Ipswich Town 3 Brighton & Hove Albion 1: IPSWICH Town made the first step on the road to recovery with a comfortable and comprehensive 3-1 win over Brighton in the Worthington Cup.

Ipswich Town 3 Brighton & Hove Albion 1

IPSWICH Town made the first step on the road to recovery with a comfortable and comprehensive 3-1 win over Brighton in the Worthington Cup.

Three first half goals from Darren Bent, Pablo Counago and a stunner from Darren Ambrose gave the Portman Road faithful something to cheer at last.

But it was Brighton who took the lead after just eight minutes when Andy Marshall dropped a Brighton free-kick and Dean Hammand was there to turn the ball into the empty net.

It was just the start Ipswich didn't want but they showed the appetite and desire that manager George Burley had requested and were quickly back into the game.

After 14 minutes a flowing move from Ipswich released Jamie Clapham in space down the left and his cross was met by Darren Bent who fired home a left-footed shot.

The strike partnership of Darren Bent and Counago was looking lively for Town and it was Counago who put Ipswich ahead after 21 minutes.

A flowing move from Town found Counago in the Brighton box and the young Spaniard showed great composure to skip past his man and slot the ball into the net.

The comeback and the scoring was completed on the stroke of half-time when a quick break from Ipswich left Ambrose in space and he rifled a shot in to the net off the underneath of the Brighton crossbar.

The second-half did not match the tempo of the first with Ipswich happy to settle for a two goal cushion.

Town are now in the hat for the third round of the Worthington Cup which should add some much needed revenue to the Ipswich coffers.

But there can be no substitute for points in the league and a return to the Premiership and Town will hope to maintain their winning ways at home to Derby County on Saturday.