Matt Richards' first half goal was enough to beat Stoke City and give the Blues their seventh win in eight games. In truth it should have been more comfortable, Pablo Couñago missed a number of opportunities while Georges Santos had a second half header cleared off the line. Late on there was a scare when a Keith Andrews effort hit both of Kelvin Davis' posts.

The Blues lined up as against Burnley on Tuesday, Jim Magilton, Jermaine Wright and Georges Santos all appearing to be over their knocks.

Jermaine Wright forced Stoke keeper Neil Cutler into his first save when his shot was deflected off a defender, although it cause the second choice Potters' stopper few problems.

On four Town had the ball in the net. Alan Mahon's shot after a Shefki Kuqi run and cross was parried by Cutler and Pablo Couñago followed up, unfortunately from an offside position.

Couñago was again at the centre of the action in the ninth minute when Cutler pushed his shot from the left of the area round the post after good work from Mahon and Kuqi.

Mahon appeared to pick up an injury when crossing the ball into the box and soon after left the field. Early reports suggest the loanee has torn ankle ligaments and could be out for five to six weeks.

Ian Westlake replaced the Irishman but not before Jermaine Wright had bundled a Jim Magilton corner into the sidenetting at the far post.

Stoke had hardly been involved in the first 10 minutes or so but in the 13th minute Gifton Noel-Williams headed a corner over the bar. Soon after the former Watford man hit a shot which was easy for Kelvin Davis.

Keith Andrews might have done better on 23 when he shot over the bar from a promising position on the Stoke left.

On the half hour Kuqi headed a Magilton freekick straight at keeper Cutler. Not after Ade Akinbiyi, booed throughout for his Norwich connections, went through very late on Georges Santos. Despite being spoken to by the referee he surprisingly avoided a booking.

In the 34th minute Carl Asaba shot into the sidenet after Andrews got a break off Richard Naylor. Stoke striker Gifton Noel-Williams was on the end of some choice abuse from the North Stand in the 35th minute after one of the least convincing dives Portman Road has seen.

The yellow card came out for the first time on the afternoon when Clive Clarke blocked Fabian Wilnis on the Town right.

With half-time rapidly approaching Town went ahead. Jermaine Wright crossed from the right, Jim Magilton headed back into the box and, with Pablo Couñago holding off a defender, Matt Richards let the ball come down before belting it past Cutler from eight yards.

Stoke came very close to an equaliser just before the break, Keith Andrews' 20-yard strike flying millimetres wide of Kelvin Davis' goal.

Town skipper Jim Magilton failed to emerge after the break, Tommy Miller taking his place. Magilton had been suffering with a shin and calf injury prior to the game and had been considered a doubt.

Miller, playing on the right of the midfield four, was soon into the action, picking up a yellow card only seconds after coming on, for a foul on former Norwich man Darel Russell.

Stoke's Paul Williams also entered the book for a sneaky pull back on Pablo Couñago as the Spaniard, whose shirt was tugged all afternoon long, sought to run on to a Tommy Miller ball.

There were calls for a Town penalty in the 53rd minute when Tommy Miller was felled on the edge of the area after the Stoke defence gave the ball away to Shefki Kuqi on the right of their area. Miller was trying to get space to shoot when he went to ground under Clarke's challenge. Referee Paul Armstrong felt there was no foul.

Soon after Couñago hit a shot at Cutler and then put the ball wide from close in but from an offside position.

The Spaniard was a danger all afternoon and should probably have scored in the 58th minute when he broke from the halfway line from a cleared corner. The former Celta Vigo man held off defenders but hit Cutler's legs with his shot.

The rebound just failed to fall cleanly for Ian Westlake and Tommy Miller eventually hit a third effort over the bar.

Town were looking less fluent without Jim Magilton in their side and with the ever-busy Alan Mahon also on the sidelines. But Miller was adding something different to the midfield and on 67 he had a decent shot blocked.

At the other end Andrews sent a cleared corner over the bar while for Town Shefki Kuqi made a powerful run across the box and hit a low shot which Cutler did well to tip round the post.

Miller and Couñago played a fine one-two on 72, the Spaniard's goalbound effort again tipped round the post by the keeper.

Stoke were near to a goal in the 74th minute when an Asaba header went not far past Kelvin Davis' post.

Two minutes later a deflected Couñago shot won a corner which was sent over by Westlake. Georges Santos headed goalwards but Karl Henry cleared off the line.

Couñago should again have got his name on the scoresheet in the 82nd minute, Shefki Kuqi breaking on the right from a Stoke freekick. Kuqi crossed low to the unmarked Spaniard who once more hit the ball low against Cutler's legs.

Town's top scorer found his way into the ref's book in the 84th minute for a pull on John Halls. Not long after he again shot wide.

Stoke will wonder how Keith Andrews' shot failed to go in on 87, the on-loan midfielder's effort hitting one post and then the other before being grabbed by Kelvin Davis.

Couñago was again at the centre of controversy on the 89th minute when Gareth Owen appeared to pull him back when running on to a Tommy Miller through ball. Once more referee Armstrong saw no foul.

Karl Henry will consider himself lucky not to have picked up a card in the last minute for a foul on Ian Westlake, also appearing to stand on the young midfielder once the decision had been given against him, the final whistle being blown not long after.

The Blues deserved the win and should really have scored more despite also looking as if the Potters might have scored, particularly Andrews' amazing two-post late effort.

Kelvin Davis rarely had to make a save and he'll be glad of his second league clean sheet of the season. Richard Naylor was again impressive in front of him while Georges Santos was dominant in the air and made one or two astute passes.

Town weren't quite as effective in midfield once Jim Magilton left the field at half-time while Alan Mahon's endeavour was a loss when he departed early on. If the initial prognosis of a five or six week absence is proved correct then the Irishman could prove a big loss for the Blues.

Chris Bart-Williams was once again the linchpin in the centre of the park while Tommy Miller did well for a player very much short of match fitness.

Couñago and Kuqi up front caused problems throughout and the Town number nine really ought to have scored at least once.

As it was, Matt Richards did the damage in front of goal, notching his first senior goal. The three points takes the Blues into the top six and ahead of Norwich City. Further wins against Crystal Palace and Preston over the next week will do much to show Town's revival is no flash in the pan.

Town: Davis, Wilnis, Richards, Naylor, Santos, Magilton (Miller 46), Wright, Bart-Williams, Mahon (Westlake 11), Couñago, Kuqi.

Photo: Action Images

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