Ipswich boosted their play-off hopes and dented Crystal Palace's bid with a 4-1 win at Selhurst Park.
Town storm the Palace to boost play-off bid
Ipswich boosted their play-off hopes and dented Crystal Palace's bid with a 4-1 win at Selhurst Park.
Ipswich surprised the home side by going 2-0 in front in the opening 27 minutes very much against the run of play thanks to strikes from Owen Garvan and David Norris.
Former Town striker Alan Lee reduced the arrears before the break, but second-half goals from substitute Kevin Lisbie and Clint Hill's unfortunate late own-goal sealed a memorable day for Jim Magilton's side.
Palace had lost just one of their previous nine Championship outings and attacked the visitors from the first whistle.
Lee, who swapped Suffolk for south London in August, got the first sight of goal after a strong run from Sean Scannell but Town keeper Richard Wright was alert to the danger and smothered the ball.
But Ipswich went ahead against the run of play in the 18th minute when Hill felled Pablo Counago on the edge of the penalty area.
Garvan stepped up to swing in a free-kick which eluded everyone in a crowded penalty area, bounced past the unsighted Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni and into the back of the net.
Palace tried to hit back with midfielder Nick Carle firing over and Scannell driving straight at Wright.
But they were caught on the break in the 27th minute when Norris latched onto Counago's pass and slammed the ball past Speroni.
Allowed
Palace did pull one back four minutes later through Lee's header, with referee Clive Penton initially looking as though he had disallowed the goal.
But the official eventually pointed to the centre circle after consulting with his assistant.
Eagles winger Paul Ifill fired a stinging volley narrowly wide of Wright's post in first-half stoppage-time.
Palace were claiming a penalty after the break when Carle tumbled in the penalty area but Penton waved away their protests.
Neil Warnock threw on Shefki Kuqi to join Lee and form an all ex-Ipswich strikeforce, but it was a double substitution from opposite number Jim Magilton which settled the match.
Clincher
Jon Stead fed fellow sub Lisbie with the Palace defence dozing, and although Speroni got a hand to the former Charlton striker's shot he could not keep the ball out.
Kuqi ran onto a long ball from John Oster but could not beat Wright, and the Finn was then frustrated by Dan Harding who cleared his header off the goal-line.
And Palace's misery was complete when Hill headed past his own goalkeeper two minutes from time.
