The derby always takes on far more importance than just the three
points. After all, it is also a question of regional pride.
Sometimes a good derby result can almost excuse a poor season. Let's
hope that's how the Ipswich fans feel come May!

We started very brightly, and the players were clearly fired up for
the encounter... so much so that the ref had already spoken to
several of them by the time a 'robust' Darren Kenton challenge left
a Town player down for three minutes with barely six minutes on the
clock. The biggest surprise of the afternoon was that no one got
sent off!

City probably created the better chances, especially through Rivers
who managed to gallop clear down the right wing a few times, but we
generally held the ball less well than Ipswich and consequently
invited them to build attacks while we mainly hit them on the break.
Neither keeper was greatly tested, and when Marshall did flap on a
couple of occasions the ref or poor finishing came to his rescue.

The game turned on an unfortunate slip by Fleming. There was no
danger as Fleming prepared to clear a loose ball, but he seemed to
turn his ankle and crashed to the ground in agony, allowing Bowditch
to collect the ball and cross into the box where Wilnis fired home
from 12 yards. Although Town had looked the better side, technically
at least, they had hardly looked like scoring so this came as quite
a blow and left City chasing the game.

City brought on Abbey, Henderson and Mulryne which meant we played
the remained of the match with five centre forwrds, and it almost
worked with City going close and forcing a few goalmouth scrambles,
but Town's defence held firm and then they hit us with an injury
time breakaway goal. Drury was left with two men on the halfway
line, and Bent was put clear to fire home an undeserved second.

The result leaves us in seventh place, six points outside the play-
off zone, but means Town move within a point of us. MLS

Team P W D L F A Pts GD
Portsmouth 34 21 10 3 71 32 73 39
Leicester 34 20 9 5 57 31 69 26
------------------------------------
Reading 34 18 4 12 44 33 58 11
Wolves 34 15 10 9 60 36 55 24
Forest 33 15 10 8 56 33 55 23
Sheff Utd 32 16 7 9 47 35 55 12
------------------------------------
Norwich 33 13 10 10 44 33 49 11
Ipswich 33 13 9 11 53 44 48 9
Gillingham 33 13 9 11 44 42 48 2
Rotherham 34 13 8 13 52 48 47 4
Burnley 32 13 8 11 47 55 47 -8
Watford 34 13 8 13 38 50 47 -12
Coventry 34 12 10 12 38 37 46 1
Palace 32 10 13 9 43 37 43 6
Derby 34 12 7 15 43 50 43 -7
Millwall 34 12 7 15 39 53 43 -14
Wimbledon 32 11 9 12 52 54 42 -2
Preston 33 10 11 12 48 52 41 -4
Walsall 34 11 6 17 46 52 39 -6
Bradford 33 10 8 15 40 54 38 -14
Brighton 34 7 8 19 34 54 29 -20
------------------------------------
Grimsby 34 7 8 19 38 65 29 -27
Stoke 34 6 10 18 35 63 28 -28
Wednesday 34 5 11 18 31 57 26 -26

* * * * * *