Source: Telegraph
Ipswich Town 0 Newcastle United 4: match report
On anaother day this would have been the tale of the two Irish managers and their contrasting fortunes, as Chris Hughton took Newcastle to the top of the Championship thanks to this demolition of Roy Keane's Ipswich. [LNB]But it was all about an Englishman, Sir Bobby Robson, forever associated with these two clubs and whose life was commemorated before, during and after a game heavy with emotion. [LNB] Related ArticlesChampionship tableChampionship fixturesTelegraph player raterSport on televisionBoth clubs claimed him as their own, and this was the first chance for fans of both clubs to pay their respects publicly in the evening televised game. Before kick-off, two dozen of the finest players from his 13 years in charge of Ipswich gathered on the Portman Road pitch to lead a minute's applause to the great man. [LNB]"Abide with me" rang out as his widow Elsie and two sons looked on, but by the time she cut the ribbon to formally rename the North stand in Sir Bobby's honour, at half-time, Newcastle had put the game beyond Ipswich's reach with a 3-0 lead. [LNB]While the two clubs share a common bond in their affection for Sir Bobby, they are a class apart on the football field. Newcastle have done their best to banish the bad memories of last season's relegation by storming to the top of the table in a bid to bounce straight back, while a similar push for promotion, much anticipated when Keane was appointed Ipswich manager in April, has failed to materialise. [LNB]Indeed Keane is still looking for his first league win this season, a situation that has left his side second from bottom of the table and prompted chants of "You're getting sacked in the morning" aimed at the former Sunderland manager from the Geordie fans. [LNB]They had plenty of reasons to be cheerful, interspersing their songs of praise for Robson with less generous demands for owner Mike Ashley to "get out of our club". [LNB]Ashley may not be in such a hurry to sell, though, while Newcastle's stock continues to rise under Hughton's understated stewardship. [LNB]The former Ireland defender, who could not be more different in character to Keane, has managed to mask the club's off-field problems from his players and built a team spirit that has seen them win as many games this season â€' seven â€' as they managed throughout the whole of last season under Kevin Keegan, Joe Kinnear and Alan Shearer. [LNB]Kevin Naylor was the executioner-in-chief as Ipswich sank to their worst home defeat for six years. Nolan scored twice in as many minutes around the half-hour mark to put Newcastle into a commanding lead and completed the first hat-trick of his career five minutes into the second half. Ryan Taylor also scored with a long-range free-kick in the 34th minute as Ipswich capitulated. [LNB]Nolan opened the scoring on the half-hour when Taylor swung in a deep free-kick from the right and the former Bolton midfielder rose to power a header into the top corner of goal. [LNB]Barely two minutes later it was 2-0 as Nolan ran on to Andy Carroll's through ball before shaking off Alex Bruce's sliding challenge and slipping the ball inside the near post. [LNB]Another two minutes and it was effectively over as Ryan Taylor curled a free-kick into the far corner of goal from 30 yards. [LNB]Nolan made it 4-0 in the 50th minute, heading in from close range after Nile Ranger had headed on Taylor's deep cross from the right. The only cheer Ipswich's fans managed came 15 minutes from the end, and then it was tinged with sarcasm as defender Pim Balkestein hit a long shot narrowly wide, the nearest Ipswich came to a shot on target in the whole game. [LNB]Keane said afterwards: "We lack confidence and some poor defending made it very hard for us. Nolan will never score an easier hat-trick."[LNB]But a delighted Hughton said: "That was for Sir Bobby. These lads were at his memorial service on Monday and it was important to put on a performance for him."[LNB]
