Hammers nail final berth
Second-half goals from Matthew Etherington and Christian Dailly were enough to overturn the 1-0 deficit from the first leg and book a Cardiff showdown with Crystal Palace.
The Hammers were full value for the win although they endured one or two nervy moments in the closing stages at Upton Park.
Ipswich should have gone ahead on the night with just two minutes on the clock when Tommy Miller's lofted through ball caught Andy Melville and Christian Dailly napping and presented Darren Bent with a clear sight of goal, but the striker dragged his left foot shot wide of the upright.
The hosts responded four minutes later when Steve Lomas met Etherington's left-wing cross with a fine volley which rattled off the top of the crossbar from 15 yards.
Ipswich keeper Kelvin Davis then preserved his side's advantage with a fabulous save from Bobby Zamora's goal-bound header following good work from Tomas Repka and David Connolly.
Davis excelled himself again moments later as he pushed away Dailly's fierce 30-yard drive, and Zamora went agonisingly close again with another header after getting between defenders to meet a teasing Etherington cross.
The visitors had the last chance of the first period as Bent fired a far post volley over the bar after the impressive Michael Carrick had inadvertently flicked on Jim Magilton's free-kick.
The deadlock was broken five minutes after the restart - and in spectacular style. Carrick pulled a short right-wing corner into path of Etherington who took a couple of touches before unleashing an unstoppable drive into the top corner from the angle of the penalty area.
The Hammers should have moved ahead overall on the hour mark when substitute Brian Deane nodded down intelligently into the path of Connolly, but the striker got his attempted volley all wrong and spooned over the bar from nine yards.
The Republic of Ireland international spurned another gilt-edged opportunity minutes later as he dinked Marlon Harewood's well-timed pass over the onrushing Davis, but also over the bar as well.
However, the pressure finally told on Ipswich with 20 minutes left when Dailly pounced to make it 2-0. Richard Naylor's attempted headed clearance cannoned into the Scotland international who took advantage to fire home a low shot through the crowded penalty area - albeit with the aid of a deflection of Tommy Miller.
Joe Royle's men threw everything forward in the closing stages in a bid to force extra-time and had a penalty shout turned down on 87 minutes when Dailly appeared to pull back Matt Elliott in box but referee Neale Barry waved the protests away.
There was still time for one more scare as Westlake hit a fine left-foot from the edge of the box in stoppage time, but Ipswich's hopes evaporated as the ball hit the upright and bounced to safety.
