Source: Northern_Echo
Middlesbrough 3 Ipswich Town 1
MIDDLESBROUGH climbed into the top two with a comprehensive victory over Ipswich Town that has piled further pressure on former Sunderland boss Roy Keane.
Ipswich were unable to overturn a slender one goal advantage secured by Boro in the first half, when Gary O’Neil glanced a looping header over goalkeeper Richard Wright in the 16th minute.
It arrived after Marvin Emnes made the most of some poor defending from Gareth McAuley and Middlesbrough never looked back.
The Tractor Boys, who are now without a win in six under Keane in the Championship, did rally, but rarely threatened Danny Coyne in the Boro goal.
And, 20 minutes after the restart, Jeremie Aliadiere arrived from the bench to coast between McAuley and Liam Rosenior to head the second beyond Wright.
The Frenchman was then on hand five minutes before the full-time whistle to add the third.
This time, having created space for himself in the area, Aliadiere turned and struck a sweet right foot shot low into Wright’s far corner.
It was an emphatic scoreline that lifted Middlesbrough up to second in the Championship, while Ipswich – who grabbed an injury-time consolation from a Jon Walters penalty – stay second from bottom.
MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-2): Coyne; McMahon, Wheater, Hines, Taylor (Grounds 42); O’Neil, Arca (Yeates 78), Williams, Johnson; Emnes, Lita (Aliadiere 62). Subs: Jones (gk), Hoyte, Bennett, Franks.
IPSWICH TOWN (4-4-2): Wright; Rosenior, Bruce, McAuley, Delaney (Martin 65); Edwards, Leadbitter, Peters, Colback (Quinn 62), Walters; Counago (Priskin 62). Subs: Lee-Barrett, Stead, Smith, Trotter.
