Town ended their season with a 3-1 home victory over Cardiff City. Franny Jeffers opened the scoring in the third minute, Paul Parry pulled one back for the visitors eight minutes before half-time and Jon Walters wrapped it up with two goals after coming off the bench.

The Blues were unchanged from the side which faced Leeds last Saturday, Alex Bruce having recovered from his knee and ankle injuries. Boss Jim Magilton served the second match of his touchline ban in the directors' box. Lewis Price was named on the bench, perhaps his final involvement with the Blues before a summer move with Richard Wright's signing set to be confirmed soon.

Bruce had already headed a corner wide before Franny Jeffers netted the fourth goal of his highly successful loan spell. Gavin Williams started the move deep in the Town half, finding Owen Garvan in the centre circle. The Irishman played an inch-perfect though-ball to Jeffers and the ex-England man beat Cardiff keeper David Forde off the post.

The goal was celebrated with Chelsea Dagger, which the club has chosen as its celebration tune despite Fiesta finishing ahead in the vote with claims of vote-rigging being investigated. The piped music was followed by chants of “sign him up” and calls for David Sheepshanks to get out his chequebook to make Jeffers's signing a permanent deal.

Gary Roberts curled a freekick wide, then Warren Feeney, whose grandfather Jimmy played for the Blues during the fifties, headed across the face of the Town goal when he should have scored.

On the quarter hour, Jaime Peters sent Alan Lee away down the left, the striker hitting a shot across the keeper but wide of the far post. Town were well on top, passing the ball around confidently and patiently, and working opportunities in front of goal.

Lee headed wide but with the flag already raised, then Cardiff ought to have equalised but Roger Johnson got the ball stuck under his feet as a cross reached him at the far post when it seemed easier to score. Soon after, Paul Parry shot over from 25 yards.

Williams went too high just prior to the half hour mark, then Darcy Blake's shot flew straight to Supple. Fabian Wilnis made a superbly-timed challenge on Feeney on 31 with the Northern Irishman running in on goal.

Supple saved from Steven Thompson a minute later after Town had been guilty of over-playing on the edge of their own area. Two minutes later, Gary Roberts looked to have won a penalty after being tripped in the area, but referee Keith Stroud felt otherwise.

The Blues were again guilty of undisciplined defending in the 35th minute when Johnson was found in space on the edge of the area after a quickly taken freekick. Fortunately for the Blues, the defender shot well wide.

However, a Cardiff goal wasn't too much longer in coming. Peter Whittingham crossed from the left and Paul Parry rose above Dan Harding to head past Supple.

Stand-in skipper Fabian Wilnis came close to scoring his first goal for 14 months with a header from a corner in the 38th minute, a defender scrambling his effort off the line. At the other end, Thompson headed over.

Town continued to dominate the possession and create chances with Gary Roberts ending another long spell of passing with a shot on the turn which was straight at Forde.

The Blues were showing an almost Arsenal-like tendency to try to score the perfect goal in the closing stages of the half. Town had dominated the play during most of the first period, although Cardiff had had enough chances to be in front, often due to the Blues trying to play too much football too deep in their own half of the field.

Jaime Peters sent Alan Lee away on the right within seconds of the restart. The former Cardiff striker cut in and hit a shot which Forde pushed around the post. From the corner, Fabian Wilnis tried a spectacular overhead bicycle shot which flew only narrowly past the post.

On 54 Supple saved well down to his right after Parry had cut into the area and hit a low shot. Darren Purse headed wide from the corner. Danny Haynes took over from Gary Roberts, Jaime Peters switching to the left flank with Haynes on the right.

Just after the hour, Town ought to have been awarded a penalty. Chris Gunter hauled back Peters in the corner of the penalty area almost on the byline. The referee blew for a foul but somehow decided the incident had happened outside the area and gave a freekick.

Garvan chipped the set-piece to the far post where Alex Bruce headed the ball down and Wilnis hooked a shot which Forde managed to bundle behind much to the Dutchman's dismay.

Thompson headed wide for the Bluebirds prior to Jon Walters entering the fray in place of Alan Lee, who was warmly applauded to the bench by both sets of fans.

Within two minutes Walters was on the scoresheet. Good work from Peters, Harding and Garvan ended with the Irishman playing a low ball to the edge of the six-yard box from where the January signing from Chester beat Forde.

Peter Whittingham's shot from the left was saved by Supple, then the former Villa man's rebound was blocked by Alex Bruce, who required treatment before continuing.

Dan Harding lashed a right-foot strike wide, prior to George O'Callaghan taking over from Franny Jeffers, prompting a standing ovation for the ex-Everton and Arsenal man and more calls for David Sheepshanks to get out his chequebook and complete the permanent acquisition of the striker from Blackburn. These eventually developed into shouts for the chairman to pay back his controversial £25,000.

Town's third goal came in the 79th minute. The ball was spread wide to Peters on the left, the Canadian took the ball inside his defender and found Walters eight yards out and the former Republic of Ireland U21 international set himself before netting his second of the afternoon, his fourth since his move from Chester and his 14th of the season.

Two minutes later, Danny Haynes forced David Forde into a save with a header from a Williams freekick, then David Wright crossed for Walters but the striker was just a foot or so away from completing his first Town hat-trick.

A deserved win for a Blues side which controlled the game for the most part, despite allowing Cardiff more opportunities at goal than Jim Magilton will have been happy with. The game was open throughout and had an end-of-term feel to it with Mexican Waves circling Portman Road well before the end.

Despite the not overly competitive nature of the match, Town's late season run of form continued with Garvan, Williams and Peters all excellent in midfield. Franny Jeffers once more looked as good a striker as you'll see at this level, while Jon Walters could well prove to be Jim Magilton's best signing so far, for the first time showing a more predatory instinct in front of goal.

At the back, Fabian Wilnis put in another superb man of the match 90 minutes and even came close to a goal, which would have been the perfect way for the Dutchman to celebrate agreeing a further year's stay at Portman Road.

Town: Supple, Wright, Harding, Bruce, Wilnis, Garvan, Williams, Peters, Roberts (Haynes 57), Lee (Walters 66), Jeffers (O'Callaghan 75). Unused: Price, Miller. Att: 26,488.

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