Ipswich Town ran out comfortable winners over Lincoln City on a night where injuries began to bite Kieran McKenna’s side.
Wes Burns and Kayden Jackson scored first-half goals to put a dominant Ipswich side in full control of the contest, as they effectively put the game beyond doubt before the break.
But, as the second half minutes ticked by, the Blues began suffering worrying injuries to key men.
George Edmundson was the first to depart, after suffering an ankle injury while attacking a corner, before Luke Woolfenden was visibly hobbling as he continued for the duration of the 90 minutes.
Town also lost captain Sam Morsy to injury, as he limped down the tunnel, with the atmosphere inside Portman Road drained as the near 25,000 crowd came to terms with the prospect of being without vital players in a well-oiled machine.
Town’s victory and results elsewhere narrowed the gap to the top six to just three points, but injury worries loom large heading into Saturday’s vital home clash with Portsmouth.
McKenna made two changes to the side as he shuffled his pack once again, with Joe Pigott and Conor Chaplin dropping out of the team as Tyreeq Bakinson and Sone Aluko taking their places.
Both sides came together to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine prior to kick-off, with Ipswich wearing all blue and Lincoln dressed in their yellow away kit, with a group photo and a minute of applause before the action got underway.
And once it had, Ipswich slotted into their groove early as a sweeping move from left to right opened up the Imps’ backline, with Wes Burns and Janoi Donacien playing a neat one-two which ultimately saw the Welsh winger flash a shot over the top of the crossbar.
Burns was involved in almost every Ipswich attacking move, flashing one cross through the box and then failing to control when given the chance to put in another, as he knocked Aluko’s clever prod-through out for a goal kick.
An over-lapping run from centre-half Luke Woolfenden nearly created another opening, as he got to the byline to cross, but his effort was blocked away as the Blues couldn’t quite test Lincoln keeper Jordan Wright.
But the hosts were soon ahead, as they drove through midfield through skipper Morsy, before Bersant Celina freed Jackson down the left flank. The striker’s cross was behind Morsy’s run into the box, but Burns was there to lash a shot into the back of the net, with the aid of a slight deflection. It was his 11th of the season.
Ipswich were on top and stretching the home defence, finding a second goal 10 minutes after the first went in. Burns was the architect, as he escaped his man down the right side and took his time as he looked up to pull the ball back for Morsy. In truth, the skipper should have scored as he failed to catch his shot anywhere near well enough but, fortunately, Jackson was there to tap home at the back post as the offside flag stayed down.
Town went in two goals up at the break, in full control of the contest, and picked up where they left off after the break as McKenna’s men set about adding to their advantage.
Celina’s ball for Jackson set the striker free down the left, where his cross drifted across the face of goal, before the striker turned provider again as he laid a ball off for Aluko. The attacker lifted his shot over the bar, with Morsy having an effort blocked behind just a minute later.
The Blues suffered a real blow on the hour mark, as Edmundson hobbled off with an ankle problem and was replaced by Cameron Burgess, at a time when Woolfenden and Dominic Thompson were also both hobbling.
Morsy was the next to receive treatment, before eventually being replaced by Tom Carroll, before McKenna’s final change saw Chaplin enter the game as Aluko received a standing ovation for an excellent display.
Town saw out their victory with little trouble, but with clear concerns as key players suffered worrying injuries heading into a vital run of fixtures.
Ipswich Town: Walton; Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson (Burgess, 61); Burns, Morsy (Carroll, 76), Bakinson, Thompson; Aluko (Chaplin, 82), Celina, Jackson
Subs: Hladky, Pigott, Norwood, Bonne
Lincoln City: Wright; Poole, Jackson, Eyoma; Fiorini (Sorenson, 76), McGrandles, Norton-Cuffy, Whittaker, Maguire (Scully, 68), Cullen (Bramall, 46), Marquis
Subs: Walsh, Sanders, Hopper, Bishop
Att: 24,989 (363 Lincoln fans)
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