Alun Armstrong returned to haunt Bryan Robson and Middlesbrough by plunging
his former club back into relegation trouble with a lightening double.
The Newcastle-born frontman plundered his eighth and ninth goals of the season
within the first five minutes of the second-half to overhaul Dean Windass'
38th-minute strike which had given the home side an unlikely lead at the break.
Armstrong joined Ipswich for just £500,000 earlier in the season after failing
to force his way into the Boro side, but he provided the perfect riposte on his
return to the Riverside Stadium, equalising 15 seconds after the restart and
then firing home what proved to be the winner on 50 minutes.
It was little more than Ipswich deserved after dominating for long periods,
and while Boro failed to capitalise on Saturday's amazing win at Arsenal, George
Burley's side strengthened their claims of a Champions League berth.
Indeed, had it not been for two magnificent first-half saves from Australian
keeper Mark Schwarzer, the Teessiders could have been in deep trouble long
before their fatal collapse.
Middlesbrough coach Terry Venables kept faith with the 11 men who started the
precious 3-0 victory at Arsenal on Saturday which sent Boro into the game
knowing that another win would carry them to the brink of safety.
Ipswich, who were equally determined to collect all three points to further
their claims on a European berth, made two changes to the side which saw off
Newcastle, courtesy of Marcus Stewart's penalty, at the weekend.
Defenders Fabian Wilnis and John McGreal made way as Mark Venus and Titus
Bramble were recalled to the starting line-up.
Hard work and grit are the two ingredients Venables has insisted his side
needs to escape relegation since the day he arrived at the Riverside Stadium,
and he got both as they rode their luck in an eventful first-half.
Just how Boro went in at the break with a 1-0 lead was the topic of some
earnest debate at half-time, but while they may have been second-best for long
periods, none of the red and white-clad supporters were particularly worried
about the whys and wherefores.
In essence, they were indebted to two fine saves from Schwarzer and a clinical
strike from Windass, whose finish could not have been bettered by international
superstar team-mate Alen Boksic.
The former Bradford City midfielder was picked out by skipper Paul Ince as he
charged forward on 38 minutes to hold off the fast-arriving Bramble and thump a
low shot past Richard Wright.
However, either side of that passage of play, Schwarzer earned his corn by
first denying Bramble from point-blank range after Matt Holland had helped on
Martijn Reuser's corner, and then going full length to palm away the Dutchman's
driven free-kick.
All that action came after Boro had forced into a reshuffle in a bid to get to
grips with influential visitors midfielder Jim Magilton, Australian Paul Okon
stepping up from central defence to join Ince, Christian Karembeu and Windass.
But for all the Teessiders went in front, they knew there was still much work
to be done to shut down an Ipswich side which enjoyed the bulk of the possession
in the first 45 minutes but could not make the pressure count.
There is little doubt that Venables and manager Robson spent the break
hammering home just that message, but whatever they said appeared to have gone
in one ear and out of the other in a madcap five minutes after the restart.
Many supporters were still taking their seats when Ipswich surged forward from
the kick-off and within 15 seconds Armstrong rifled a shot past Schwarzer to
level.
Things deteriorated even further on 50 minutes when Stewart found space wide
on the left and crossed for Armstrong, who eased himself in front of Dean Gordon
before stabbing the ball home.
Boro were in disarray, and it took a good block from Okon to deny Stewart,
while Bramble headed over from yet another towering Magilton free-kick.
But as the home fans started to fear the worst, they were given a glimmer of
hope as Ricard flicked on for Boksic, who muscled his way past Hermann
Hreidarsson, but with just Wright to beat, completely missed his kick.
Argentinian youngster Carlos Marinelli arrived as a replacement for Windass to
huge popular acclaim on 77 minutes, but Armstrong enjoyed an even bigger round
of applause - pointedly from the Boro contingent - when he was replaced by
Richard Naylor three minutes later.
Even Marinelli was unable to provide the extra impetus for the home side and
indeed, it was Naylor who could have made the victory more comfortable at the
death when he side-footed wide from fellow substitute Jamie Clapham's pass.
Teams:
Middlesborough Schwarzer, Gordon, Vickers (Mustoe 57), Ehiogu,
Karembeu (Stamp 58), Gavin, Okon, Ince, Ricard,
Windass (Marinelli 77), Boksic.
Subs not used: Crossley, Whelan.
Booked: Gavin.
Goal: Windass 39.
Ipswich: Richard Wright, Venus, Makin, Bramble, Hreidarsson,
Jermaine Wright, Holland, Magilton, Reuser (Clapham 45),
Armstrong (Naylor 80), Stewart (Burchill 90).
Sbs not used: Logan, Branagan.
Booked: Venus.
Goals: Armstrong 46, 50.
Attendance: 34,294
Referee: S Bennett (Kent).
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