FITTER and stronger, Ipswich Town fans will be hoping Owen Garvan can help fire the Suffolk side back into the Premier League.The 19-year-old Irishman netted his first league goal of the season on Saturday - and in some style - as Ipswich kept up their impressive home form, coming out on top in a topsy-turvy five-goal clash with Scunthorpe.

By Mike Bacon

FITTER and stronger, Ipswich Town fans will be hoping Owen Garvan can help fire the Suffolk side back into the Premier League.

The 19-year-old Irishman netted his first league goal of the season on Saturday - and in some style - as Ipswich kept up their impressive home form, coming out on top in a topsy-turvy five-goal clash with Scunthorpe.

Garvan is a big talent at Portman Road, although he will be the first to admit his goal record is not so sharp.

However, he showed the type of quality any top striker would favour, flying onto a Pablo Counago through-ball, before rounding Iron keeper Joe Murphy to side-foot home Town's second goal.

“I thought I had taken it too wide past the keeper,” Garvan admitted afterwards.

“But I managed to get it in and I'm delighted.

“I scored against MK Dons in the League Cup earlier this season but that doesn't really count I don't think, and I'm told my last league goal was against Leicester, although I don't really know.

“I had a few chances in the game but the manager thought I was perhaps pushing on a bit too much. Having Gavin Williams and then Tommy Miller alongside allowed me to get forward though.”

And Garvan admitted he is feeling fitter and stronger right now, having been putting in plenty of fitness work since the season's start.

“Yes, I am trying to get stronger and I'm working very hard on my fitness. I'm really getting into shape.

“Before the game the manager told us Scunthorpe would be fit and strong and really it was two silly mistakes which gave them their goals.

“I wanted Tommy (Miller) to lay the ball off to me for the free-kick (that led to the winner). But I'm glad he didn't.”

Town's victory means it is 14 home wins in their last 15 games and it's an impressive record. Iron took the lead through Martin Paterson, before Counago equalised and Garvan put them ahead.

Patterson brought the game level before the break and it needed a superb free-kick from Tommy Miller seven minutes from time to seal the points for Town, as they moved back into the play-off zone.