Crystal Palace endured two sendings off to score a goal in either half and
bring their four-match Coca-Cola Championship winless streak to an end with
victory over a drab Ipswich side.
Jonathan Macken gave Iain Dowie's men the lead after just 14 minutes and
Michael Hughes added a second on 61 minutes as the Eagles dominated Joe Royle's
charges almost from start to finish.
Ipswich showed few signs of being capable of taking anything from the game,
even in the final 14 minutes when they had a two-man advantage as Macken and Ben
Watson were sent off.
Palace, on the other hand, had shown their intent early on and Andrew Johnson
needed just 19 seconds to register his first goal attempt, although his header
from Watson's cross went wide.
Watson then drew a good save from Town goalkeeper Lewis Price when he whipped
in a 20-yard free kick that looked destined for the corner of the net.
Before Ipswich could register a notable shot on goal, Johnson broke down the
Palace right and his cross was met by Macken, who netted the opener with a
vicious shot into the top corner.
Having gone behind, Ipswich began to stir and Palace keeper Gabor Kiraly was
called into action to deny Fabian Wilnis' shot-cum-cross and moments later, Jobi
McAnuff tested the Hungarian with a stinging 25-yard drive.
Town midfielder Darren Currie looked to level matters 10 minutes before the
break with a pair of goalbound shots that Kiraly had to be alert to stop, but
the first half ended as it had begun, with Johnson leading the Palace attack.
He went close to doubling Palace's lead, first with a 25-yard drive that
drifted over the crossbar and then with a close-range effort that Price
gratefully claimed.
The second half started quietly, though Ipswich enjoyed the majority of the
early possession.
But shortly after the hour-mark, Palace struck the killer blow. Hughes picked
the ball up 35 yards out from goal, trotted forward a few steps and unleashed a
rocket of a left-foot shot that flew past the helpless Price and into the top
corner.
Still Ipswich struggled to attack incisively and in response to Palace's
second, Owen Garvan could muster nothing more than a weak left-foot shot that
trickled wide.
Macken was shown a red card in the 76th minute, when he was involved in a spat
with Garvan and was seen to have been guilty of violent conduct by the referee.
Watson followed him down the tunnel moments later when he was dismissed for
his second bookable offence - a foul on Dean McDonald.
Daniel Haynes carved out a good chance for himself on the Ipswich left and
might have grabbed a consolation for Town, had it not been for the expert
reflexes of Kiraly, who tipped the ball around the post and maintained his clean
sheet.
Teams:
Ipswich Price, Sito, Naylor, De Vos, Wilnis (Haynes 65),
Williams (McDonald 81), Garvan, Juan, Currie, Westlake, Forster.
Subs Not Used: Supple, Richards, Magilton.
Booked: Juan, Naylor, Garvan.
Crystal Palace Kiraly, Fitz Hall, Ward, Popovic, Leigertwood,
McAnuff, Watson, Hughes (Hudson 80), Soares, Macken,
Johnson (Morrison 90).
Subs Not Used: Speroni, Freedman, Andrews.
Sent Off: Macken (77), Watson (89).
Booked: Popovic, Macken, Leigertwood, Hughes, Johnson, Watson.
Goals: Macken 14, Hughes 61.
Att: 27,392
Ref: K Woolmer (Northamptonshire).
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