A magnificent Town performance saw them decimate Leicester City 6-1 at Portman Road. The Blues were nothing like the side which struggled to a 1-0 win in Luxembourg on Thursday while Leicester looked far more like part-timers than Thursday's opponents Avenir Beggen had.

Town lined-up unusually with a 5-3-2 formation, presumably to match up man-for-man with Leicester's own approach. Mark Venus joined the central defence along with local hero Hermann Hreidarsson and Thomas Gaardsøe. Jamie Clapham and Jermaine Wright were the wing-backs while Matt Holland, Jim Magilton and Darren Ambrose were in midfield. Up front Marcus Stewart started with Darren Bent.

The early part of the first half saw Town have most of the play but Leicester probably having the better chances. Brian Deane was making a bit of a nuisance of himself and twice got involved with Thomas Gaardsøe early on. He also had an effort go just wide while Izzet made a couple of strong runs on the break.

There was a scare for Town on 11 when Thomas Gaardsøe left a ball over the top for Andy Marshall. The keeper, however, was still on his line and Dickov nicked in but failed to get a decent connection on the ball and Venus cleared up.

Darren Ambrose was making most of the headway for Town with some fine runs, however the final ball wasn't quite happening. Izzet was performing a similar role for the away side and in the 14th minute saw a shot well-saved by Marshall after the Turkish international had taken the ball from inside his own half.

The Blues came close to scoring on 18 when a neat interchange between Jim Magilton and Darren Ambrose left the Northern Irishman in a good position on the left. He put the ball across Walker in the Leicester goal but Darren Bent failed to connect.

A minute later the Blues had the best opportunity of the game up to then. Darren Ambrose crossed from the right after a short corner and Hreidarsson headed back onto the hand of Ashton. Referee Mr Walton had no doubt and pointed straight to the spot. With new regular kicker Tommy Miller on the bench, Marcus Stewart took the kick. He put it low to Walker's left but too close to him and the keeper saved, gathering before the on-rushing Stewart could get to the loose ball.

Old boy James Scowcroft came close to a goal in the 23rd minute. He hit a shot from the edge of the area on the left which beat Andy Marshall but which came off the bar and was cleared. Scowcroft had received a largely warm reaction from his old fans and played on the left of midfield.

Referee Walton got his book out for the first time after Paul Dickov had gone in late on Mark Venus. The fiery Scot complained that he hadn't touched Venus which seemed a bit rich, particularly given that he had done pretty much the same thing to Hermann Hreidarsson a few minutes earlier.

Leicester were starting to run out of players with Taggart, Izzet and Summerbee all limping off before half-time.

Town pressed forward and Matt Holland headed just over, Magilton had a shot deflected wide while all around thunder and lightning preceded very heavy rain, much to the annoyance of those on the Cobbold Terrace.

With eight minutes left of the half, Deane went wide after Jordan Stewart had broken well down the right with a hint of offside. His ball into the near post was steered just wide by the ex-Sheffield United man.

Town went close several more times as half-time approached, Darren Bent put a ball behind Ambrose and Stewart, then had a shot saved by Walker while Hreidarsson had had a header cleared off the line from a deep corner. A minute later Bent also had a header cleared off the line as a Town goal began to seem inevitable.

Eventually, as the half moved into injury time, it came. Marcus Bent flicked a header into the path of Darren Bent on the left of the goal. The youngster, with his back to goal, played the ball across to Matt Holland who turned inside a defender before lashing the ball home left-footed to give the Blues a more than deserved lead.

However, the lead was not to last too long. As Town fans were still celebrating and readying themselves for a half-time pint, Jonathan Stevenson hit a speculative effort which Andy Marshall ought to have had little trouble with. A combination of a wet ball and a loss of concentration saw the ball slip under the keeper and into the net.

Shortly afterwards the whistle went for half-time with Leicester rather undeservedly on terms.

No changes for the Blues at half-time while Leicester had already been forced to make all their switches. If Town had deserved to be ahead at half-time the second half performance was even better. Marshall redeemed himself just after the break with a good save from a Brian Deane header.

On 48 Town felt they had a very strong case for a penalty. Marcus Stewart cut inside Ashton who caught him and sent him to the floor. Referee Walton was not going to award two penalties to one side in a game and waved away the vociferous protests.

Town were more dominant at any stage previously and Darren Bent scuffed wide when he ought to have scored. At the other end Marshall had a tricky moment when he cleared against a Leicester player but Gaardsøe rescued him.

On 55 Town's pressure paid off. Ambrose crossed from the right after another short corner and Matt Holland turned the ball into the roof of the net from eight yards out.

Stefan Oakes hit a Leicester freekick into the crowd a minute later before Hermann Hreidarsson found his way into the book for protesting about a couple of late and physical challenges which had come the way of himself and Jamie Clapham.

Leicester continued to have the odd chance despite Town's overall dominance, Deane heading over form the edge of the area with Marshall in no man's land.

Bent and Ambrose were taking the game by the scruff of the neck and the striker had a shot saved by Walker after Ambrose had beaten Sinclair during another fleet-footed run.

Mark Venus, possibly feeling the effects of Dickov's earlier challenge, was replaced by Findi George on 66, Town switching to 4-4-2. Immediately the Nigerian hooked the ball just wide after he had run strongly forward, played the ball to Bent who had crossed for Stewart. The Town number 11 ought to have scored but his effort came out to Finidi whose effort went just wide.

Within a minute Finidi had created another goal for the Blues. He played the ball to Marcus Stewart who held the ball up before playing the Nigerian in down the right. Finidi crossed to the far post where an unmarked Darren Ambrose headed in for his second goal in two league starts. Tommy Miller replaced Jim Magilton.

Town were now rampant and Bent headed just over from a Wright cross. Brian Deane found himself in the book for a late tackle on Hreidarsson as frustration began to show amongst the Foxes who were spending more and more time arguing with one another.

Town's fourth came on 75. Stewart played a ball in to Ambrose who passed to Miller whose shot was blocked and ran to Ambrose. His effort was deflected out to Finidi George who set himself, picked his spot and sent the ball into the right bottom corner of Ian Walker's net. The oft-criticised winger celebrated wildly in front of the North Stand.

Marshall made another good save from Deane, on an afternoon where the keeper had had mixed fortunes. Despite the Leicester goal and a couple of other errors he made several good saves and it would be a shame if he started to get stick from the crowd on the strength of the goal alone.

The Blues thought they had their fifth on 76 when Ambrose played the ball into the path of Finidi as Town broke down the left. The ex-Ajax man hit the net with his effort but Ambrose had waited just too long to play the ball and the linesman's flag had gone up.

Stewart came close to scoring in the 81st minute but the ball was deflected over off a defender. Once more it was a Finidi George inspired move which had opened up the Leicester defence which was by now all over the place with Alan Rogers in particular having a torrid time.

Marcus Stewart made way for Pablo Couñago on 82 and the Spaniard was soon on the scoresheet. Jermaine Wright played a ball down the right which Couñago ran onto before looking up as if to cross and beating Walker on his near post. The ex-Celta man has not always had it easy since moving to England and very much needed to open his Town account.

Darren Bent should have scored the sixth when he was set away on goal by Finidi. He steadied himself but put the ball just wide, many thinking he had scored as the ball nestled in the side-netting.

Leicester frustrations were all the more evident when Frank Sinclair fouled Pablo Couñago and then pushed him in the face and head-butted him right in front of the linesman. A red card looked likely but Peter Walton was in forgiving mood and showed both players yellow cards.

The sixth did come and once more it was Pablo who got his name on the scoresheet. Jermaine Wright, who had done well in his new position of wing-back, sent in a deep cross which evaded Bent and Miller, but which reached the Spaniard. He took the ball on his chest and then volleyed home for the goal of the day. As many have said, all he needed was a goal and now hopefully more and more will follow, and of the quality of this one.

The whistle finally went on an extraordinary game played in occasionally hideous conditions. Incident packed, it was the antithesis of Thursday's hugely dour encounter in Luxembourg and if the Blues can continue to put in performances like this at home they will walk the league with the 100-goal target by no means out of reach.

Leicester will not be the weakest side to visit Portman Road this season, which bodes very well for Town's promotion chances.

Photo: Action Images

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