Last-gasp Stead seals win

Tractor Boys come from behind to beat Bluebirds

Last updated: 30th November 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Last-gasp Stead seals win

Stead: Late winner

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Jon Stead scored a late winner as Ipswich came from behind to beat Cardiff 2-1 and inch closer to safety.

The Bluebirds took the lead via a Peter Whittingham strike in the 35th minute but the Tractor Boys drew level thanks to Jon Walters' 73rd minute effort.

Substitute Stead netted the all important winner five minutes from time as Roy Keane's side made it seven games unbeaten in the Championship.

The win moves Ipswich up to third from bottom and just a point from safety, while Cardiff have now lost on their last three Championship outings to sit outside of the play-off zone.

Stern John made his debut in attack for Ipswich after signing on loan from Crystal Palace this week while goalkeeper Richard Wright returned for his first start since the beginning of October after Asmir Begovic was recalled by parent club Portsmouth.

Chopra close

Keane's first game in charge was at Cardiff in April where he masterminded a 3-0 win but he had only won twice since then before kick-off and he saw Michael Chopra go close to an opener for the hosts in the third minute with a long-range effort.

Walters should have done better at the end of Ipswich's first attack when he headed over before Whittingham sprang into life.

The former Aston Villa man connected wonderfully with a cross to hammer a volley against the crossbar before seeing another powerful hit turned over by Wright.

The Ipswich keeper was then forced off in the 25th minute through injury, leaving Arran Lee-Barrett to make his debut.

John came close to a goal on his debut but headed wide before Whittingham's 35th-minute opener.

Chopra was the architect, cutting in from the right and standing up a ball for Whittingham to strike on the full beyond Lee Barrett and into the far corner.

Great strike

It was a great strike but the home side were hampered at half-time with their goalkeeper David Marshall going off injured, Peter Enckelman coming on in his place.

Whittingham again hit the target from range in the opening exchanges of the second period before Keane sent on Stead in a bid to find a way back into the game.

And Walters levelled matters with 17 minutes remaining after great work from Owen Garvan.

Garvan played a ball behind the Cardiff defence and after showing his pace to get free, Walters coolly shot past Enckelman from the edge of the area.

Stead headed at Enckelman when well placed but saved his finishing for the winner in the 85th minute.

Garvan again provided the assist, picking out Stead unmarked in the heart of the penalty area to place a low shot into the corner and give Keane a much-needed victory, following five draws from the last six games.