Ipswich Thrash Luton

[davieG]

With 7 players under the age of 22 ( according to the match commentary). It can be done!

From Sky

A hat-trick from Alan Lee helped Ipswich Town move into the top half of The Championship after a comprehensive 5-0 win over Luton Town.

Jim Magilton's men could have enjoyed a comprehensive advantage at the break, but in the event only a Sylvain Legwinski header separated the sides at half time.

Mike Newell's side suffered from some puzzling officiating at times, with Rowan Vine having an effort ruled out for offside before Jaime Peters scored his first goal for the East Anglian outfit despite an apparent foul to the visitors' keeper, but the illness-afflicted Hatters could have little complaint at the final whistle.

It was Lee who compounded the rout by claiming a 24 minute hat-trick, with his third coming from the penalty spot in the last minute following a foul from Kevin Foley.

Ipswich enjoyed a deluge of chances in the first half and should have boasted more than a one-goal advantage at the break, with one glorious opportunity passed up by Billy Clarke inside ten minutes as he blasted high over the bar when the ball fell at his feet six yards out.

After Dan Harding had pulled a shot wide, Alex Bruce cannoned a header off the crossbar from Fabian Wilnis' cross and the opening goal came when Ipswich won a corner from the resulting phase of play.

From Matthew Richards' set-piece Legwinski got the jump on his marker Keith Keane and ran to the near post to direct a header across goal and past Lewis Emmanuel who was unable to clear on the line.

The French midfielder had his shooting boots on after also scoring against Southend last weekend, and was desperately unlucky to see a fine curling drive hit the upright after receiving the ball from the impressive Clarke.

With the home side in rampant form Hatters keeper Marlon Beresford had to be at his best, and the veteran shot stopper produced a fine save to palm away Simon Walton's drive before outdoing himself with a superb close range stop from Clarke after the highly-rated striker had burst through on goal.

Clarke picked up the rebound and his shot clipped the top of the crossbar as Ipswich rattled the woodwork for the third time in a dominant opening 45 minutes.

After a non-existent display in the first half, Newell's Hatters looked in better shape initially after the break, but fell victim to two moments of dubious officiating.

Two minutes after the restart Vine seemingly blasted home his ninth goal of the season after converting Carlos Edwards' cross, but a puzzling offside decision took the wind out of his sails.

After 54 minutes the Bedfordshire side suffered another telling setback when Lee leaped to challenge Beresford in the air, as despite his elbow appearing to impede the goalkeeper's own jump Peters was allowed to tap in from close range as the ball fell loose.

Luton would rightly have felt aggrieved at the decision but Ipswich were proving the old cliche that you make your own luck in football, as their unstinting efforts clearly justified a two-goal lead.

Indeed two became three when Lee added his name to the scoresheet, with the striker showing good composure to take the ball wide of Kevin Foley and arrow a neat finish through the right back's legs and past Beresford.

The striker made Luton's grievances regarding the officiating even more redundant on 75 minutes when he scored his second goal, volleying home from close range after Beresford saved a header from substitute Daniel Haynes, and there was still time to add a third from the spot.

Irish defender Foley was culpable as he pulled back Gary Roberts in the box, and Lee set the seal on a thumping win by sending Beresford the wrong way from 12 yards.

[Milky]

very impressive.

down another place we go

[Gené and Tonic]

Well done Jim Magilton..Ipswich have an excellent batch of youngsters coming through and seems as though he's putting his faith in them.

[shen]

Well done Jim Magilton..Ipswich have an excellent batch of youngsters coming through and seems as though he's putting his faith in them.

Isn't that always the case? Sure feels like it...

[lcfc_jme]

Well done Jim Magilton..Ipswich have an excellent batch of youngsters coming through and seems as though he's putting his faith in them.

Judging by the results our youngsters are achieving and the levels of their performances, I'd say we have an incredible batch of youngsters ourselves. This sort of result and performance supports Thracian's posts, and suggests that if the kids are good enough and are given a chance, then they will do the biz.

[Maybes]

Blimey. You cant predict anything in this league.

[Joe.]

Just after Luton hammered dirty Leeds last week...

[Leonisco]

Just after Luton hammered dirty Leeds last week...

But how much of this can be put down to the fact that the Luton players had just witnessed a fellow squad member suffer a stroke? Can't have been good for morale.