Town moved to two points behind Manchester City after a David Johnson stunner was enough to beat Crystal Palace. Town switched it about from Saturday with Manu Thetis coming into a three man backline, Martijn Reuser coming into midfield and with Jamie Clapham and Fabian Wilnis as the wide men.

Town started brightly and came very close to socring when Jim Magilton saw a 25-yarder just arc over the bar. Town were looking like they were going to have their usual high level of possession with only the occasional break forward from the visitors. As the half wore on though, Palace started to look a bit more keen for the scrap, but still really failed to create much.

Town eventually took the lead in the 26th minute. A superb long ball from Wayne Brown was chested down by Johnson who hit left footed past Gregg in the Palace goal. It was another excellent goal and Town's second open play goal from a long ball in succession. Interesting when you consider how much of our game is about short passing.

Palace had their first real opportunity when Morrison appeared to pull Wayne Brown back before unleashing a shot which caught Richard Wright's foot and away for what should have been a corner. However, as so often on a rainy and slippery night it was a decision which referee Paul Robinson got wrong.

Just before the break their was another moment of controversy when James Scowcroft attacked Palace left full-back Jamie Smith round the outside. The Town striker, the favourite for the ITFC Player of the Year Award, cut into the area where he was upended. Initially it looked an obvious penalty, although replays showed that Smith had touched the ball, whether this was incidental to the felling of Scowcroft is another matter.

Half-time came with the crowd feeling that half the job was done, but that another goal would make things that much more comfortable. Unusually Manu Thetis went through a fitness test as he was suffering from back spasms, but he came through his half-time runout unscathed.

The second half saw Town not as dominant and much as they were in the away game at Stockport. Although Richard Wright had to make only one real save, after a long run and shot from Palace's player of the match Cole, Town never really showed their true class. The half started with a flood of injuries, the first two being head injuries to two Palace players who made the mistake of simultaneously challenging Manu Thetis for the ball.

Town created chances and threatened to some extent without ever getting that clearcut chance that would have put the game safe. Magilton, Reuser and Holland were busy in midfield with Reuser darting about all over the place and looking like a man getting well used to English football.

With fifteen minutes left Manu's back finally gave up the ghost and he was replaced with Jermaine Wright. Matt Holland went to centre-half as Town kept the 5-3-2 formation.

The final whistle came to a relieved Portman Road. Town hadn't given Palace the thrashing that would have put confidence sky-high before Saturday's trip to Charlton, but they did get the points which keep the Blues in with a shout at the automatic promotion position. Manchester City's game with Birmingham will be keenly watched by Town fans with fingers crossed that one of our least beloved figures, Trevor Francis, can do us a big, big favour before Town attempt to put a dampener on Charlton's promotion party.

R Wright 8 Two excellent saves

Wilnis 5 Playing like a gawky teenager again

Thetis 8 Soilid in the air and two important tackles. still has that tendency to hang onto the ball just that second too long (J Wright, 75)

Mowbray 9 Solid and a half

Brown 8 Classy pass!

Clapham 6 Not at his best

Holland 7 Improvement on Saturday

Magilton 9 Ran the show

Reuser 8 Getting there and takes good corners!!!

Johnson 9 Well taken goal

Scowcroft 8 Stylish as ever (Naylor, 88)

Photo: Action Images

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