Town's play-off hopes were given a massive boost as they convincingly beat Portsmouth 3-0 at Portman Road. Three goals within the first 30 minutes gave the Blues a cushion which they held on to during a second half where they rarely looked under threat.

Joe Royle decided to start with Martijn Reuser on the left of midfield in a 4-4-2 formation, the side the same as the one which had started the second half at Coventry last week.

The first goalmouth action of the game saw Marcus Bent head over a Jim Magilton freekick taken from inside the centre circle. A minute later Pablo Couñago went close but his shot from the edge of the area was a foot or so wide of Shaka Hislop's right post.

The early stages were dominated by Town and on 10 they went ahead. Martijn Reuser picked up a wayward De Zeeuw pass inside the centre circle, the Dutchman brought the ball forward to the edge of the area. Marcus Bent made a run which took a defender away and left the Dutchman with space to shoot from 30 yards, low past Hislop, the keeper diving too late to his right as the ball hit the net.

It was a fine goal from Reuser, who seems to hit form annually as Town go into the closing stages of the season.

Andy Marshall had rarely been in action in the opening exchanges but on 13 made his only significant contribution to the game. Festa found space on the left 25 yards out and hit a shot which Marshall tipped round his right post.

Four minutes later Town almost extended their lead. A persistent Couñago run saw the Spaniard run down the goal-line and almost into the six-yard box. He laid the ball back to Tommy Miller whose shot was saved by Hislop, the midfielder's rebound also being blocked.

Gianluca Festa appeared lucky to get away without any card at all in the 21st minute after an obvious elbow in Martijn Reuser's face as the pair clashed on the touchline in front of the dug-outs. The incident was not dissimilar to the Sol Campbell/Ole Gunnar Solskjaer clash earlier in the week. Reuser required treatment and once he was up once more, Festa came over to apologise and the two enjoyed a brief hug.

Nigel Quashie wasted a decent Portsmouth opportunity on 23 when he sliced a freekick from the edge of the area wide. Svetoslav Todorov had won the freekick with a theatrical fall which had been enough to persuade referee Eddie Wolstenholme to award the freekick.

In the 27th minute Town went further ahead after a fine move down the left. Tommy Miller played the ball into space for Matt Richards who brought the ball forwards before crossing low towards Marcus Bent. The striker failed to get hold of it but the ball bounced off his defender into the path of Miller who drove home from eight yards for his 11th goal of the season.

Two minutes later and the Blues were three-up. Tommy Miller was involved again, playing in Couñago on the right. The former Celta Vigo man took the ball into the box, went inside and then outside De Zeeuw, before lashing a shot powerfully into the roof of the Portsmouth net with Hislop standing no chance.

Town had been simply magnificent throughout the first half hour and continued to push, Marcus Bent crossing for Martijn Reuser, but the Dutchman failing to get sufficient power on his volley.

Not long after Tim Sherwood, roundly booed for his Norwich connections by the very vocal Portman Road crowd, was booked for throwing the ball at Reuser as Town prepared to take a corner. From Reuser's kick, Matt Holland flicked on at the near post to Thomas Gaardsøe at the back of the box. His close-range effort was well saved at the last by Hislop, although the Dane ought to have been more positive with his finish.

Just before the end of the half, Nigel Quashie hit a shot wide from just outside the area but his shot went well wide. Thomas Gaardsøe picked up a yellow card with moments remaining for a foul on Todorov.

The first half had been a fantastic display of passing and finishing by the Blues with Portsmouth having to little to offer to counter the onslaught. The second period could hardly hope to match the previous 45 minutes for entertainment and so it was to prove.

The visitors started the half strongly and Matt Richards did well to be on the spot to put a dangerous Festa cross out for a corner. Town seemed content to sit back and soak up the pressure with Pompey rarely threatening Andy Marshall's goal in any seriousness.

For the Blues, Miller went wide from 25 yards before Portsmouth had the ball in the net through Lee Bradbury, however the linesman's flag had been raised some while before he beat Marshall.

Just after the hour the Blues should have had a penalty after a clear handball in the area. Couñago and Bent had done well on the right and Bent crossed into the box towards the head of Reuser. The Dutchman seemed destined to head home when Steve Stone‘s hand pushed the ball out his path. Despite Town protests Mr Wolstenholme was unimpressed and gave Portsmouth a goalkick.

Jim Magilton was enjoying another fine game in the centre of the Town midfield but with a game at Rotherham on Monday Joe Royle decided to rest him, Jermaine Wright coming on, to boos from some sections of the North Stand.

With 15 minutes left Portsmouth had their only real chance of the half, Festa heading a corner straight at Marshall when he might have tested him more.

Couñago almost added a fourth when he broke on the right, cut in and slipped the ball past Hislop and across the six-yard box but no one was there to play the ball into the empty net.

By this stage the Pompey faithful had given the game up as lost and decided to enjoy celebrating their promoted status instead. One fan spent the final stages dancing on the roofs of the executive boxes with police watching on, waiting to nab him when he finally decided to climb back into the stand.

With nine minutes remaining Alun Armstrong replaced Marcus Bent while Ian Westlake took over from Martijn Reuser, the Dutchman hugging Joe Royle as he came off.

A Pericard header, saved with little ceremony by Marshall was the last serious goalmouth action of a game which in truth was over as a contest in the first 30 minutes. Rarely has a ground reverberated with the songs of two such happy sets of fans, Portsmouth cheering their promotion and the Blues' their continuing push for the play-offs which look more and more realistic.

A fine display by Town with notable performances all over the park. Couñago was superb throughout while Reuser was again dangerous and will only get better as his fitness levels increase. Matt Richards, up against former England international Steve Stone, had probably his best game in the senior side, comfortable both defensively and when coming forward. Tommy Miller, Jim Magilton and Matt Holland were in control mush of the afternoon while Gaardsøe and Makin were rarely in trouble.

Three games left, against Rotherham, Wimbledon and Derby. Nine more points is very possible as are the dropped points from the likes of Wolves and Forest which will allow Town to grab a vital play-off place.

Photo: Action Images

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