Daryl Murphy and Aaron Cresswell netted second-half goals as the Blues came behind to beat Yeovil 2-1 at Portman Road. Winger Joel Grant, a player who held talks with Town in the summer, put the visitors ahead with a stunning strike from the edge of the box two minutes before the break, but Murphy scraped home from close range on 53 and Cresswell added the second seven minutes later.

Murphy was back in the Town starting line-up in place of Frank Nouble up front, while skipper Carlos Edwards returned to the side for Paul Anderson, who missed out with a minor groin injury.

Murphy struck the game’s first shot in the opening minute from the edge of the box, but failed to significantly test Wayne Hennessey in the Yeovil goal.

The Irishman hit another shot wide from the right soon afterwards as the Blues started brightly. On six, Ryan Tunnicliffe scuffed a low shot through to Hennessey from the edge of the Glovers’ box.

Aside from a couple of Joel Grant breaks and Christophe Berra dispossessing Andy Williams inside the Town area, the early stages had been all Town. In the 16th minute a long spell of Blues passing ended with David McGoldrick hitting a powerful shot which Hennessey blocked.

Grant saw an 18th minute effort deflect wide for the Glovers, but the game was largely being played in the visitors’ half with the Blues set the challenge of breaking down the Yeovil defences. On 22 Murphy just failed to get his head to a corner coming in from the left.

The Blues continued to push and in the 26th minute McGoldrick tricked his way to the byline on the left but his cross was cleared to Tunnicliffe, whose shot was blocked.

Three minutes later, McGoldrick cut in from the right and hit a low shot across the face of Hennessey’s goal.

Town went close again in the 34th minute when Aaron Cresswell sent Tunnicliffe away down the left and the on-loan Manchester United man cut the ball inside to Murphy. The Irishman took a touch when he should have shot first time, allowing a defender to get across to block his effort on goal.

Soon after, Cresswell struck a couple of efforts, Luke Ayling painfully blocking the first and Hennessey grabbing the second, then at the other end Williams shot at Gerken. Moments later, the Town keeper had to react sharply to clear Luke Chambers’s backpass ahead of the Yeovil striker.

The half had been almost all Town, but as so often happens it was Yeovil who would go in front in the 43rd minute.

The Blues failed to clear from the edge of the box and Grant — a player who might have been wearing a Town shirt had circumstances been different — twisted his way around Cole Skuse, found himself space and smashed a left-foot shot into the top corner of Gerken’s net.

In injury time, Tunnicliffe crossed from the left but Chambers’s knock-down was too far in front of his team-mates.

The half-time scoreline of 1-1 was hardly a fair reflection of a first 45 minutes which the Blues had dominated for the most part, however, without making the most of their possession or opportunities.

But Yeovil had defended stoutly and Grant’s brilliant strike was one which few keepers would have stopped.

Williams hit the second half’s first shot into the sidenetting in the 48th minute, then at the other end Hyam’s 25-yard strike was deflected wide after he had been teed up by Tunnicliffe.

Town got back on terms in the 53rd minute when McGoldrick brought the ball across from the left and played the ball to Edwards, who fed Chambers breaking on the right.

The right-back sent in a deep cross which Skuse headed back across goal towards the far post and Murphy. The Irishman scuffed his initial effort against the post but beat Hennessey with the rebound for his first goal of the season.

McGoldrick wasn’t far from making it 2-1 within a minute when he broke into the area on the right, cut past his defender and hit a shot which fizzed over the bar. It looked like it had taken a deflection but referee Darren Deadman gave a goalkick. On 56 Tunnicliffe shot not far over from 25 yards.

Town went in front on the hour when McGoldrick played the ball to Cresswell to his left just inside the area. The full-back’s left-foot cross was blocked by summer Town trialist Dan Seaborne but the loose ball ran to Cresswell, who curled a right-foot shot past Hennessey for his first goal of the campaign.

On 68 Murphy saw a shot deflect behind, then from the corner Tommy Smith stooped and headed wide.

Town continued to look the more dangerous side and on 76 Hyam hit a low effort which Hennessey blocked and then claimed ahead of the on-rushing Murphy. Two minutes later, Jay Tabb took over from Tunnicliffe on the left of midfield.

On 80, Murphy was just prevented from getting on the end of a Cresswell freekick from the left by a defender’s head, then from the corner Hennessey saved Berra’s header superbly to his left after Smith’s flick. The loose ball fell to McGoldrick but his shot was blocked.

In injury time Joe Ralls had the chance to grab what would have been an undeserved leveller after latching on to a low cross from the right but Gerken was equal to his scraped strike.

McGoldrick shot over for the Blues moments before referee Deadman blew the final whistle to signal a second Town home win in four days.

The Blues were well worth the three points having been the better side throughout if not at the top of their game. Grant’s excellent opener came against the run of play with Town not having made the most of their domination of the match up to then.

After the break, they kept up the pressure and the goals came from Murphy and Cresswell. There was little panic from there and — aside from Ralls’s late opportunity — Mick McCarthy’s men looked more likely to add to their lead than the Glovers were to get back on terms.

Two home wins in the space of a few days, both after going behind, see the Blues climb to a much more healthy-looking 11th in the Championship with 10 points after seven games.

Town: Gerken, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Edwards, Skuse, Hyam, Tunnicliffe (Tabb 78), Murphy, McGoldrick. Subs: Loach, Hewitt, Veseli, Wordsworth, Taylor, Nouble.

Yeovil: Hennessey, Ayling, McAllister, Fontaine, Seaborne, Edwards (Davis 71), Upson, Ralls, Grant (Hoskins 78), Hayter (Moore 62), Williams. Subs: Dunn, Dawson, Foley, Ofori-Twumasi. Referee: Darren Deadman (Cambridgeshire). Att: 15,340 (Yeovil: 155).

Photo: Action Images

Robbie12345 added 21:53 - Sep 17 Sounds a exciting game! Glad we got the 3 points! Anyone know if Grant was as good as they make out? Bit odd from Mick to only make 1 sub? Did the synchronised clapping contribute to either goal? Not bad attendance concidering it is a Tuesday! Another win on Saturday will put us in a decent position, COYB :)
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LankHenners added 21:54 - Sep 17 Well done Town! Great to see that we have some character and are able to turn games around. This time last year it would have been a completely different story.
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StuartBrett8 added 21:56 - Sep 17 Great result, coming from behind again, tip for the prediction league, always give the opposition a goal :)
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Keaneish added 21:57 - Sep 17 I was wondering where all the doom and gloomer's were getting their 'we need more attacking midfielder's' comments from and from listening to the game on the radio tonight, i can now see it was from Mick Mills! Alright Mick, we get it... His comments on Gerken are harsh. He's been solid since coming in for Loach. He commented that he's not as good as other loan keepers we've had...!!! Not that easy to go out and sign a Begovic Mick!! Happy with the points. Sounded scrappy. On to Wigan...

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TractorCam added 22:02 - Sep 17 Not the best performance by a mile, way too defensive in midfield with Hyam and Skuse passing it backwards and sideways. Yeovil were quite a decent side, definitely played better than Middlesbrough and certainly kept pressuring us, if it wasn't for a good save from Gerken at the end could have been points dropped. 2 consecutive home wins, on to Wigan away!
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BillBlue added 22:03 - Sep 17 Well we won but to be honest it did not sound very convincing so I am worried about the future. It is always nice to get three points but it is also nice to hear your team are running the other side ragged. Mick Mils sounded quite despairing tonight and it is the worst I have heard him for a long time. Anyway we do have ten points and it isn't yet the first of November! Phil if it was 1-1 at half time then perhaps we really won 3-1!

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BillBlue added 22:06 - Sep 17 Keanish. I think Mick Mills was just telling it as he saw and he was there and you apparently were not!
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runaround added 22:16 - Sep 17 I feel the result was slightly harsh on Yeovil who played excellent football in first half but the result is what matters. Hull got promoted last season by grinding out results & I feel we ground it out tonight. Berra, Skuse, Murphy & Cresswell played very well but Hyam once again disappointed although he did get a couple of shots away whilst Tunnicliffe seemed to get in the way in his over eagerness! Two wins on the trot & suddenly things seem brighter, quite fancy us at Wigan now!!

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Keaneish added 22:25 - Sep 17 No i wasn't Bill, i listened to it on the radio as i said! But i was there Saturday and i disagree with some of his comments he made about that game as i do with some of the comments he's made now. Negativity seems to be stemming from him and onto the message boards and the phone ins which just gets regurgitated. If MM wants to keep Hyam and Skuse in the middle and make the centre of our side, strong, work man like and difficult to break down then so be it. The season will unfold and show us whether that's the right decision but given we've scored nearly a quarter of all the goals we scored last season in out first 7 games, it obviously ain't going too badly!! As you listened to i on the radio as well, do you agree with his comments about Gerken?

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PimsNumber1 added 22:26 - Sep 17 Very entertaining game. yeovil were much better that i expected. We definitely deserved to win but the football from mboth sides was decent. Thought Skuse berra and smith were the picks.
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rosseden added 22:34 - Sep 17 Phil it says it was 1-1 a half time, we were one behind then.... The half-time scoreline of 1-1 was hardly a fair reflection of a first 45 minutes which the Blues had dominated for the most part, however, without making the most of their possession or opportunities.
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Tractor_Bhoy added 22:37 - Sep 17 Skuse was excellent tonight but I find it hard to understand why we are playing two holding midfielders. Hyam was poor but even if he'd had a decent game its such a defensive set up at home to one of the likely whipping boys of the league. Surprised Tunnicliffe ( and not Hyam) was taken off - he has the energy going forward and should be through the middle with Skuse holding. Lot of positives from the game -great work rate up top from McGoldrick and Murphs, Berra really solid at the back, Cressy excellent for the full 90 minutes. League table looking a little more cheery tonight.

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dav86 added 22:37 - Sep 17 Hyam needs to be dropped!
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HALLSJ added 22:39 - Sep 17 2pts from the play offs and already been away to QPR & Reading would have taken that when the season began.
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bejewelled added 22:40 - Sep 17 6 point out of 6 can't ask more than that. Well done lads now bring on Wigan Sunday. Up the Town
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TractorBoy666 added 22:48 - Sep 17 You cannot play great every game, so to people that are 'worrying' that we only beat Yeovil should be happy we got the 3 points. We didn't play well and won tonight, so that can only be a good sign. We seem to start games slowly though, but we normally play better when we go behind! I thought their left winger caused us the most problems when he came on, but we stood strong. Great 6 points, on to wigan now! COYB

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Justaoneoff added 22:50 - Sep 17 All you moaning that hyam needs to be dropped should actually spend a bit of time watching the work he does. I think you'll find if you drop hyam we will concede more goals and then creativity won't be what your all moaning about. 18 chances according to the stats tonight - not bad with 'two holding midfielders'. The negativity of some so called fans is embarrassing

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ManningtreeBlue99 added 22:51 - Sep 17 Ryan Tunnicliffe, outstanding! Pace, power and attacking minded whilst the midfield around him passed it backwards. Cristophe Berra as CB was a very wise choice. Chambo fits RB perfectly.
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StowTractorBoy added 22:52 - Sep 17 Bearing in mind the pattern of the game this was a great result for us but then I go to watch Ipswich win under whatever circumstances. What does Mick Mills and some supporters want - be brilliant and lose 4-3 - sorry not for me. Had we taken the early chances we created Murphy being the main culprit the game would have been over after half an hour. As so often happens Yeovil then had a good spell and what a cracking goal it was. Credit to Town for coming out and eventually winning the game and well done Dean Gerken for the save in the dying minutes when Yeovil should haved scored. Plus points Berra getting better every game, Cresswell excellent down the left and in general the defence look fairly solid. Midfield still a concern as although very workmanlike there is very little creativity - how many times have we said that this season. At the end of the day we won and I have great faith in what Mick McCarthy is doing.

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Moscow_Blue added 22:55 - Sep 17 I was there and also heard Mick Mills post match (constructive) criticism on Radio Suffolk. Just a few points to make - Yeovil made it difficult and are not a bad side (better than Birmingham and Millwall from what I have seen at first hand), Berra is superb, we deserved to win, we are not the shambles we were twelve months ago, 3 points is very welcome, all credit to the 155 Yeovil fans who were there and made their presence felt. Look, I don't think there is anyone who wants to see Town successful more than Mick Mills and he is only trying to recommend improvements.

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Tractor_Bhoy added 23:04 - Sep 17 Justaoneoff - really? Skuse can sit and hold all day long. Playing someone else in the middle with him who gets forward more does not mean he'll be left by himself all game. When Ipswich need to break it down or win it back there'll be two in the middle to do that. When there's space to go forward, then its more likely we'll go forward rather than seeing yet another ball played square or back to the centre half.

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chevvymalc added 23:14 - Sep 17 It was a scappy game but if you can win those hopefully the results will come easier when we play better. Yeovil were no pushovers the possession first half stats gave us 53% to43% so not a lot in it. It was pleasing to see them all running and closing down players with the ball. l Lay off Hyam he,s still learning on saturday he covered about 10 miles up and down the pitch and probably did tonight he will improve in time but he,s by no means a weak link now!!

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TimmyH added 23:16 - Sep 17 Could never see Yeovil being a pushover as their away form has been better than their home. In my eyes a potential banana skin averted, just the sort of game we would have lost under Keane or Jewell - so all in all glad we've got 3 points and particularly as Yeovil played ok. Onto Wigan and once again will we get another of those played well but come away with nothing scenario's? - about time we grabbed some points of a newly relegated team.

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Justaoneoff added 23:20 - Sep 17 Tractor_bhoy - yeah really, hyam covered 14k on Saturday you think the likes of Wordsworth would do that?
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Blaine96 added 23:21 - Sep 17 Hyam is a great player and i dont think he should be dropped. He may need a rest but im sure TC is working to try and get one of them more forward. Skuse is absolutely BRILLIANT. What a signing he was. Got forward a bit tonight but we are still scoring goals so the 2 midfielders in Hyam and Skuse can't be that much of a problem. If we keep scoring then i can see why Mick is sticking with a midfield that is hard to break down through the middle. I also think Tunnicliffe is a great capture. Has a lot of energy and is attacking minded and as Mick said. He dont mind playing on the left.

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