Goals from Grant Ward, Luke Varney and Tom Lawrence saw Town to a 3-0 victory over QPR at Portman Road. Ward put the Blues ahead via a scuffed effort on 13, then Varney benefited from an error by visitors’ keeper Alex Smithies nine minutes after the break, before Lawrence sealed the win - which in the end could have been even more comfortable - on 61.

Varney, Jonathan Douglas and Adam Webster came into the Town team for Freddie Sears, Josh Emmanuel and Teddy Bishop, who all dropped to the bench.

Douglas rejoined Cole Skuse in the centre of midfield, while Varney, who was making the first start of his third spell with the Blues, was up front with David McGoldrick.

Webster took up his usual central defensive role with skipper Luke Chambers returning to right-back.

Neither side had threatened before the Blues took the lead in the 14th minute. Tom Lawrence was fouled out wide on the left and sent over the freekick himself.

QPR keeper Alex Smithies punched weakly to the edge of the box to Grant Ward. The winger’s first effort was blocked but the former Spurs man regained possession, took the ball on a stride before scuffing a shot across the wrong-footed Smithies and into the corner of the net to claim his fifth goal of the season.

The visitors weren’t far away from grabbing an almost immediate equaliser after a sharp Tjaronn Chery break down the right but Cole Skuse did well to get back and outmuscle Conor Washington as the ball came in and Bartosz Bialkowski was able to claim.

QPR’s James Perch picked up the game’s first yellow card in the 25th minute when he needlessly slid in two-footed on Bialkowski with the keeper already having claimed the ball.

Perch protested but there seemed little doubt a card was warranted with some referees perhaps seeing the challenge as worthy more than a yellow.

Two minutes later, with chances remaining rare at both ends, Chery shot over from distance for Rangers.

Town should have doubled their lead in the 32nd minute when Lawrence whipped in an excellent freekick from the right. Berra reached it first but headed the wrong side of Smithes’ left post. The Scot will feel he should have been celebrating his first goal of the campaign.

QPR will similarly feel they ought to have scored in the 35th minute from their first serious chance of the game. Washington was found by a ball in from the right as he broke towards the six-yard box but Bialkowski was off his line quickly to block from the Northern Irishman.

The visitors were enjoying a spell on top and two minutes later Rangers skipper Nedum Onuoha scraped a low shot through to Bialkowski, who was untroubled.

QPR were lucky to end the half with 11 men after the already-booked Perch left Jonas Knudsen in a heap on the touchline. Referee Andy Woolmer opted not to issue a second yellow card, despite plenty of Town players reminding him about the former Forest and Newcastle man’s earlier caution.

Woolmer ended what had been a largely scrappy half of few chances moments later to boos, aimed in his direction for his leniency towards Perch rather than towards Town manager Mick McCarthy on this occasion.

Having gained their lead, perhaps fortuitously with Ward appearing to scuff his shot, the Blues ought to have increased their advantage when Berra headed wide.

QPR, who were playing the better football and putting the Blues under pressure in the final quarter of a hour with Town forced to defend in depth, went closest when Washington was denied by Bialkowski.

Three minutes after the restart, Jordan Cousins struck the first shot of the second half from distance through to an untroubled Bialkowski.

The Blues threatened a minute later when a Lawrence freekick from the right was headed into the air by a defender. After Douglas had seen a shot on the turn blocked, the ball fell for Webster, whose shot deflected behind off a Town player.

But in the 54th minute Town were gifted a second goal by QPR keeper Smithies, an incident which would prove to be the game’s pivotal moment.

Varney chased Douglas’s long ball over the top and the former England U21 international rushed out of his area but mis-headed his clearance behind him, allowing the Town striker to stroke into an empty net before celebrating his second goal of his latest spell with the Blues in front of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

Two minutes later Skuse smashed a 25-yard strike into Smithies’ midriff, before the visitors made a double substitution with Sandro and Idrissa Sylla replacing Sebastian Polter and Perch.

But on 61 the Blues increased their lead further. Skuse struck a low shot from 25 yards, which only reached Lawrence just inside the area. The on-loan Leicester man deftly took the pace out of the ball before turning and slamming a low strike to Smithies’ left and into the corner of the net.

After Bialkowski had saved Chery’s well-struck effort from just outside the area, the visitors made their final change with Yeni Ngbakoto taking over from Cousins.

Shortly afterwards the very Varney, lively throughout, was replaced by Sears with the goalscorer warmly applauded off by the Town support.

On 71 Lawrence and Chery were booked for a clash, then seconds later the QPR midfielder left Skuse in a heap and was again spoken to by referee Woolmer.

The Blues were inches away from a fourth two minutes later when Lawrence sent over another excellent freekick from the left which just avoided Berra’s head and narrowly flew the wrong side of the far post.

McGoldrick curled well wide on 75, then a minute later Rangers went close to pulling one back when Sandro powerfully headed Chery’s right-sided corner against the near post.

As the game entered its final scheduled 10 minutes the Blues replaced Lawrence with Leon Best and continued looking for goals, largely on the counter-attack.

McGoldrick shot wide, then forced Smithies to palm a strike from a tight angle on the right wide. From the corner, the ball was cleared to Skuse, whose low shot was deflected into the net but with referee Woolmer having already blown his whistle.

Ward should have made it 4-0 when fed through one-on-one with Smithies in the 83rd minute but the keeper got down to his right to push the ball past the post. From the corner Douglas sent his header high and wide.

In the final minute of regular time Sears shot low to Smithies, then in injury time McGoldrick spurned another chance to make it 4-0 when his lob was pawed away by the keeper after he had been played in on goal by sub Best.

Moments later, Sears was sent through on goal but again was thwarted by Smithies, who had made an admirable recovery from his embarrassing earlier error.

Just before the final whistle, QPR sub Ngbakoto’s freekick from the edge of the area was saved at his right post by Bialkowski.

Having rather ground their way to their half-time 1-0 lead, in the end the Blues could have won much more comfortably than 3-0.

Smithies’ catastrophic error which led to Varney’s goal knocked the stuffing out of the visitors with Town’s confidence conversely being given a huge boost.

Lawrence, whose set pieces were a danger throughout, took his goal clinically, while one or two of his team-mates will feel they ought to have got their names on the scoresheet via one of several late chances.

Town's last win by three goals or more was the 3-0 victory at Charlton in November last year - earlier that month the Blues won 5-2 at Rotherham - while the last win by three goals at home was another 3-0 victory over the Addicks in December 2014.

The win, much-needed after last week’s defeat to Nottingham Forest, sees the Blues climb to 14th, five points off the play-offs following Leeds' victory at Rotherham – three behind Norwich who lost 1-0 at Derby – and six from the bottom three. Town travel to Bristol City, who lost 2-1 at Reading today, next Saturday.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Webster, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Douglas, Ward, Lawrence (Best 80), Varney (Sears 68), McGoldrick. Unused: Gerken, Emmanuel, Bru, Bishop, Williams.

QPR: Smithies, Perch (Sylla 59), Bidwell, Lynch, Hall, Onuoha (c), Cousins (Ngbakoto 67), Henry, Chery, Washington, Polter (Sandro 59). Unused: Ingram, Wszolek, El Khayati, Shodipoo. Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire). Att: 16,510 (QPR: 1,225).

Photo: TWTD

bluelady added 18:17 - Nov 26 We played a team that came to attack us (credit to Holloway he doesnt play for a point) for 40 mins we looked second best however a lucky goal seemed to do the trick an even more lucky 2nd and our tails were wagging and their heads dropped... when teams come to defend we struggle to break them down and often get caught on the counter attack so I am not convinced this is a big turnaround time will tell. However some really good individual performances today and what is really fantasticis that team wanted to win and badly and watching the body language after they clearly wanted to win for the manager - says a lot I think. Skuse was brilliant today in attack and defence , "Dougie" awful first half but better second.. think we still need that missing attacking midfielder and I am not sure Joniesta is the right man, so for Christmas I would like please Santa a proven goal scorer in the Nugent mould and a real box to box midfielder who can score goals..... I wasn't happy with starting line up I still don't think we won ok tactical genius I think two gifted goals changed the game but also changed our self belief long may it last

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bluelady added 18:19 - Nov 26 "On" 'not ok
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sidtheswan added 18:22 - Nov 26 Great win should have been six! Think this proves that MM can only play one way and that's Skuglas in the middle 2 wide men and 2 up front,and one of them has to be able to head the ball . So while he's here we'll have to put up with this style of play as gives us the only chance of winning. Wouldn't get carried away as QPR were poor but you can only beat what's in front of you . Onwards and upwards. Finally just wanted to say Reg had his best game in a blue shirt and won a lot more headers than he lost . Worth extending contract to end of season .

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ChrisFelix added 18:23 - Nov 26 Some good performances today. I single out Webster & Skues. However I watched Douglas & really he doesn't have a clue. Always 6 yards off the pace. Neither an attacking or defensive midfielder
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lonelyblue added 18:34 - Nov 26 TWTD is a great site and a great service. I feel sorry for Phil et al that it appears to have been taken over, at least in the comments sections, by a gang of antagonistic, aggressive people, that read in print as if they'd really like to be physically fighting. I have long since stopped reading all your comments, but was fascinated today to see just how few posts there were when, for today at least, there was very little to moan about. Smashing to see then the same hateful vitriol and baiting of your fellow supporters from the usual suspects. The problem with you lot is that anybody who has the slightest inclination to ever say anything positive about the club, the manager, the players, anything at all to do with ITFC, is immediately shouted down and sometimes abused, unless their post contains the words "once proud club", "we need young, hungry players", "Sears out of position", "right-back" or "Douglas". And the reason, dear fellows, that people are disappearing from the comments section of this fine website, is that your hostile gang mentality is ten times more boring than some of the crappy football that we've had to endure, though thankfully not today, as ITFC supporters during the last year.

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prebsa added 18:41 - Nov 26 Ofcourse it's great to get a win but having said that the performance was still not good enough. All goals has a bit of luck involved and on another day none of them would of gone in. 3-0 sounds like we played qpr all over the place but in essence it was not that at all. Douglas back in the side ahead of people like Williams is a joke. But kick does have his favourites. Mick out

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blue75 added 18:42 - Nov 26 Nice to see a win today. 3 well taken goals. Douglas will probably make another appearance on twitter such was his mobility. Mick will have another dig at the fans. To preempt his comment about happy fans, I'm not we were rubbish all hit and hope couldn't string 2 passes todether most of the game! I'm just glad that qpr were worse than us!!
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StochesStotasBlewe added 18:43 - Nov 26 Good win & a very welcome 3 points. QPR were awful, so was the 1st half. Much better from us once their "keeper gifted us the 2nd goal, Indeed, it could have ended up 6-0 but for some poor finishing. However, i wont be getting carried away, we,ve been here too many times before. Still, it,s always much nicer on a saturday night when we win, time for a red wine or 3.

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Tony88 added 18:47 - Nov 26 Some people can hand it out but not take it.
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BlueMachines added 18:49 - Nov 26 Back to hoof ball and a bit of fortune on our side. But for once I wasn't bored stiff so I'll take the win. Well done ITFC
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bluelady added 18:53 - Nov 26 Lonely blue sorry marked you down in error :-(
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Swn98 added 19:11 - Nov 26 I was worried when I saw team sheet couldn't see where the goals were going to come from then we score3 and could of been 6 well done to everyone involved let's build on this.
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richardpaul added 19:17 - Nov 26 Just a point about the Notts Forest /Barnsley result last night Its quite possible that the Town caught them on the turn last week and maybe they are set for a run Barnsley at home have been playing reasonably well As a town supporter for 60+ years I am pleased with the result today but as others have said it may well be a bad result next week if he uses the same lineup in the belief that he will get another win

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bonamassablue added 19:18 - Nov 26 A 3-0 home win is something to celebrate no matter what has happened recently, and it was good to hear the crowd get behind the team. All those there will know it could have been 2 or 3 more, so let's make the most of the win and enjoy our weekend for a change.
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WindsorBlueArmy added 19:43 - Nov 26 I think to make realistic comments you had to be there.Yes everyone around me in Sir Bobby Robson Lower was moaning about team selection but I think Mick set up as such for a reason.QPR the most physical/nightly team I've watched for a very long time.How they finished with 11on the pitch I don't know(especially after Perch's tackle on Knudsen).With regards to lucky goals you make your own luck;Wards perseverance,Varney chasing a lost cause,Lawrence right place right time.I the final 15 Didz could have scored a hat trick!!!!!!Lets be positive about the battling display where the players gave all for the shirt.I just worry how much longer it will be until Webster follows Cresswell and Mings. Looking forward to trip to Bristol next week.COYB Would still like to know who MM haters fancy as our next manager.

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WindsorBlueArmy added 19:57 - Nov 26 Meant nigley not nightly!!!!!
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Swn98 added 20:04 - Nov 26 Well said lonely blue
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grumpyoldman added 20:25 - Nov 26 Lonely blue though I agree with your sentiments on the vitriol used on the comments page, it is not a oneway street, both MM supporters and MM opposers both use puerile and offensive language depending on the result. Some use expressions such as "keyboard warriors" as an insult when really that's what we all are, would they be as derogatory if this was a debate in person?

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DirtyOldNodger added 20:29 - Nov 26 There appears to be so many nodge loving reprobates on here I quite often forget TWTD is a fan site for Ipswich fans. A lot of fans very quick to jump down the club's throats when things don't go our way. Funny old thing, its all very quiet tonight. Cat got your tongues or something? Mick In!!
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runaround added 20:50 - Nov 26 Much much better performance especially second half. Although their keeper was at fault for the second goal & possibly should have done better with first but he then made 3 good saves to stop it being an even more emphatic win. A few more results & performance like that & everyone connected with ITFC will feel an awful lot happier. Now to continue this next Saturday
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Surco72 added 21:22 - Nov 26 Great win , really happy with result and will enjoy my beer more but as we did last week this game was handed to us by poor mistakes by the QPR keeper and the game was over . Still want MM out as I don't like his type of football and there will be just as many dire games to come before we see another three goals in a game for us . Dont want to be accused of only saying MM our after a defeat as really don't believe he us the future of the club to be successful

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Blue_Moses added 21:35 - Nov 26 QPR were useless, keeper sealed the game at 2- 0. Entertaining for 30 minutes and happy with the result but still time for a change.
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BrettenhamBlue added 21:53 - Nov 26 We played well, and QPR had s really bad day at the office. What were the odds on a 3-0 home win? I would have said impossible before kick off. Battle of the keepers- and we won it.
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warktheline added 21:57 - Nov 26 WIN,LOSE or DRAW, face facts.....we are presently dull, boring and non creative! QPR shot them selves in the foot today with both barrels! @lonelyblue, I'll try to be polite, really wouldn't want to hurt your feelings, ummm, your post, well in one word, 'ostrich'.
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GiveusaWave added 22:10 - Nov 26 Not the greatest game of football, but we got the 3 points and that's what matters! Delighted for the team and hope that's a sign of things to come. Who would have thought that 18 games into the season we would only be 3 points behind Norwich? We do have a chance (a small one) of competing for a play-off place.
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