Five-star Ipswich run riot
By Andy Clarke. Last Updated: January 1, 1970 1:00am
Shefki Kuqi scored twice as Ipswich beat Sheffield United 5-1 and set a club record of scoring in 29 consecutive matches.
With only Wigan and Sunderland in the top half of the table winning, Joe Royle's side strengthened their position in the automatic promotion places with a superb display of finishing.
Tommy Miller started the rout, converting a penalty after Darren Bent had been sent sprawling in the area by United keeper Paddy Kenny.
Referee Lee Probert opted not to show Kenny a card for his indiscretion, but that reprieve proved to be only a short respite for the Blades keeper, who was picking the ball out of his net for a second time only 60 seconds later.
This time Kuqi was the scorer, heading in a left-wing cross from defender Fabian Wilnis straight from the kick-off.
United rallied before the break and got themselves back into the game when defender Leigh Bromby crashed in a volley from the edge of the area on the stroke of half time.
Bromby almost repeated the trick straight after the interval before Paul Shaw drove a low shot just wide of Lewis Price's goal.
However, The Blades' resistance was broken after 62 minutes when Town defender Richard Naylor beat Kenny with a powerful header from Jim Magilton's corner.
Six minutes later Kuqi scored his second of the game when he drilled in a low shot from 16 yards after being picked out by Bent.
Miller then teed up Ian Westlake to complete the scoring in the 71st minute, stretching Ipswich's unbeaten run to nine league matches.
Matches
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npower Championship
Table
npower Championship
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiff City | 46 | 87 |
| 2 | Hull City | 46 | 79 |
| 3 | Watford | 46 | 77 |
| 4 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 46 | 75 |
| 5 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 72 |
| 6 | Leicester City | 46 | 68 |
| 7 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 68 |
| 8 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 67 |
| 9 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 65 |
| 10 | Derby County | 46 | 61 |
| 11 | Burnley | 46 | 61 |
| 12 | Birmingham City | 46 | 61 |
| 13 | Leeds United | 46 | 61 |
| 14 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 60 |
| 15 | Blackpool | 46 | 59 |
| 16 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 59 |
| 17 | Blackburn Rovers | 46 | 58 |
| 18 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 58 |
| 19 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 58 |
| 20 | Millwall | 46 | 56 |
| 21 | Barnsley | 46 | 55 |
| 22 | Peterborough United | 46 | 54 |
| 23 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 51 |
| 24 | Bristol City | 46 | 41 |
Tommy Miller
Richard Naylor
Leigh Bromby
Shefki Kuqi
Gary Robinson
