The Ipswich players applauded champions Charlton onto the pitch, but they soon
set about their task of securing the victory that they needed in order to keep
alive their chances of automatic promotion.
Having already secured promotion and the championship, Charlton were brushed
aside by a determined Ipswich outfit that displayed greater urgency and
invention throughout.
A Jim Magilton free kick from 25-yards gave the visitors a deserved lead on 24
minutes and from that moment the destination of the three points was never in
doubt.
At the heart of the visitor's defence many a Charlton attack was stifled by
the wise old heads of Tony Mowbray and Mark Venus.
The speed of the Ipswich striker David Johnson caused problems all afternoon
for the Charlton rearguard.
He was alert to any lapse in concentration and his willingness to run at
defences gave the centre back Richard Rufus and Carl Tiler an uncomfortable
afternoon.
This is the kind of quality of striker that Charlton will face in the
Premiership next season but nothing could spoil the party atmosphere that the
Addicks fans were intent on having.
The Ipswich central midfield trio combined impressively throughout. James
Scowcroft, Jim Magilton and Matt Holland totally dominated their Charlton
counterparts.
But just before half time Charlton failed to score when presented with a
golden opportunity. The chance fell to the out of sorts on-loan striker Paul
Kitson who failed to hit the target.
Mathias Svensson, Kitson's second half replacement also was guilty of a
glaring miss early in the second half. Good work again down the left by John
Robinson was spoiled when the big Swede totally mis-kicked.
Ipswich were in no mood to let their advantage slip. David Johnson latched
onto a fine through ball by Jim Magilton to increase the visitors' advantage.
Magilton again was the provider when he set up Martin Reuser to give Ipswich
an amazing 3-0 lead on 71 minutes.
Charlton pulled back a consolation goal through a headed effort from Andy Hunt
late on, but such is the determination of Ipswich to avoid the lottery of the
promotion play-offs, that there was no way back for the home side.
Teams:
Charlton:Kiely, Brown, Rufus, Tiler, Powell, Newton,
Stuart (Parker 66), Kinsella, Robinson, Kitson (Svensson 46),
Hunt.
Subs Not Used: Barness, Todd, Royce.
Booked: Robinson.
Goals: Hunt 81.
Ipswich: R. Wright, Wilnis (Clapham 73), Brown, Mowbray,
Venus (Thetis 81), Croft, Scowcroft, Magilton, Holland,
Stewart (Reuser 56), Johnson.
Subs Not Used: Naylor, Branagan.
Booked: Thetis.
Goals: Magilton 24, Johnson 58, Reuser 71.
Att: 20,043
Ref: P Richards (Preston).
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