Town continued their resurgent form on Saturday with a 2-1 win over bogey side Crewe. The Railwaymen put Town out of the Worthington Cup earlier in the season and beat Town 2-1 in a crucial game in April which virtually scuppered Town's chances of automatic promotion.
Town lined up as they had against Wolves, buit with Gary Croft at right wing-back with Fabian Wilnis on the bench. A very audible murmur erupted throughout the ground when it was announced that young winger Sean Friars was on the bench - something many Town fans had called for for some while.
Crewe aren't a side to defend in depth in the manner of Tranmere, Wolves, Norwich and particularly everyone else we've played lately. Dario Gradi's men try to play football the right way which led to Town fans actually having a chance of watching a decent game for once.
Town strted brightly and any lingering thoughts that Crewe might defend went straight out of the window when David Johnson scored a goal which he took with the aplomb of a man scoring goals galore every week and not in the middle of a goals crisis. A neat ball forward from Mickey Stockwell saw Johnson take the ball under control and past the defender simultaneously and finish neatly to Jason Kearton's right.
Town continued to dominate going close on several occasions, most notably through Johnson. Crewe looked like a side with few ideas andrarely attacked. On one of their rare forays up field Wayne Brown ended up with his shorts round his ankles as a desperate Crewe attampt to keep the ball went badly astray.
The second half saw Crewe a bit more involved but with most of the attacking stiol from Town. Jason Kearton had his usual good game against Town and the Town attackers weren't exactly clinical with their finishing.
Town introduced Jermaine Wright and Sean Friars (to great cheers from the crowd) and both were busy as Town moved to 4-4-2 for the closing period.
Then the Town-Crewe hoodoo seemed to rear its ugly head once more. A long ball over the Ipswich defence seemed to find Crewe's Mark Rivers offside but the linesman's flag stayed down and the player who has already been a thorn in Town's side this season ran through to slot past Richard Wright.
Another occasion when Town were left with egg on their faces was averted when David Johnson scored his second goal of the game. James Scowcroft flicked on a long ball and Johnson used his pace to get beyond the defence and hit home. It was a fine return to form for the striker with a hat-trick narrowly missed when the ball slipped just wide of the post when he had excellently chipped the grounded Kearton.
Town's domination was this time rewarded with goals, although Crewe couldn't have argued if they had shipped seven or eight.
Six points out of six and back to fourth place, thiongs are looking a lot brighter than they were a couple of weeks ago.
R Wright 6 Could have done better on goal?
Croft 7 Good work down right
McGreal 7 Solid again
Mowbray 7 Not overly taxed
Brown 6 Defending good, passing forward not (Friars 71)
Clapham 7 Good work down right
Holland 7 Busy as ever
Stockwell 8 Another stormer from Mickey (J Wright 71)
Magilton 7 Passing improving
Johnson 8 Goals at last
Scowcroft 7 Good hold up play