Ipswich Town produced a fine second-half performance to come from behind to beat basement-dwellers Morecambe 2-1 at the Mazuma Stadium this afternoon.

George Edmundson (53 minutes) and Lee Evans (65), from the penalty spot, got the goals that saw Town to victory after Kieran Phillips had given the home side a first-half lead.

Town even missed another penalty in the second period, Conor Chaplin (63) seeing his penalty saved by Connor Ripley in the home goal.

In the end the three points were no more than Town deserved, as they showed their class in the second period. But it had been a poor first-half performance from Kieran McKenna's side against a gritty home team battling for survival points.

The result sees Town stay second in League One.

McKenna made five changes to the side that beat Cambridge United 3-0 on Tuesday night.

In came Richard Keogh for his Town league debut, as well as Evans, Tyreece John-Jules, Kayden Jackson and Kyle Edwards, who was making his first league start under McKenna.

Out went Luke Woolfenden, Marcus Harness, Dominic Ball, Wes Burns and Freddie Ladapo.

For Morecambe, Liam Shaw passed a fitness test, but Jensen Weir was a surprise absence. Shrimps boss Derek Adams was without eight senior players through injury, suspension or personal reasons. He named just five players on the bench.

It was a cool, but dry afternoon on the Lancashire coast and Town were as usual backed by a good contingent of travelling fans. The pitch looked in fine condition.

Town began attacking the end holding their 1,000-plus fans and were immediately on the attack, Sam Morsy breaking after John-Jules won the ball. John-Jules was fouled 35 yards out in the fifth minute. Evans took the free-kick and went for goal, but it was easily saved by Ripley in the home net.

Keogh made a strong tackle on Dylan Connolly to the delight of the away fans and on 15 minutes Liam Gibson's excellent delivery into the box missed everyone, as Walton happily claimed in the Ipswich goal.

The home side had settled down and Liam Shaw had a shot blocked as Morecambe attacked.

John-Jules went down in the penalty area after Jackson pulled it back to him, but referee Thomas Kirk waved the Town appeals away. Jackson almost went through on 20 minutes, but the ball escaped him.

Chaplin was on the end of a fierce Ousmane Fane challenge as the home side began to put themselves about, the Morecambe No.8 booked for the challenge.

Town were continuing to pass and probe, but with almost 25 minutes gone they had failed to test Ripley in the home goal and then Shaw's low cross was cleared. Ryan Delaney was booked after another poor tackle, this time on Edwards.

Walton's poor kick fell to Connolly who dribbled forward before being upended by Morsy on 34 minutes.

From the resultant free-kick, Morecambe took the lead. Donald Love pinged the ball into the box where it was flicked on by Shaw and Phillips got in behind the Town defence to score.

Morecambe's tails were up as they won a corner, Love again taking, but Town cleared. The Blues were in a battle now, but they went close to equalising on 41 minutes.

Edwards, moved out to the left, dancing inside his defender and crossed. John-Jules got onto it as it found its way to Evans, whose shot into the ground hit the post, with Jackson firing over.

It was by far the closest Town had come to a goal in what was a frustrating first-half for the Blues. There was still time for Chaplin to shoot wide as the half-time whistle went with the home side ahead 1-0 at the break.

The second half started brightly for Town, Morsy breaking through and passing to Edwards, who curled a 20-yarder that hit the post for a second time for Town.

Incredibly the Morecambe bar was hit for a third time a minute later, Chaplin's whipped in cross deflected by Love onto his own upright.

Town had come out firing, Evans, then Morsy shooting goalwards, Town now having had more shots in the first five minutes of the second half than the whole of the first.

Another Morsy shot was blocked and Donacien's cross was headed over by Delaney.

On 53 minutes Town equalised.

From the corner, taken by Leif Davis, Edmundson smoothly glided his shot past Ripley. It was a fine finish from the defender and no more than Town deserved for a strong start to the second period.

Three minutes later Town were awarded a penalty. Edwards danced inside Farrend Rawson, who tripped him. There were few complaints from the home team, but Chaplin's penalty was saved by Ripley, diving to his left.

Connolly had the ball in the net but was offside on 59 minutes in what was a frantic second period. Jacob Bedeau was booked for a foul on Edwards.

Incredibly, Town were awarded another penalty on 65 minutes, Jackson tripped by Bedeau. This time Evans stepped up to take the kick and duly thumped it home, as Town's comeback was complete.

Burns and Harness came on for Jackson and Chaplin as the Town fans rejoiced in their team's second half performance. Burns was tripped on the edge of the area, but Davis hit the free-kick over.

Cole Stockton almost levelled for the home side as he nicked the ball wide of Walton's post and on 75 minutes Ladapo and Kane Vincent-Young came on for John-Jules and Davis.

Edwards couldn't trap Burns' wicked cross in the 82nd minute and Ladapo fired over before Morecambe staged a late fightback, but the damage was done, and there was still time for Edwards to break clear, but he fired over.

MORECAMBE (5-3-2): Ripley; Love (cpt), Rawson, Bedeau, Delaney, Gibson; Fane (Cooney 86), Shaw, Connolly (Mayor 86); Phillips, Stockton.

Subs: Smith, McLoughlin, O'Connor.

Booked: Fane (23), Delaney (32), Bedeau (62), Gibson (72), Stockton (87).

IPSWICH TOWN (4-2-3-1): Walton; Donacien, Keogh, Edmundson, Davis (Vincent-Young 75); Evans, Morsy (cpt); Edwards, Chaplin (Harness 67), John-Jules (Ladapo 75); Jackson (Burns 67).

Subs: Hladky, Woolfenden, Humphreys.

Referee: Thomas Kirk.

Attendance: 4,776