supporters left Portman Road dejected, losing at home to Norwich for the first time in three seasons and ending their already slim chances of reaching the Play-Offs. Paul Lambert’s men on the other hand are now safe in the knowledge that they will at the very least finish in the top six this year and could even go one better and win automatic promotion to the Premier League.
What are your views and opinions on Norwich City's resounding win over Ipswich Town and how do you rate their promotion chances this season? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.
