In front of their biggest crowd of the season, Ipswich came from behind to record a victory which keeps them in contention for the play-offs, while defeat for Norwich leaves them just four points above the relegation zone.
The scoreline betrays the fact that this was a phenomenally one-sided contest. A succession of missed chances by Ipswich meant their fans were forced to sweat for their victory. As it turned out, that merely made their jubilation at the final whistle all the more worthwhile.
“At 2-1 it’s always precarious, you always worry,” said the Ipswich manager, Jim Magilton. “But I thought the players were outstanding. In life in general I think we’re quick to criticise, but today they deserve our full praise.”
Norwich took the lead after just four minutes when Ched Evans fired a 25-yard snapshot which seemed to catch Ipswich’s goalkeeper Stephen Bywater off-guard and nestled in the bottom right corner.
Their lead lasted just eight minutes. The Norwich centre-back Alex Pearce deflected a Danny Haynes cross into his own net, after good build-up play involving Owen Garvan, Shefki Kuqi and Pablo Counago, who was returning from a three-game suspension.
Counago was at the centre of everything positive from Ipswich and it was his deft ball which Haynes latched on to and slipped through the legs of Norwich’s goalkeeper David Marshall to give the home side the lead five minutes before the interval.
Haynes was already a cult figure among Ipswich fans thanks to three goals in as many games against Norwich, and the winner here will elevate the England Under-19 international to hero status. Had Norwich managed to emerge with an undeserved point, however, then Haynes would have been the chief culprit as Ipswich failed to put the game to bed. “Had we not won the game I would have strangled him,” Magilton said.
Haynes was slightly more philosophical. “I’ve missed quite a few sitters today but that’s football – you’ve just got to crack on,” he said.
“It was a disappointing day for everyone at the club,” said the Norwich manager, Glenn Roeder. “We’ve got nine points to play for and that’s what we’ll try to achieve. We’ve got to be positive.”
Magilton looked forward to Ipswich’s final three games, from which they will need maximum points if they are to reach the play-offs. “I hope it goes right to the wire,” he said. “If it does, it means we’re still in the hunt.”
Goals: Evans (4) 0-1; Pearce og (12) 1-1; Haynes (40) 2-1.
Ipswich (4-4-2): Bywater; Simpson, Bruce (Castro 56), De Vos, Wright; Haynes, Miller, Garvan, Quinn; Kuqi (Walters, 36), Counago (Sumulikoski, 90). Substitutes not used: Colgan (gk), Rhodes.
Norwich (4-4-2): Marshall; Otsemobor, Pearce, Doherty, Bertrand (Camara 72); Cureton, Russell, Pattison, Huckerby; Dublin (Croft, 64; Gibbs, 90), Evans. Substitutes not used: Gilks (gk), Shackell.
Referee: M Jones (Cheshire).
Booked: Ipswich Bruce, Quinn; Norwich Huckerby, Evans.
Man of the match: Counago.
Attendance: 29,656.