Town win 3-1 at Plymouth

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town's season took a turn for the better in the Coca-Cola Championship at Home Park this afternoon.

They collected a timely and fully-deserved victory, outplaying a poor Plymouth side for much of the game with the only sour point a stoppage time sending off for David Norris for tapping the ball away at a free-kick decision.

Owen Garvan (28 and 42 minutes) and Kevin Lisbie (49 minutes) supplied the goals to take their respective tallies to four this campaign.

An unmarked Craig Cathcart headed low into the corner of the goal in the 80th minute for Plymouth's consolation.

If the Blues, who carried on from Tuesday's match passing the ball sweetly, can keep this level of play they achieve what everybody at the club has been predicting - a strong move up the table.

Ipswich made two changes with Miller, the goalscorer and rated by many as Town man of the match at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, dropped to the bench along with Counago.

In came Norris, who received a great reception from Argyle fans after his five-year service for the Pilgrims before his January £2million move to Portman Road, and Lisbie.

There was no place on the bench for Campo, who was in the travelling party, and Haynes, with the Blues playing in an all-red strip.

Plymouth had a 4-4-1-1 formation with Gallagher playing just behind Fallon up front for the home side.

In the third minute Town went within a few inches of taking the lead. An error in the home defence let in Walters and he bore down on goal to shoot left-footed from 12-yards.

The ball appeared the brush Larrieu and go on to come back off the foot of the far post.

It was so close to a perfect Town start and they were knocking the ball around well with the home fans already showing signs of restlessness.

But Plymouth almost scored in the tenth minute when Fallon broke down the left and pulled the ball back for the unmarked Gallagher right in front of goal.

The connection was good but R Wright was equal to the task and managed to block the shot with his body.

The Town party flew down to the West Country from Cambridge Airport yesterday, and they were flying back to East Anglia tonight.

McAuley was booked for pulling back Fallon, and from the free-kick in the 21st minute Fallon got above the defence at the far post to send a downward header into the side netting.

Town took the lead in the 28th minute after sloppy home defending. D Wright hoisted the ball high into the box with Lisbie making a challenge.

The ball came back off Duguid and Garvan was unmarked and able to place an accurate right-foot low shot into the far corner.

In the 30th minute, with Town playing attractive stuff still, Lisbie worked a shooting chance and saw his angled effort go off the keeper and for a corner.

In the 40th minute, Plymouth were given a free-kick a foot outside the area when the foul - if there was one - was clearly two yards inside. It did not look a foul at all, with R Wright diving to his left to save Gallagher's low shot.

Town went two goals ahead in the 42nd minute when Lisbie played the ball back from the by-line and Garvan let fly with a 20-yard right-foot shot that flew through a possee of defenders into the far corner.

Town had lost one of their previous eight league games, while Plymouth had won their previous three home games and five wins out of their last seven matches.

The visitors go further ahead in the 49th minute when Norris cuts inside beyond a woeful defence to have his low shot saved.

Lisbie follows up like all good strikers should to side-foot the loose ball under the keeper. It is his fourth goal of the season. Garvan is also now on four.

Lisbie was catching the eye up front with some good movement with their midfield dominant.

Despite scoring two goals with his right foot, Garvan sends in a 69th minute free-kick that Larrieu does well to leap and parry away at the far post.

The game was over for all intents and purposes with Lisbie suffering cramp before going off and the visitors still very much in charge in front of a silent home crowd.

Cathcart pulled a goal back for Plymouth in the 80th minute when he headed a free-kick goalwards and right into the corner after Plymouth had brought on attacking players.

R Wright dived to his right with the unmarked Cathcart finding the bottom corner.

Ipswich held out comfortably after that in a game that was filled with bookings from an inefficient referee.

Mr Miller sent off Norris in the final seconds for his second yellow card and will miss one match - at home to Charlton on Tuesday.

Teams:

Plymouth Argyle: Larrieu; McNamee, Cathcart, Seip, Barker; Mackie (sub Marin 56), Summerfield (MacLean 71), Duguid, Clark; Gallagher; Fallon (Noone 56). Substitutes: Paterson, Timar.

Ipswich Town: R Wright, Volz, McAuley, Naylor, D Wright; Norris, Shumilikoski, Garvan (Miller 74), Quinn, Walters (Counago 82), Lisbie (Stead 74). Substitutes: Supple, Bruce.

Referee: Mr P Miller (Bedfordshire)

Attendance: 12,294 (725 Ipswich)