IPSWICH Town won this derby 4-1 to progress through to the final of the Club Colours Suffolk Premier Cup for the first time in 37 years.As expected they beat their Ridgeons League neighbours at Humber Doucy Lane last night and will now play either Leiston or Newmarket at Portman Road to see who lifts the trophy.

By Elvin King

IPSWICH Town won this derby 4-1 to progress through to the final of the Club Colours Suffolk Premier Cup for the first time in 37 years.

As expected they beat their Ridgeons League neighbours at Humber Doucy Lane last night and will now play either Leiston or Newmarket at Portman Road to see who lifts the trophy.

But the victory was marred by a head injury sustained by young Town striker Jordan Rhodes.

He was knocked unconscious by an accidental blow to his head from Wanderers goalkeeper Jamie Stannard.

The teenager was taken to hospital by ambulance and was expected to be kept in overnight.

He had regained consciousness after being given oxygen during an eight-minute hold-up in play and was talking by the time he reached the ambulance after being carried from the field on a stretcher.

The game was over as a contest before the interval with Town building up a 4-0 interval lead.

Captained by Shane Supple and with Billy Clarke looking lively up front, Town took the lead in the 13th minute when Clarke put Liam Trotter clear to beat the keeper with a low shot.

In the 28th minute Stannard saved brilliantly from Sito Castro and Sammy Moore, but when the ball ran loose Trotter was able to score his second goal by rolling the ball into an unguarded net.

Four minutes later Clarke ran on to a perfectly-weighted pass by Moore to slip the ball beyond the on-rushing keeper.

It was the 19-year-old's first goal since October.

With the last kick of the first half, left-sided midfield player Luke Webster scored the fourth goal, turning a long pass beyond the keeper and running on to place the ball into the net.

Andy Rhodes, the father of Jordan and Town's goalkeeping coach looked on as his son received treatment before accompanying the lad to hospital.

Ipswich took their foot off the pedal after the injury, and Wanderers scored a consolation goal in the 69th minute when Dean Tournay-Godfrey netted with an impressive low finish beyond Supple.

Town manager Jim Magilton, his assistant Bryan Klug and scout Steve McCall watched the game - with

the Town team managed by Richard Hall.

Playing as a central defender, Fabian Wilnis was not unduly troubled in his first game back after a hamstring problem, while Chris Casement was one of the watching Town players - along with Gavin Williams, Owen Garvan, Alan Lee and Gary Roberts. Casement is suffering from an ankle problem.

Town have not entered the Premier Cup since they walloped Sudbury Town 6-1 in the 1969/70 final.

Teams

Ipswich Wanderers: Stannard, Cunningham, Bell, Goldfinch, Shade (sub Taylor 46), Owen, Lowe, Hyde, Tournay-Godfrey, Bennett (Banya 46), Smy (Francis 75). Subs: Johnson, Adams.

Ipswich Town: Supple, Sito (C Williams 62), Robinson, Moore, Wilnis, Fenn, Trotter, Reason, Clarke (Nimmo 74), Rhodes (Boto 48), Webster. Subs: Plummer, Tooms.

Referee: Mr R Beevor (Beccles).

Attendance: 550.