David Johnson's early strike set Ipswich on course for a comfortable victory
over FA Cup semi-finalists Wolves at Portman Road.
Johnson claimed his 26th goal of the season in the third minute, latching onto
Matt Holland's long ball and flicking the ball past the advancing Hans Segers.
Wolves' cause was not helped when Simon Osborn got his marching orders in the
61st minute for two fouls in two minutes on Bobby Petta - a sending off which
rules him out of the FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal.
By then Ipswich were 2-0 up, Holland firing home from the edge of the box in
the 57th minute when Wolves failed to clear Petta's corner.
Segers had conceded the corner with a superb save to deny Petta, whose shot
had taken a late deflection off Keith Curle.
Ipswich added a third in the 74th minute when substitute James Scowcroft
finished clinically following a defence-splitting pass from Dutchman Gus
Uhlenbeek.
Ipswich have now gone 15 league matches without defeat and taken 32 points
from a possible 36.
This impressive victory over rivals Wolves was as convincing as any of them.
It equalled Wolves' heaviest League defeat of the season.
Ipswich were devastating after the interval in front of a near capacity crowd
who cheered every move.
Petta was outstanding, while Johnson, offered international chances with both
Jamaica and Northern Ireland, caused havoc in the Wolves' defence.
Wolves, who started the three central defenders, were always under pressure
after conceding that early goal but Steve Bull had the chances to have pulled
them back into the game in the first half.
It was not Bull's day. The veteran striker was well offside when he headed
home a cross from Lee Naylor in the 12th minute.
Then, in the 24th minute, Bull forced his way past Jamie Clapham before firing
past Richard Wright form an angle. However, the effort was disallowed, rather
unluckily, for a foul on Clapham.
Bull will know he should have done better after 35 minutes when Osborn split
the Ipswich defence with a long ball through the middle.
Bull chested it down and was clear on the edge of the penalty area but, with
only Wright to beat, he pulled his shot wide of the post.
Teams:
Ipswich: Wright, Stockwell, Clapham, Dyer (Sonner 78), Mowbray,
Cundy, Uhlenbeek, Holland, Johnson, Mathie (Scowcroft 60),
Petta (Tanner 89).
Goals: Johnson 3, Holland 57, Scowcroft 74.
Wolverhampton: Segers, Wright, Naylor (Atkins 63),
Richards (Keane 57), Williams, Curle, Froggatt, Robinson, Bull,
Paatelainen (Freedman 68), Osborn.
Sent Off: Osborn (61).
Booked: Williams, Robinson.
Att: 21,510
Ref: B Knight (Orpington).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook