Ipswich 3 Watford 1JORDAN Rhodes continued his amazing goal-scoring exploits to give the Blues a come-from-behind win over Watford at Portman Road last night.

Derek Davis

Ipswich 3 Watford 1

JORDAN Rhodes continued his amazing goal-scoring exploits to give the Blues a come-from-behind win over Watford at Portman Road last night.

Piero Mingoia gave Watford a first-half lead but Town came back with goals from Paul Murphy and two from Rhodes

Ipswich had also been behind before winning at QPR to reach the fourth round and had to do so again to set up a fifth round tie away to Aston Villa.

Both sides gave the ball away far too often in an even first half but the Blues got stronger as the game wore on and showed their superior quality with swift and effective counter play.

Town took time to settle with Watford's Billy Gibson volleying over the bar from a half-cleared corner, which was a warning shot.

The Hornets stung Town in the 17th minute when Liam Henderson refused to give up a ball that looked to be going out and his low cross went through Andrew Plummer's hands and legs, giving Mingoia the simplest of tap-ins.

Plummer did much better with a powerfully-struck 22-yard shot by Henderson, which he palmed away.

Rhodes won an early corner when he forced Jon North into tipping his header from a Murphy free kick around a post.

Young Blues striker Rhodes showed why he has progressed so well with his eye for a goal in the 32nd minute. He hit a wonderful effort from the angle of the 18-yard box but his low drive came back off the inside of a post - to the astonishment of the crowd.

Five minutes before the break Murphy buried the equaliser after Rhodes chested a ball into his path following good work from Jack Ainsley and Joe Clemo.

Murphy went close from 20 yards while Aaron Beech made a terrific tackle on Rhodes in the area but didn't time one so well five minutes into the second half and conceded a penalty.

Rhodes sent the keeper the wrong way to give Town the lead and Watford wilted with players going down injured and with cramp.

The young Blues striker, who has already made his first-team debut, finished expertly after controlling a clever ball in by Jack Ainsley to notch his 17th goal of the season in all competitions for Town and Oxford United.

North made a sharp save from Murphy and the youngster from Home Farm scorned a chance to get his second when he side-footed narrowly wide during the eight minutes of added time.

Ipswich Town: Plummer, Clemo (Lambe, 83) Robinson, Williams, Watson, Smith, Upson, Reason, Ainsley, Rhodes and Murphy. Subs not used: Ward, Daniels, Hyam and Calver.

Watford: North, Hudson (Kiernan, 88) Lavers, Jenkins (Oshodi, 80) Beech (Sordell, 68) Bennett, Gibson, Forbes, Henderson, Young and Mingoia. Subs: Antal and Maxwell.

Referee: B O'Sullivan.

Attendance: 1,205.