Colkin challenges Marcus Bent.
By Paul Brown, PA Sport
Click here for full match stats
Joe Royle was the last English manager to lift the FA Cup and he came one step
closer to doing it again after Ipswich's 4-0 third-round victory over 10-man
Morecambe at Portman Road.
Royle won the trophy with Everton in 1995 after beating Manchester United 1-0
at Wembley, and goals from Jamie Clapham, Darren Bent (two) and Darren Ambrose
will have the Ipswich boss dreaming of glory again.
Ahead after just 74 seconds through Clapham, Ipswich eventually ran riot after
their Nationwide Conference opposition had defender James Bentley sent off for a
professional foul with 80 minutes to play.
Roared on by nearly 1500 travelling fans, Morecambe did themselves proud with
10 men until the home side hit three goals in 12 second-half minutes following
the arrival of substitute Bent in the 53rd minute.
The seasiders were part-timers when they lost 3-0 to Ipswich at this stage of
the competition two years ago, but as professionals they are pushing for
promotion to the Football League in manager Jim Harvey's ninth season in
charge.
But the Tractor Boys had the perfect start in the second minute when Pablo
Counago set up Clapham and he blasted home a volley from the edge of the penalty
area.
In 17-year-old striker Danny Carlton, Morecambe have a fine homegrown talent,
and he tested home keeper Andy Marshall in the 15th minute after a promising
run.
But their hopes of pulling off a dramatic comeback took a massive blow in the
20th minute when defender Bentley was sent off for a professional foul.
Marcus Bent chipped an astute through-ball into Counago's path, but Bentley
pulled him down on the edge of the area, and as the last man, referee Grant
Hegley had no choice but to produce the red card.
Ipswich struggled for the rest of the half against 10 men despite Counago,
Hermann Hreidarsson and Darren Ambrose all going close.
But Morecambe then had goalkeeper Craig Mawson to thank for pushing a Richard
Naylor header onto his crossbar with his fingertips in the 50th minute.
They almost pulled level when Adriano Rigoglioso, who won the FA Youth Cup
alongside Michael Owen at Liverpool, produced a wonderful piece of skill on the
break. Unfortunately Stewart Drummond failed to make the most of his chip and
blazed wildly over from 10 yards in the 57th minute.
And it looked all over when Ambrose picked out Darren Bent in the 65th minute
with a fabulous cross-field ball for the substitute to round Mawson and slot
home into the bottom corner.
Ambrose added a third 10 minutes later with a curling 20-yard shot after a
solo run, and Darren Bent got his second of the game from an Ambrose corner in
the 77th minute as Morecambe's resistance crumbled.
Teams:
Ipswich: Marshall, Naylor (Darren Bent 53), Holland,
Hreidarsson, Wilnis, Wright, Ambrose, Clapham (Abidallah 79),
Richards, Counago (Reuser 77), Marcus Bent.
Subs Not Used: Pullen, Armstrong.
Goals: Clapham 2, Darren Bent 65, Ambrose 75, Darren Bent 77.
Morecambe: Mawson, Thompson (Murphy 22), McKearney, Bentley,
Swan, Colkin (Ubershar 23), Rigoglioso (Talbot 68), Drummond,
Stringfellow, Elam, Carlton.
Subs Not Used: Black, Curtis.
Sent Off: Bentley (20).
Booked: McKearney, Carlton.
Att: 18,529
Ref: G Hegley (Hertfordshire).
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