IPSWICH Wanderers boss Glenn Read said his side’s second goal was crucial as the club reached their first Suffolk Senior Cup final for 16 years.

Read said: “We always knew it was going to be a battle because they have got a lot of passion and fight, but I think we had better quality and we played better in the second half when we got hold of the ball.

“It was a big goal for us just before half time. When you go in 2-0 up it makes it a lot harder for the opposition to come back. We said at half time they will come at us and we will have to weather the storm. We did not have to go chasing the game.

“They are a physical side, but we kept our discipline well. It was a good all-round performance and we were defensively solid.

“We lost Sam Brandon through injury earlier in the season, but Seth (Duzgun) has come in and along with Luke (Read) has done very well in the centre of midfield. They are both decent footballers who want to get the ball down and play which is what we tried to do.

“At the start of the season we said we would be more than pleased with a top-five finish and a trip to Portman Road.

“Promotion may be a big ask with the number of games we still have to play.”

Luke Read said of his hat-trick: “The first one was important because it killed the game just before half-time.

“Seth did well to pull the ball back for the second, but my third was the best goal.”

Read, who scored the opening goal for Suffolk FA when they beat Cambridgeshire FA 2-1 in the FA County Youth Cup final at Portman Road in 2008, said: “I have played there once before and scored and we won, so hopefully it will be the same outcome in the final this time.”

Crane Sports boss Iain Radnor had no complaints at the result.

“We were second best from start to finish. We could have done better with the first two goals, and after that we had a mountain to climb.

“Good luck to Wanderers – we wish them all the best in the final.

“They are a good bunch of people and a good side who try to play the right way. All credit to them.

“As a club we have got to learn from today and get over the result before we play again next Saturday.”