Town comfortably claimed their 10th successive home win as Alan Lee, Pablo Couñago and Danny Haynes's goals defeated Wolves 3-0. The Blues were much the better side after Neil Alexander had saved a Freddy Eastwood penalty during a first quarter of an hour dominated by the visitors.

The Blues lined up unchanged with Tommy Miller failing to recover from his ankle problem in time and spotted hobbling at the morning's U18 game at Playford Road.

Wolves started strongly and the first penalty area action of the game led to a spotkick to the visitors. Fabian Wilnis underhit a backpass from the edge of the area and Michael Kightly beat Neil Alexander to the ball. The former Grays Athletic man took it out of play with his first touch but went to ground, referee Andy Woolmer pointing to the spot.

Alexander appeared unlucky to concede a penalty for the third successive game with Kightly — like Preston's Neil Mellor and Colchester's Kevin Lisbie — appearing to make much of little or no contact. The keeper escaped without a card of any colour, despite the incident occurring around seven yards outside the area directly in front of the right post.

Wolves' other ex-Grays man Freddy Eastwood was charged with taking the kick, the Wales international taking a pause halfway through his run-up and all but pointing out where he was putting the ball. Alexander dived to his right to claim the ball and his save his second penalty save in a week.

Other than Alexander's moment of glory, it was all Wolves in the opening 15 minutes with Town pinned back in their penalty area, however, the visitors were unable to test the keeper again.

Town's first opportunity of the game came from a freekick a couple of yards outside the area after Billy Clarke had been fouled. Dan Harding was given the honours and sent his powerful shot narrowly over Wayne Hennessey's crossbar.

A minute later, Sylvain Legwinski flicked Owen Garvan's ball into the box wide as the home side started to settle.

Billy Clarke lashed a loose ball over from 20 yards, then Pablo Couñago saw a shot deflect weakly through to the keeper from the edge of the area.

Clarke hit another freekick into the wall after a foul on Couñago, Harding putting the rebound over the bar. The left-back, Town's biggest goal threat at this stage, crossed for Alan Lee in the 28th minute but the Irishman's header flew wide.

Town continued to look the side most likely to score, although Legwinski's volley failed to test the corner flag, let alone the keeper.

On 31 Alan Lee picked up the game's first yellow card for a foul on Jody Craddock, which seemed a touch harsh as it was one of those striker-central defender clashes which could have been given either way.

Couñago again failed to test Hennessey with a strike in the 36th minute after being found inside the area by a quick freekick. A minute later, Lee played the ball inside to Walters from the right and the former Chester man shot across the face with Clarke looking waiting for a pass in the centre.

Dan Harding prompted a chorus of ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' from the North Stand with a 40th minute freekick influenced far more by Jonny Wilkinson than David Beckham.

A minute later, the Blues were in front. Legwinski won the ball in the Town half and played it to Owen Garvan. The Irishman brilliantly threaded Alan Lee through, the striker taking the ball into the area and past a defender before curling it beyond Hennessey and into the net for his seventh goal of the season.

There was just time for Karl Henry to hit a 30-yard shot through to Alexander and the Town keeper to punch Jay Bothroyd's 25-yard strike into the air and claim the loose ball ahead of Kightly, booed by the home fans for his role in the penalty incident. Moments prior to the whistle, Billy Clarke curled a shot from the edge of the box onto Hennessey's arms.

Town were warmly applauded off after a half which had begun with Wolves dominating, winning and missing dubious penalty — now seemingly a regular feature of matches at Portman Road — before the Blues took control. As against Colchester, the home support and team had both seemed to be woken up by Neil Alexander's spotkick stop.

Wales international keeper Hennessey was quickly into the action after the break, tipping Garvan's 30-yard low strike wide. From the corner, the ball flew over off Alan Lee's head with the Town striker not having time to direct it goalwards.

On 50 Garvan half-cleared a corner to Kightly on the edge of the area but the midfielder failed to hit the target despite being given time to pick his spot.

Two minutes later, Town added to their lead. Jon Walters acted smartly to take a quick throw-in, sending Pablo Couñago away on the right of the area. The Spaniard twisted and turned his way past a couple of defenders and slipped the ball into the net for his fourth goal of the season, all of them coming at home.

Wolves seemed to pretty much give the game up as lost at this point and Town held onto their lead with little trouble. On 70 Gary Roberts replaced the tiring Billy Clarke.

Roberts wasn't too far away with an audacious 45-yard looper after Alan Lee had charged down a Hennessey clearance outside the Wolves area, Couñago eventually forcing a corner.

Sylvain Legwinski almost added a third in the 76th minute when a short corner was cleared to him 25 yards out. The Frenchman tried to replicate last week's goal at QPR but this time sent the ball on to the top of the bar and over.

Danny Haynes came on for his usual 10 minute cameo, Alan Lee making way, prior to Owen Garvan's shot deflecting wide off a defender, only for the linesman — who got little right during the second half — to give a goalkick.

Alex Bruce replaced Pablo Couñago for the final two minutes, the ex-Birmingham man taking a role in the centre of the midfield.

The final nail was hammered into Wolves' coffin in injury time by Danny Haynes, the turbo-charged striker twisting and turning in a Couñago-esque manner inside the area and beating Hennessey at his near post for his second goal of the season, both of which have come in the last five days.

A thoroughly deserved victory for Town against a Wolves side which, despite starting very strongly, all but capitulated after going two goals behind seven minutes into the second half. Clearly the display failed to impress Mick McCarthy, who conducted an impromptu post-mortem on the pitch after the final whistle.

After the first 15 minutes in which the Blues penalty area was like the Alamo, Town were much the better side and the 3-0 margin was hardly flattering. Owen Garvan, who looks to have hugely grown in confidence this season, and Sylvain Legwinski ran the show, while Pablo Couñago and Alan Lee were always a threat and took their goals superbly, as did Danny Haynes after his introduction.

Jon Walters was unshackled by McCarthy's decision to move Neil Collins into the centre from left-back at the break, while Billy Clarke was more involved than he was against Colchester.

At the back, Fabian Wilnis had a difficult start with a number of passes going astray, but overall Wolves were prevented from creating too many chances. Neil Alexander will be ecstatic after his second spotkick save in a week.

With Norwich City sent to the bottom of the table by their defeat at West Brom and the Blues again impressive at home and up to fourth, the trip to Carrow Road next Sunday looks like the perfect time to end the increasingly annoying away hoodoo.

Town: Alexander, Wright, Harding, Wilnis, De Vos, Garvan, Legwinski, Walters, Clarke (Roberts 70), Lee (Haynes 81), Couñago (Bruce 88). Unused: Supple, Trotter. Att: 23,308.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls