Kevin Bru’s 39th minute goal has given the Blues a 1-0 half-time lead over Bristol City at Portman Road.
Boss Mick McCarthy made four changes to his side with Bru, Myles Kenlock, Grant Ward and David McGoldrick all starting, while Jonas Knudsen, Freddie Sears and Andre Dozzell dropped to the bench and Jonathan Douglas was left out of the 18.
Town, operating in a 4-4-2 system, started brightly but had been unable to create a chance before Josh Brownhill hit a bouncing freekick through to Bartosz Bialkowski in the 12th minute, which the Blues keeper claimed comfortably.
On 15 former Robin Brett Pitman skinned his man on the right but his low cross was cut out ahead of McGoldrick.
A minute later, a freekick on the Town right was cleared out to Kenlock, who sent in a cross, which Pitman stabbed to McGoldrick as the visitors’ defence hesitated. The Irish international curled his shot wide as Pitman claimed he’d been fouled.
Robins striker Tammy Abraham broke through on goal in the 17th minute but Town skipper Luke Chambers got across to muscle the on-loan Chelsea man off the ball as he looked to shoot.
Grant Ward, who had made a lively start to the game, sent McGoldrick away on the right of the box in the 19th minute but the Blues’ number 10 shot across the face of goal from a tight angle.
Brownhill shot through to Bialkowski three minutes later, but Town were still on top, however without having been able to carve out the opening which might lead to a goal.
The Blues continued to dominate as the game reached the 30-minute mark with Bristol City unable to get out of their half. However, crosses were being cleared before they reached Town players, while a Bru shot smashed into a defender.
But in the 39th minute the Blues went in front. Following a corner on the left, Webster won the ball midway inside the Robins half and played a clever pass ahead of Lawrence on the left of the area. The on-loan Leicester man took a touch before sending in a cross which Bru turned into the net at the near post, the Mauritius international’s first goal of the season.
Bristol City quickly looked to hit back but Lee Tomlin’s shot was blocked by Chambers having been found by Abraham.
The goal forced the visitors into a more attacking outlook but they were unable to force any further openings before the break, while Town made a couple of potentially dangerous forays forward on the counter-attack which ultimately came to nothing.
Two minutes before the end of the half Pitman was booked for a push on Robins defender Hordur Magnusson.
The Blues deserved their half-time lead having dominated, passing the ball around patiently in midfield in spells. However, until Bru’s well-worked goal it had looked like the half might end goalless with few chances having been created.
At the other end, Bialkowski dealt with a couple of difficult bouncing balls from distance, but otherwise had been untroubled by what had been a poor Bristol City side.
Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Webster, Berra, Kenlock, Skuse, Ward, Lawrence, Bru, McGoldrick, Pitman. Subs: Gerken, Emmanuel, Knudsen, Dozzell, Sears, Varney, Best.
Bristol City: Fielding, Little, Flint, Magnusson, Golbourne, Freeman, Brownhill, Pack, Tomlin, Wilbraham (c), Abraham. Subs: O’Donnell, Moore, Bryan, O’Dowda, Paterson, Reid, Engvall. Referee: David Coote (Nottinghamshire).