Two goals in as many minutes eventually saw Ipswich ease past a stubborn
Wimbledon side for three vital points at the National Hockey Stadium.
The rock-bottom Dons had frustrated Joe Royle's side for much of the afternoon
before strikers Darren Bent and Shefki Kuqi struck to boost Town's play-off
chances.
Wimbledon, without a point in the league since December, scored their first
goal in eight games through Gary Smith but it proved just a consolation.
Ipswich started as if they were in a hurry to get the points under their belt,
with the early action suggesting it would be a busy day for home keeper Scott
Bevan.
Bent's drilled shot from 20 yards was well parried by the Wimbledon stopper
before Bevan did brilliantly to hold on to Ian Westlake's inswinging corner.
Another Westlake corner caused problems in the Dons defence and the impressive
Dean Bowditch, fresh from a hat-trick last week against Watford, narrowly failed
to capitalise by pushing his shot wide of the upright.
Ipswich were dominant and the home defence was at full stretch to keep out a
succession of Jim Magilton corners.
And after Mark Williams and Peter Hawkins had both produced vital clearances
to keep the Tractor Boys at bay, Magilton eventually picked out Matt Elliott but
the giant centre-half headed wide with the goal at his mercy.
Bevan proved equal to a Westlake snap-shot on the half hour before Wimbledon
eventually ventured out of their half - Dons defender Jason Puncheon causing
some anxiety in the away defence with his set-piece delivery.
Ipswich upped the tempo again after the break with Jermaine Wright and
Bowditch both firing efforts wide from the edge of the box.
Defender Matt Richards twice popped up in the Town attack but also failed to
hit the target.
And incredibly Ipswich almost found themselves behind when Wimbledon's first
threatening attack of the match ended with Jermaine Darlington prodding wide
from close range.
But after 72 minutes Ipswich finally made the breakthrough when Bent calmly
slotted home his fifth goal in four games after being set away by Wright.
The visitors smelt blood and substitute Kuqi doubled the lead a minute later
when he finished off a pass from Bowditch.
Smith headed Puncheon's 77th minute free-kick past an otherwise inactive
Kelvin Davis to give the home side hope but were unable to find another route
past the Ipswich stopper.
Teams:
Wimbledon: Bevan, Oyedele, Hawkins (Ntimban-Zeh 45), Williams,
Lewington, Darlington, Smith, Chorley, Puncheon,
Gray (Harding 90), Mackie (Kamara 76).
Subs Not Used: Martin, Herzig.
Booked: Kamara.
Goals: Smith 77.
Ipswich: Davis, Wilnis, Richards, McGreal, Elliott, Wright,
Magilton, Miller, Westlake (Kuqi 57),
Bowditch (Bart-Williams 81), Bent.
Subs Not Used: Santos, Mitchell, Price.
Booked: Miller, Kuqi.
Goals: Bent 72, Kuqi 73.
Att: 6,389
Ref: R Styles (Hampshire).
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