Ipswich Town vs Bristol City; Sky Bet Championship
Ipswich Town vs Bristol City. Sky Bet Championship.
Portman RoadAttendance25,539.
Ipswich Town 2-0 Bristol City: Jack Clarke scores twice in Tractor Boys win
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Ipswich Town and Bristol City at Portman Road on Tuesday night; Jack Clarke's double steers the Tractor Boys to victory as they bolster promotion charge.
Tuesday 20 January 2026 23:01, UK
A brace from Jack Clarke helped move Ipswich up into second spot in the Championship table and made it four league wins on the trot after downing play-off chasers Bristol City 2-0 at Portman Road.
Town leapfrogged Middlesbrough by a point who play on Wednesday, while they remain eight off table toppers Coventry, who won at home to Millwall 2-1, but have a game in hand on both Boro and the Sky Blues.
Town struck after eight minutes, with Clarke's low effort into the bottom corner of the goal his ninth goal of the season.
Jens Cajuste spun in the City half and fed the winger who darted inside and finished across City's Czech goalkeeper Radek Vitek from inside the penalty area.
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The Robins had a wonderful opportunity to level the scores in the 19th minute after a dreadful defensive lapse.
Christian Walton played the ball out to Cedric Kipre but his attempted pass was diverted by Scott Twine and fell at the feet of Danish striker Emil Riis but Walton made a fine stop.
The stadium erupted in the 27th minute when former Town skipper Sam Morsy, who led Ipswich to consecutive promotions from League One and the Championship and who signed for City from Kuwait FC earlier this month, came on to replace Zak Vyner.
Wes Burns' superb cross-field pass found Ivan Azon whose strike from just outside the penalty area grazed the roof of the net as Town pressed for a second goal.
And Vitek miraculously tipped over a shot from Azon, to prevent Ipswich from going 2-0 ahead.
Burns pulled the ball back and Cajuste's shot was blocked but the ball spun loose and Azon fired at goal from four yards out but Vitek somehow reacted amazingly and tipped the ball over the bar.
Twine back-heeled the ball into the path of Riis but he fired straight at Walton and Anis Mehmeti, who Town are reportedly interested in signing in the January window, fired a fierce shot which was punched clear by Walton.
Town stretched their lead in the 55th minute when Azon picked up a headed clearance from Dara O'Shea and squared to ball to Clarke who fired past Vitek.
City pressed to get a foothold in the match and Neto Borges' shot flew just beyond the far post.
Kasey McAteer almost made it 3-0 when he attacked the near post but Rob Dickie just got to the ball first to concede a corner.
And as the game drew to a close Sinclair Armstrong appeared to be fortunate to escape a red card when he clashed with O'Shea in the penalty area and Vitek stretched to deflect a shot from Ashley Young.
The managers
Ipswich's Kieran McKenna:
"Of course a good result, I thought a good performance, I liked how we went about our business, to be honest, against a strong side.
"We were really good on the challenges and the duels which you need to be against a strong Bristol City side.
"Good quality for the first goal, really unlucky with an incredible save from the goalkeeper to go 2-0 but didn't and they came out pretty strong second half but we were really clinical to get the second goal and I liked how we saw the game out.
"We have had lots of games here where at 2-0 we sort of ran away with it and it looks like it could be three or four or five but tonight we defended on shape, the boys stayed really disciplined, the subs came on, fought for a clean sheet, gave really very little away and good signs for the mentality of the group."
Bristol City's Gerhard Struber:
"We gave this game so cheaply away.
"In critical moments we were not so sharp and what you have to be against a team on this level and this is the shame and this is in the end where I can say 'yes' it's Ipswich but I would say we have to have a moment in the first half where we have to score.
"You have to be ready and the second goal comes from a timing and a direction and was of course a killer blow.
"We were in the driver's seat and we had more control, we had a little bit more momentum for ourselves, maybe not the biggest chances but we have much more control and then in the second half in a really bad timing to get the second goal."
