Ipswich Town boss Paul Cook delighted for fans with 'complete' performance at promotion rivals Portsmouth
Ipswich Town romped to a 4-0 victory at Paul Cook's former club Portsmouth in Sky Bet League One last night with the boss saying he was pleased to put smiles back on Blues fans' faces.
The away end at Fratton Park was swelled with more than 1,250 supporters cheering on the Suffolk club on the south coast, with their team responding by putting on a show for them.
Macauley Bonne opened the scoring to give Town a half-time lead before the Blues took complete control with second-half goals coming from Conor Chaplin, Sone Aluko and Wes Burns.
The three points saw Cook's side move up to 13th place in the table, five points adrift of sixth-placed MK Dons after 13 matches. It also made it one defeat in their last seven league matches, including four wins.
"It was a good performance and a performance across the full 90 minutes," Cook told iFollow Ipswich.
"We knew we would have to defend at times, because at Fratton Park Portsmouth will always put you under pressure, but we dealt with it.
"The back door tonight was firmly shut. We were outstanding and we have set the standard. We can't dip now.
"The reality is, we're a strong team, but we're learning. We've seen what we're capable of and we showed real intent.
"I'm so pleased for the supporters. They'll go home delighted and they deserve it because their backing was fantastic. They'd have been deflated but they're watching us get better.
"Supporting a football club can be a roller-coaster, and they'll have loved it tonight. I'm so happy for them."
On-loan Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Christian Walton came back into the side and helped to register their first clean sheet in four League One matches.
When asked if it was the complete performance, speaking on iFollow Ipswich, he replied: "Yes, definitely. It has been coming, you can see that from the performances throughout the last couple of weeks.
"Obviously I wasn't there on Saturday (2-2 draw at Cambridge United) but to be 2-0 up was disappointing to end up drawing the game so I think that was a big lesson we have learned and taken into tonight.
"It was a dominant performance. The first 20 minutes coming to a place like this is always going to be difficult and you need to weather those storms which I thought we did.
"We got the goal and in the second half we were just so dominant and didn't let them back into the game.
"It was a great win and obviously great to send the fans back with a really positive result."
Cook made four changes from the side who started at Cambridge on Saturday with Walton, Toto Nsiala, Lee Evans and Kyle Edwards all coming in.
The first chance of the game went the way of Town after Edwards was scythed down on the left wing. Evans' low delivery from the resulting free-kick was only cleared as far as Chaplin, who saw his snapshot blocked behind for a corner at the near post.
Portsmouth had a good chance to take the lead on 15 minutes. Lee Brown raced onto Marcus Harness' flick-on before returning the favour with a low ball into the box but the latter side-footed wide of the mark.
A fiery game ensued in front of two sets of vocal fans at Fratton Park, Ronan Curtis and Marcus Harness picking up yellow cards for poor and late challenges on Janoi Donacien and Sam Morsy respectively.
Town took the lead just before the break in bizarre fashion. Bonne closed down and tackled Gavin Bazunu following a pass back to the Portsmouth 'keeper. The Blues forward kept his composure to bring the ball in from the touchline and rocket it into the top corner of the goal.
The Blues came out with intent at the beginning of the second half and doubled their advantage just eight minutes after the restart. Town worked the ball out to Donacien who played a pinpoint low ball across the box which Chaplin perfectly guided into the bottom corner.
And it was 3-0 just five minutes later. The attack began with Evans reading and brilliantly intercepting a pass midway inside Pompey's half. Chaplin retrieved the ball before passing the ball right to Aluko, whose right-footed effort squirmed under Bazuni in front of the travelling Blue army.
The visitors continued to look the more likely as George Edmundson's volley was deflected behind following another dangerous Evans free-kick, substitute Burns seeing an effort saved at the near post shortly afterwards.
Burns wasn't to be denied moments later, tucking into the back of the net from another Donacien cross from the right wing to make it 4-0.
Walton had to be aware to parry away an effort from Reeco Hackett at the end of a rare venture for the hosts, Bonne seeing an effort blocked at the end of a Town counter from the resulting corner.
Pompey saw a bit more of the ball late on but without threatening in a totally dominant display from the Blues.
Cook's side return to Portman Road on Saturday for the visit of Fleetwood Town (3pm), who currently reside one place outside the relegation zone after last night's 1-0 home defeat to Burton Albion.
Portsmouth: Bazunu, Freeman, Raggett, Williams (Ogilvie 73'), Romeo, Tunnicliffe, Morrell, Brown (C), Harness (Hackett 68'), Curtis, Marquis (Hirst 64'). Subs: Bass, Thompson, Azeez, Jacobs.
Booked: Curtis, Harness.
Ipswich Town: Walton, Donacien, Edmundson, Nsiala, Penney, Morsy (C), Evans, Aluko (Celina 85'), Chaplin (Harper 78'), Edwards (Burns 64'), Bonne. Subs: Hladky, Burgess, El Mizouni, Barry.
Booked: Edmundson, Morsy.
Attendance: 16,301 (1,260 Town fans).
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