IPSWICH TOWN 3 PORTSMOUTH 0IPSWICH kept alive their play-off hopes, and put Pompey's title party on hold, with a convincing Good Friday victory.Town were the sharper side from the start against a Portsmouth team who looked as if they had been celebrating a little too hard after clinching promotion in midweek.

IPSWICH TOWN 3 PORTSMOUTH 0

IPSWICH kept alive their play-off hopes, and put Pompey's title party on hold, with a convincing Good Friday victory.

Town were the sharper side from the start against a Portsmouth team who looked as if they had been celebrating a little too hard after clinching promotion in midweek.

Martijn Reuser opened the scoring on ten minutes with a purposeful run through the middle and a thumping 25-yard drive into the bottom corner.

The excellent Matt Richards created the second after 27 minutes with a strong run down the left. Pompey's defence failed to deal with Richards's cross, and Tommy Miller prodded the ball home after a scramble in the box.

Two minutes later man-of-the-match Pablo Counago made sure of the points. He turned defender Arjan De Zeuw inside out before firing a stunning shot into the roof of the net from a sharp angle.

The 3-0 scoreline was no more than flying Town deserved at the break. And though Pompey showed more determination after the break, Joe Royle's men were still barely threatened.

Town should have had a penalty after 63 minutes when referee Eddie Wolstenholme failed to see a blatant handball by Steve Stone, who turned aside a goalbound header from Reuser.

With three games to go, Town are just a point outside the play-off places. Performances like this against Rotherham, Wimbledon and Derby could well take them into the end-of-season promotion shake-up.