Ipswich Town’s 10-year winless run against Norwich City goes on following a fiery East Anglian Derby at Carrow Road.
Onel Hernandez set the tone after just two minutes as he rammed the Canaries ahead before Teemu Pukki’s brace ended the game as a contest in the favour of the dominant hosts.
But this game will be remembered for a brawl prior to half-time which resulted in players and staff of both sides clashing following a strong Jon Nolan foul, leading to a red card for Lambert on his return to the club where he achieved so much success.
The Ipswich boss had to be restrained by his own staff, stewards and police as he gestured towards the Norwich City bench before being removed from the touchline by referee Peter Bakes. Norwich’s head of performance, Chris Domogalla, was also shown a red card.
Ipswich responded well to the early goal and played their way into the game when it would have been easy to fold, but ultimately their limitations in both boxes cost them once again and they were well-beaten by their old rivals.
Norwich’s victory takes them back to the top of the league, while defeat means Ipswich are nine points from safety and facing the very real prospect of relegation to League One.
The two sets of fans were whipped into a frenzy before kick-off as the travelling Ipswich army of 2,000 fans gave as good as they got amongst a sear of yellow before the two sets of teams emerged onto a wet Carrow Road pitch.
But there was barely time for the pre-match hype to dampen before the Blues were behind.
Marauding full-back Max Aarons found time and space on the right to drive past Nolan before delivering a ball for Hernandez to strike at goal. His first effort was deflect up in the air but Skuse could only help it on as his attempted clearance before Pukki and Vrancic poked the ball for Hernandez to ram home.
The home tails were up and the hosts were causing concern on the edge of the visiting area with neat passes into open men, but the Blues did eventually find a foothold in the game.
Chambers headed over before Sears and Knudsen tested the Norwich defence with crosses from the left, but Norwich looked a threat whenever they worked the ball into the final third and were fortunate to see a Marco Stiepermann shot tipped wide by Bartosz Bialkowski.
Chalobah fired over the top as Ipswich reminded their hosts they were there before clever work from Will Keane worked space for Judge to fire a tame shot at Tim Krul.
The Blues lost Freddie Sears to injury before the break and, with his first touch, replacement Ellis Harrison bundled the ball to Judge for the Irishman to lash into the side-netting with the aid of a deflection.
Ipswich had done well to stem the tide during the first half, playing their way into the game, but the drama was just beginning as, in first-half stoppage time, Ipswich boss Lambert was sent to the stands after being restrained by stewards and police as both benches got involved as they debated a strong Jon Nolan tackle.
Lambert took a seat in the directors box at the start of the second period as a fiery encounter continued in the same manner, with touch challenges all over the field.
Harrison had an effort blocked behind by Zimmermann as Ipswich continued to ask questions, but the hosts were soon two to the good.
A rapid attack after Ipswich play broke down in the final third put Buendia in space in the middle of the pitch, with the winger able to slot in Pukki who put the ball past Bialkowski.
Norwich had one disallowed when Zimermann’s flick on from a corner was turned home by an offside Pukki, but the Finn did soon have his second and Norwich’s third as he ended the contest with a neat finish after being slid in behind by Buendia.
The Ipswich fans applauded their team off at the end, in what could prove to be the last East Anglian Derby for a season at least.
Norwich City: Tim Krul; Aarons, Godfrey, Zimmermann; Vrancic (Tettey 45+3), Trybull; Buendia, Stiepermann (Cantwell 84), Hernandez; Pukki (Rhodes 87)
Subs: McGovern, Hanley, McLean, Srbeny
Ipswich Town: Bialkowski; Bree, Pennington, Chambers. Knudsen; Skuse (Bishop 73), Nolan (Downes 84), Chalobah, Judge, Sears (Harrison 43), Keane
Subs: Gerken. Nsiala, Elder, Jackson
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