Promotion hopefuls Ipswich proved too strong for a Crewe side which has dropped into the relegation zone in the Coca-Cola Championship, romping to a 5-1 success.

In the sixth minute Ian Westlake set up Shefki Kuqi for his 18th goal of the season, before Westlake was the provider for Jim Magilton to fire home from 10 yards.

Ipswich continued to dominate after the interval with two goals from midfield man Tommy Miller taking his tally for the season to 15.

The first came in the 51st minute with a right-foot drive from the edge of the penalty area - the second came half an hour later when Miller beat Clayton Ince from 25 yards with another cracking drive.

The visitors were reeling and Ipswich substitute Pablo Counago scored the fifth goal a minute later when he fired a cross from Darren Bent into the roof of the net from close range.

Crewe scored a consolation goal in the 89th minute when Ipswich goalkeeper Kelvin Davis fumbled a shot from David Vaughan and the ball bounced into the net off a post.

Crewe manager Dario Gradi said: "To stand a chance of staying up we must beat Coventry in our final game - and even that may not be good enough.

"Our results since Christmas suggest we are not strong enough and we looked out of our depth here.

"Either Ipswich were very good or we were very poor - or it was something in between.

"We haven't got to face Ipswich next week and we must do better than Coventry - but they had a good result today and it will be a tall order.

"Ipswich were excellent maybe we were a bit short without Colin Murdock in central defence - but we could not make any impact.

"I think we would have been safe had we been able to keep Dean Ashton.

"He would have made all the difference but it is our policy to let players go when they are offered a good opportunity.

"That's why they sign for us in the first place. I cannot stop them going to a higher league where they might get four times the wages. I don't hold it against them."

Ipswich manager Joe Royle said: "For 20 minutes we were outstanding and won the game in that period. Once we were two-up it was very difficult for Crewe to come back.

"We passed the ball and think we play the right way.

"There are 17,000 season ticket-holders who seem to agree with me.

"Only Luton have scored more goals than us so we must be doing something right.

"I make Wigan slight favourites for the second automatic promotion place because they have a home match and I have great respect for their manager (Paul Jewell).

"It has been looking for a long time as though the promotion issue would be a last-day event.

"I expect a hard game at Brighton because they need a result to stay up and we have not always been fluent in recent away games.

"I think the play-off system is flawed but if we have to deal with it we will. No-one is more positive than me."

Royle heaped praise on two-goal Miller, adding: "He has matured as an all-round player and was brilliant today.

"We played off the front men so that the Crewe central defenders must have needed oxygen."

Royle's only concern was the soft goal Ipswich conceded in the last minute, as he added: "I am rather annoyed about that."