Ipswich 3-0 Cardiff
- Published
Two goals from Lee Martin and a Michael Chopra strike secured a fourth successive Championship win for Ipswich at home to Cardiff.
The home side took the lead against the run of play on 21 minutes when Martin scored with a well-taken finish.
And ex-Bluebird Chopra added a second three minutes into the second half with a simple finish from a counter-attack.
Martin completed the victory with his second with 17 minutes remaining.
The defeat extended Cardiff miserable record at Portman Road, where they have only won once in the last 65 seasons.
Cardiff 'second best' - Mackay
Home goalkeeper Arran Lee-Barrett was fortunate not to be sent off after nine minutes when he scythed down Joe Mason on the edge of the area.
The former Cardiff stopper escaped with a yellow card and Peter Whittingham fired the resultant free-kick over the crossbar.
Cardiff had dominated the early exchanges but it was Ipswich who took the lead against the run of play on 21 minutes.
Daryl Murphy's pass from the byline found Martin, who stroked the ball into the bottom corner for his fourth goal of the season.
Martin came close to doubling his side's advantage a minute later when he capitalised on a slip by Ben Turner only to fire over the bar.
Lee-Barrett escaped again at the other end as he cleared Whittingham's strike off his goal-line at the second attempt.
There was delay to the second half but within three minutes Ipswich had doubled their lead with Chopra scoring against the club he left last summer.
Carlos Edwards's superb cross from the right found its way to Chopra and the striker found the net from close range to score his fifth goal in four games.
Team is picking itself - Jewell
Town started the second half much the brighter with Aaron Cresswell stinging the gloves of Marshall.
Cardiff gradually restored their first-half dominance, however, and Ben Turner headed a good chance wide which could have sparked a comeback from the visitors.
But Martin secured the victory for Paul Jewell's side, again against the run of play, with his fifth of the season from close range.
It was the first time Ipswich had won four successive league games since 2004 under Joe Royle.
For Cardiff it was a disappointing way to sign off before the Carling Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley next Sunday.