Boss Jim Magilton was delighted with his side's performance as they defeated Charlton 2-0 at Portman Road. Goals from Owen Garvan and Danny Haynes took the Blues up to eighth in the table.

Magilton said: "It gives us a lot of confidence. Sometimes after a bad run you don't know where your next win is going to come from, but there's so much character in our dressing room.

"The players knew this was a big game and they stood up to the plate. Now we've just got to carry on winning.

"We've got eight games left and have nothing to lose but everything to gain.

"I'm the first person to criticise the players and give an honest assessment when we play badly, but today I thought we were outstanding.

"We showed so much character and desire and, to a man, worked hard. We got our just rewards and were good value for 2-0."

Magilton had sympathy for Shefki Kuqi, who was stretched off in the closing stages on his second debut for the Blues: "It can be a cruel game sometimes, football. You can see what he means to people by the wonderful ovation he got here.

"The big man warms up properly, he takes his time getting himself ready, but it looks as though his hamstring has gone.

"We will know more when he has had a scan and we will take it on from there, but obviously it's a big concern for us."

Town also lost David Norris to injury in the first half, the former Plymouth man departing with a heel injury.

Charlton boss Alan Pardew felt his side ought to have got something from the match: "We're very disappointed because we controlled large sections of the game.

"I couldn't fault the attitude or applications of my players but things just didn't go our way. We've played a lot worse than that and won.

"But there's enough character and resilience in the dressing room to bounce back - we've just got to keep on working hard.

"I'm buoyed by the fact there were some good performances from us today and the truth is that we still carry a major threat - and by that I don't just mean finishing in the play-offs, I mean to go up."

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls