Lee Croft drilled home a spectacular strike to help Norwich claim victory over Ipswich in the East Anglian derby.
Ipswich undone in Carrow Road derby date
Lee Croft drilled home a spectacular strike to help Norwich claim victory over Ipswich in the East Anglian derby at Carrow Road.
The midfielder broke the deadlock in a fiercely-contested game in the 61st minute when he received possession from Matthew Pattison 25 yards from goal and struck a powerful swerving effort into the top corner to give Richard Wright no chance.
Ipswich were left fuming by Norwich's second eight minutes from time as centre-back Gareth McAuley was forced to leave the field for treatment as the Canaries prepared to take a free kick, with Pattison left unmarked at the far post to lash into the net.
The result lifts Glenn Roeder's men five points clear of the relegation places, while the Tractor Boys have now taken just one point from their last three games.
Leroy Lita should have opened the scoring in the ninth minute but he planted a free header from David Bell's corner straight at Richard Wright.
The on-loan Reading striker looked sharp and it required an excellent challenge from Ipswich captain McAuley to deny him a shot minutes later as the game continued at a frantic pace.
Alex Bruce then headed over at the other end before the Canaries rattled the woodwork.
Sammy Clingan chanced his arm with a long-range strike which struck Bruce and arced over Wright but on to the top of the crossbar.
The second half started at the same frenetic pace and Jonathan Walters wasted a glorious opportunity to give the visitors the lead five minutes in.
The former Bolton striker flicked the ball on for Pablo Counago but the Spaniard realised he was offside and let Walters run around him to collect the ball and burst clear.
Top corner
He ran in on goal but hit his shot straight at David Marshall. It was a bad miss and Roeder's side began to take charge.
Excellent build-up work between Clingan, Wes Hoolahan and Lita saw Hoolahan flash a shot just over before Croft opened the scoring in the 61st minute.
Pattison and Hoolahan played a smart one-two on the left touchline and Pattison charged forward before laying the ball square to Croft.
The former Manchester City winger took one touch before blasting his shot into the top corner from 25 yards.
Lita then rattled a shot into the side-netting after more good play from Croft before Jim Magilton brought on derby specialist Danny Haynes.
The 20-year-old had scored winning goals against Norwich three times in the last few seasons and instantly made an impact when his deft header from an Owen Garvan corner was clawed out by Marshall.
But it was the home side who grabbed the second goal in controversial circumstances in the 82nd minute.
The Canaries had a free-kick on the left but as David Bell prepared to take it Lita informed referee Lee Probert that McAuley had a cut.
Probert made a furious McAuley leave the field for treatment and in his absence Bell's free-kick was not cleared and Pattison hammered a shot in off the underside of the crossbar.
