Ipswich Town 3-2 Cardiff City: Hosts go second after thrilling comeback win

Freddie Ladapo's double means he has scored three goals so far this season

Ipswich Town's eye-catching return to the Championship continued as Freddie Ladapo's second-half double helped them fight back from 2-0 down to claim victory over Cardiff City.

Wales captain Aaron Ramsey's cool first-time finish gave Cardiff the lead at the break and they doubled the advantage early in the second half thanks to Joe Ralls' precise shot.

The Bluebirds had impressed up until that point and looked well placed to claim a first away league win under Erol Bulut.

But Nathan Broadhead's fine strike breathed life into the home side and they quickly drew level through Ladapo's close-range finish.

The winner arrived 12 minutes from time, when Cardiff goalkeeper Alex Runarsson blocked a cross only for the ball to hit Ladapo and bounce over the line.

The Tractor Boys' somewhat unlikely revival gave them a fourth win in five league games since they returned to the second tier after four years in League One.

Kieran McKenna's team are up to second in the early-season league table, while Cardiff drop to 19th having won only one of their first five league matches.

Ipswich were formidable opponents at Portman Road last season, with their solitary home league loss en route to promotion from League One coming against Lincoln City last October.

But after Leeds United ended Ipswich's unbeaten start to this campaign last weekend, Kieran McKenna's team were given another tough examination - for the first hour at least - by Cardiff.

The story of the game might have been different had Broadhead not headed an early Harry Clarke cross straight at Runarsson.

From that point Cardiff began to impose themselves, with Karlan Grant shooting wide before Dimitrios Goutas met Ramsey's corner with a header which was brilliantly saved by Vaclav Hladky.

Grant was on hand to sweep in the rebound, but Ipswich were saved by a marginal offside call.

There was no let-off for the hosts when Ramsey sent Grant into space down the left, then advanced into the box to meet the on-loan West Brom forward's low return pass with a first-time shot which gave Hladky no chance.

Ipswich rallied, with George Hirst and then Conor Chaplin denied by Runarsson, who was impressing in his first Championship appearance since joining on loan from Arsenal.

Cardiff then missed a golden opportunity to double their lead before the break when Yakou Meite headed over.

Bulut's team were not to be denied early in the second half, with Ramsey involved once more as he fed Ralls in the area.

Cardiff's captain saw his initial shot blocked by Massimo Luongo, but rolled his second effort low into the far corner of the net.

Ipswich were in need of a swift response and they got one thanks to the quality of Broadhead, with the Wales international thumping home his third goal of the season from the edge of the area.

Aaron Ramsey's goal was his second since he rejoined Cardiff in the summer

There was an element of fortune about the equaliser, as Cardiff midfielder Manolis Siopis attempted to smother a short corner, but only succeeded in helping the ball into the path of Ladapo.

The Ipswich forward, who had come on as a first-half substitute thanks to an injury to Hirst, turned the ball in at the near post.

Cardiff might have retaken the lead only for Grant to shoot close to Hladky, before sharp work by substitute Omari Hutchinson opened up Bulut's rearguard once more.

After Hutchinson made space down the right and drilled the ball across the face of goal, Runarsson stuck out a leg to clear and then watched in agony as the ball ricocheted off Ladapo's chest and into the net.

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna:

"We said we can't win every week but we promised we'd give the fans a team that would have a go, be brave and fight to the last minute. I think the boys showed that today and it's a great way to win a game.

"I know they will keep going. Some days you get a bit of luck and it goes your way, some days it won't.

"There are lessons to take from the first half for sure. It was a different type of game to what we have faced so far.

"We are stepping up to a much higher level. We are going to go behind in games. If the fans see the players running hard and trying to win games, I expect the fans to stay with us."

Cardiff manager Erol Bulut:

"When you lead 2-0, you don't have to give it away. We have to be more disciplined.

"Two goals we receive a little bit unluckily - the second one and third one. But we had also enough chances to finish the game. First half we had the chances, second half we had the chances.

"I said to my team, we want to keep the ball, we train always for this. Then we have to move and fight for this. It's not enough.

"Positives we have of course. The transition from defence to offence was great in the first half. Second half we had chances. But for me, defence starts up front. Against the ball we have to work much more aggressively and not lose our discipline."