James Norwood’s fourth goal of the season has given Town a 1-0 half-time lead against Hull City at the KCOM Stadium.
Boss Paul Lambert named an unchanged side, sticking with the same XI that drew 0-0 with Oxford at Portman Road on Saturday with Troy Parrott again playing off Norwood up front.
Five-goal joint-top scorer Gwion Edwards returned to the 18 following his knock with Jack Lankester dropping out having played for the U23s this afternoon.
Hull made three changes from the team which drew 3-3 at Doncaster on Saturday with former Blues right-back Josh Emmanuel, Dan Crowley and Gavin Whyte coming into the line-up.
Skipper George Honeyman and Greg Docherty were in the XI despite suffering knocks at the Keepmoat Stadium, while ex-Blues loanee Callum Elder also started.
After both teams had taken a knee, with the exception of Toto Nsiala who remained standing as he did on Saturday, the game got under way with the wind blowing strongly.
Neither side, with Town wearing their light blue away strip, was able to carve out a chance in the early stages but with the game being almost entirely played in the Tigers half. On 12 Norwood battled himself some space on the edge of the box before hitting a shot which was blocked.
And in the 15th minute the Blues went in front. Kenlock played a superb ball from only a matter of yards inside the Tigers half on the left which, with the assistance of the wind, reached Norwood on the right of the box, from where the striker smashed a powerful first-time shot past Hull keeper Matt Ingram.
The Tigers continued to struggle to get going and in the 25th minute the Blues threatened again. Andre Dozzell fed in Parrott on the right of the box but the on-loan Tottenham man took too long over his low cross and it was blocked.
The Tigers finally showed some attacking threat as the half-hour mark approached, an Emmanuel cross was blocked and Dan Crowley’s shot deflected behind off Dozzell.
And there was a big scare for the Blues from the corner. Dozzell looked to have an easy clearance but inadvertently scuffed it to Crowley, who teed-up Keane Lewis-Potter but fortunately for Town the forward shot wide when it looked easier to score.
On 36 Hull had a free-kick in a dangerous position midway inside the Town half, following a foul by Dozzell on Honeyman, but the home skipper gifted the ball to Parrott a matter of feet away from him, the Irishman bringing it forward towards the Hull box but overhit his through pass to Bennetts.
The Blues continued to look the more likely scorer of the game’s second goal, Bennetts tricking his way into the area on the right before his cut-back was stopped by a Hull boot. From the position he’d got himself in a shot may have been a better option. In the 41st minute Nsiala was booked for a foul on Mallik Wilks.
Wilks, Hull’s top scorer with 17, tried to battle his way through several Town tackles moments before the whistle, claiming a penalty when he eventually fell, but referee Tom Nield wasn’t interested.
Town were well worth their lead at the break having had the better of the half and having had opportunities to create more openings in addition to Norwood’s well-taken goal from Kenlock’s excellent pass.
Hull had been poor but still might have gone in level had Lewis-Potter taken the opportunity which had been gifted to them from the corner.
Hull City: Ingram, Elder, Burke, Wilks, Honeyman (c), Emmanuel, Lewis-Potter, Crowley, Whyte, Greaves, Docherty. Subs: Long, Coyle, Scott, Jones, Flores, Slater, Magennis.
Ipswich: Holy, Chambers (c), Nsiala, Wilson, Kenlock, Dozzell, Bishop, Bennetts, Judge, Parrott, Norwood. Subs: Cornell, Ward, Edwards, Sears, Drinan, Harrop, Matheson. Referee: Tom Nield (West Yorkshire).