Ipswich Town 3 Shrewsbury Town 0
Ipswich Town remain top of League One after a fine 3-0 victory over Shrewsbury this afternoon at Portman Road.
The home side raced into a two-goal lead in the opening 10 minutes, with goals from Kayden Jackson and a penalty from James Norwood.
Flynn Downes added a third after the Shrews went down to 10-men, to leave it a very satisfactory day at the office for Paul Lambert's side.
Not that it was all one-way traffic, and a robust Shrewsbury had their half-chances, hitting the post just before the break. But Town defended well and the Blues' fast start had them in the driving seat from the off and the home crowd rightly loved it.
Town took the lead in the second minute.
Cole Skuse won a tackle on halfway and played a reverse ball to Danny Rowe. The winger passed onto Norwood who in turn fed Jackson with a delightful pass, the Town No.9 finishing first-time past Max O'Leary, Jackson's fourth of the campaign.
Shrewsbury weren't dampened by the early setback however and Steve Morrison had a free header 12 yards out that just went over. They won the first corner of the game a few minutes later.
It had been a frantic start to the game.
And it was two seven minutes later.
Kane Vincent-Young jinxed his way into the right-hand side of the Shrewsbury penalty area and was upended by Josh Laurent.
Referee Pollard checked with his assistant before pointing the to the spot. Norwood hammered down the middle for his fifth goal of the season.
Alan Judge fired straight at O'Leary from 20 yards and the whipped in a cross that Town appealed for handball as Aaron Pierre cleared for a corner. Rowe burst through into the box but his shot was blocked as Ipswich kept up a good tempo.
Whalley shot from a long way out straight at Tomas Holy and at the other end Sean Goss' poor pass let Norwood in but his shot was weak.
Shrewsbury won a free-kick 35 yards out on their right and Sean Goss' delivery was knocked onto the post by Ethan Banks-Landell ghosting in at the back.
It was a let-off for the Blues and the visitors were not out of the game by any means, despite the two early setbacks.
However, their cause became much more difficult in the 37th minute when Whalley, already on a yellow clattered into Luke Chambers near the Town corner. It was a silly challenge and warranted a yellow and ultimately for Whalley, a red.
As half-time approached Judge's first-time cross thundered against the arm of Omar Beckles, but the ref waved penalty appeals away.
Holy made a cracking save from Laurent's shot after more good work from Ryan Giles down the left and on the half-time whistle Holy was again in action to save from Steve Morrison.
Rowe curled a shot over at the start of the second half and at the other end Love's cross was headed just wide by Edwards.
It was certainly a slower tempo to the start of the second period than the first.
Laurent shot at Holy from distance and the same man got through again but Holy saved.
Town made a double change in the 65th minute with Gwion Edwards and Anthony Georgiou coming on.
Three minutes later Town made the game safe with a third. And what a goal it was.
Vincent-Young brought the ball out of defence, dummying round a Shrewsbury player in the process. He fed Edwards down the right, who fed Jackson. His cross was inch-perfect for Downes to dive full-length, 10 yards out to head home. It was a terrific team goal and the crowd were now in full voice.
Pierre became the third Shrewsbury man in the book as the visitors were starting to get rattled.
Edwards crossed by Norwood couldn't quite get there
Teams
IPSWICH TOWN (4-4-2): Holy; Vincent-Young; Woolfenden, Chambers (cpt), Kenlock; Rowe, Skuse, Downes, Judge, Norwood, Jackson.
Subs: Norris, Wilson, Nolan (on for Jackson 73), Huws, Dozzell, Georgiou (on 65 for Judge), Edwards (on 65 for Rowe).
SHREWSBURY TOWN (3-5-2): O'Leary; Pierre, Ebanks-Landell, Beckles; Love, Goss, Edwards, Laurent, Giles; Morison, Whalley.
Subs: Murphy, Golbourne, Walker, Vincelot, McCormick (on for Laurent 88), Thompson (on 63 for Giles), Udoh (on 73 for Morison).
Referee: Trevor Kettle.
Attendance: 19,161 (616 from Shrewsbury)
Bookings: Ipswich: Downes (87)
Sent off: None
Shrewsbury: Whalley (5), Love (38), Pierre (76), Goss (84)
Sent off: Whalley (37m)
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