Town avoided an FA Cup shock with a comfortable win over ten-man Morecambe. Jamie Clapham scored after a minute before Jim Bentley saw red for the visitors. The second goal, from Darren Bent, was a long time coming before Ambrose added a third and Bent notched his second and Town's fourth.

The Blues lined up 4-3-3 with Matt Richards making his first senior home start at left-back. Matt Holland continued in the defence alongside Hermann Hreidarsson with Fabian Wilnis on the right. Jamie Clapham, Darren Ambrose and Jermaine Wright made-up the midfield with Richard Naylor, Pablo Couñago and Marcus Bent in attack.

The game had hardly started when Jamie Clapham volleyed home Iain Swan's half-clearance from the edge of the area. That settled any Blues' nerves and would have been the last thing that Morecambe boss Jim Harvey would have wanted.

It could have been two in the fourth minute as Pablo Couñago was put through by Marcus Bent. The Spaniard's shot was saved a Fabian Wilnis put his rebound well over.

Morecambe had their best chance of the match on 14, after Jermaine Wright had been caught in possession. Andy Marshall saved Danny Carlton's initial shot and then pulled off an even better stop, tipping Lee Elam's edge of the area effort round the post.

This would be as good as it got for the non-leaguers as four minutes later they were down to ten men. Marcus Bent again played in Pablo Couñago who took the ball forward just to the left of centre with Jim Bentley chasing. As the striker got near the edge of the penalty area the defender pulled him back sending the striker sprawling.

The referee immediately blew his whistle and Bentley was called over and shown the red card. The Morecambe man looked distraught and received an ovation from the Greene King Stand as he trooped off.

The North Stand called on the referee to “bring him back” while Jim Harvey made a double substitution, Jamie Murphy and Neil Uberschar coming on for Gary Thompson and Lee Colkin with a shoring up of the backline the visiting manager's priority.

The rest of the half was a lacklustre affair with the unusually cut-up Portman Road pitch not helping matters and snow bucketing down to such a degree that towards the end of the half it was difficult to see what was going on.

With ten minutes of the half left Couñago, booed by the Morecambe fans for his role in the sending off, hit a shot which was deflected wide from a Matt Richards cross. From the resultant corner a Richard Naylor header flicked on by the Spaniard was cleared off the line.

With four minutes remaining Darren Ambrose hit a shot into the sidenetting from a Couñago pass when he ought to have at least hit the target. In injury time Town's number nine hit a shot on the turn which went just wide.

No changes at the break for Town, although the snow had stopped falling in quite the same volume.

The first Town chance of the new half saw Darren Ambrose cross from the left, Marcus Bent flick it on and Richard Naylor loop a header which keeper Mawson appeared to touch onto the bar.

Ten-man Morecambe were rarely showing any attacking endeavour and in the 51st minute Andy Marshall took a throw-in deep in the Town half with no visiting player within 40 yards of him.

Joe Royle decided to make his first change in the 52nd minute, Darren Bent coming on for Richard Naylor. Shortly afterwards a rare Morecambe foray forward saw Adriano Rigoglioso get into a good position in the Town area but put his shot well over the bar.

Just before the hour Pablo Couñago tried an audacious 40-yard chip but the ball went over the bar. Marcus Bent had a shot deflected over a minute or so later as Town found adding a second goal difficult against the massed Morecambe defence.

From the corner Matt Holland had a golden opportunity to add the second goal but he headed straight at Mawson when unchallenged.

On 62 Uberschar cut out a low Marcus Bent cross aimed at Darren Bent. The North Stand called for a free kick as keeper Mawson picked the ball up after the defender's touch.

The second goal finally came in the 64th minute from Darren Ambrose's long ball over the top for Darren Bent to chase. The striker beat Craig Mawson to the ball, took it past him and played it into the empty net.

Bent thought he'd got his second a minute later after he headed Ambrose's corner into the net, unfortunately from an offside position.

Town were starting to create more and more chances and on 69 Couñago hit a cross-shot which Mawson saved before Ambrose hit a shot which was too close to the keeper. Couñago had another chance shortly afterwards, his free header directed straight at Mawson from an excellent Wilnis cross.

Town's third goal came in the 74th minute, Darren Ambrose bringing the ball forward on the left before cutting in and hitting a shot which deflected over the keeper and into the top corner of the net.

Martijn Reuser made his entrance to a great reception on 76, Pablo Couñago making way. Reuser joined the Town attack as Ambrose prepared to take a corner which led to the Blues' fourth. Ambrose's deep ball fell to Holland at the back of the box who sent it low across the six-yard box to Darren Bent who netted from about a yard.

Reuser hit a 25-yard shot which was too easy for Mawson before Nabil Abidallah came on for his first senior appearance since the Bradford game in March 2001, taking the place of Jamie Clapham.

Town had a good shout for a penalty with 11 minutes left, Marcus Bent appearing to be pulled back by Swan inside the area, however referee Grant Hegley saw no offence.

As the game drew to a close Abidallah hit a shot which Mawson had little trouble with, Darren Bent unleashed one wide and Jermaine Wright hit the post from the edge of the area.

With the game entering injury time Reuser volleyed into the sidenetting before Darren Ambrose shot over. Morecambe's final effort was Elam's shot which Andy Marshall watched go over his bar.

A comfortable win for the Blues with the early goal and sending off all but settling the match in the first 20 minutes. Morecambe defended stoutly but further goals were always on the cards in a second half where Town improved from a disappointing first period.

The end of one of the most successful Christmas periods the Blues have enjoyed with 15 goals scored in the last four home games. Long may the revival continue.

Town: Marshall, Wilnis, Richards, Hreidarsson, Holland, Clapham (Abidallah 79), Wright, Ambrose, Couñago (Reuser 76), Naylor (D Bent 52), M Bent.

Photo: Action Images

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