Gavin Williams's first goal since returning from his groin operation gave the Blues a 1-0 win over Leeds at Portman Road. Town should have won more comfortably against a Leeds side which ended the game with 10 men after skipper Kevin Nicholls was shown a straight red card for elbowing Danny Haynes.

Alan Lee returned to the starting line-up after his one-match ban with Jon Macken retaining his place after his fine performance at Cardiff last week. Gavin Williams was OK to start having been an injury concern after playing a number of games close together since getting back into action. Former Blue Ian Westlake was welcomed back warmly by his old fans.

The game was preceded by a prayer from the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich and a well-observed minute's silence as a mark of respect to the five women recently murdered in the Ipswich area.

Town, playing on their newly laid pitch for the first time, won a series of early corners but failed to create any chances despite their strong start.

The visitors had the ball in the net in the 11th minute, but the linesman had already flagged and referee Keith Stroud had already whistled prior to Tresor Kandol beating Lewis Price.

Dan Harding picked up a yellow card against his old club, and the side he supported as a boy, for a foul on Shaun Derry. On 25 Sylvain Legwinski struck a 20-yard effort straight at Leeds keeper Graham Stack.

On the half hour, Owen Garvan did well to dispossess Ian Westlake in a dangerous position inside the Town area after the former Town man had received the ball from Jonathon Douglas.

Town had dominated the first half hour but without really threatening to score, however as half-time approached Leeds began to get more into it. On 33 Eddie Lewis hit a 30-yard freekick wide.

Leeds should have gone in front in the 39th minute when Douglas's ball in from the right found Kandol in acres of space. The former Luton man seemed destined to score but squeezed the ball wide of the post with Town defenders looking for an offside flag.

Gary Roberts shot over from a tight angle on the left in the 40th minute, the loanee from Accrington and Gavin Williams having swapped flanks on a number of occasions throughout the half.

As the game moved into injury time, Williams put the Blues in front. Alan Lee flicked the ball into the Welshman's path and he took the ball over a defender's foot before lashing the ball beyond Stack from just inside the area for only his second Town goal and his first of the season.

The Blues deserved their lead on the balance of play, although the goal had come during Leeds' strongest spell of the half. The visitors had more than anything come to defend in depth and frustrate Town.

Leeds started the second period brightly but failed to test Lewis Price with anything other than deep crosses.

Town started to impose themselves on the game more and Gary Roberts first shot over and then struck an effort at Graham Stack's near post which the keeper saved with few problems.

Gavin Williams shot wide from 25 yards as the Blues started to play more threatening football as Leeds looked more to attack than they had in the first half.

Danny Haynes replaced Williams on the right of midfield, the Wales international making his way straight down the tunnel. Jon Macken's clever pass played in Alan Lee but his shot was too close to Stack.

Kandol headed wide at the far post after Lewis Price had punched a freekick up in the air. Alan Lee was booked soon after for a collision with Hayden Foxe, although the former West Ham man had appeared to run across the Town striker's path as he chased the ball down.

Haynes whipped a dangerous ball across the Leeds six-yard box in the 75th minute, but it was cleared. For the Whites, sub Sebastien Carole hit a shot which gave Price no trouble. The Town keeper saved from Carole again minutes later as the former West Ham man cut in from the right and shot at his near post.

On 82 Leeds skipper Kevin Nicholls picked up a yellow card for what appeared to be a kick at Alan Lee after the Town man had fouled him, the referee taking advice from his linesman.

Two minutes later Nicholls needlessly and very obviously elbowed Danny Haynes in the face as the Town youngster challenged with him for the ball. The rest of the Town players reacted angrily to the challenge and Jason De Vos remonstrated with the Leeds player who went to ground. Referee Keith Stroud again spoke to his linesman before issuing Nicholls, who was captaining his side for the first time, with a straight red card.

Bizarrely, after Hayden Foxe was booked for dissent, the game restarted with a Leeds freekick which Matt Heath headed wide.

With four minutes remaining, Lee was replaced with Simon Walton, along with Harding and Richard Naylor one of three Leeds supporters in the Town side, and like Harding a former Leeds player.

Garvan shot wide after being given space on the edge of the area, just prior to Dennis Wise grabbing him by the shirt after the Irish youngster had chased a ball off the pitch by the dugouts.

In injury time Richard Naylor received his third yellow card of the season for a foul on Kandol, while Walton forced Stack to save just inside his post with a 25-yard freekick.

Town had been the better side for the vast majority of the 90 minutes, although hadn't always created the chances their domination of possession deserved. A generally disappointing Leeds side improved after the break but Lewis Price was rarely required to stretch himself.

An important home win as the Blues go into the Christmas period and one which puts Town ahead of local rivals Norwich City and into 15th position in the table.

Town: Price, Bruce, Harding, De Vos, Naylor, Legwinski, Garvan, Roberts, Williams (Haynes 60), Lee (Walton 86), Macken. Unused: Peters, Supple, Richards. Att: 23,661.

Photo: Action Images

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