Nathan Broadhead scored the third goal in Ipswich’s rout
Omari Hutchinson scored twice in a virtuoso performance as Ipswich Town put six goals past Sheffield Wednesday to reclaim second place in the Championship.
With promotion rivals Leeds facing Millwall on Sunday, the Tractor Boys took their chance to bounce back from last week’s stoppage-time defeat at Cardiff and notch up a seventh win in the last eight games.
The result was never in doubt as Hutchinson, Cameron Burgess and Nathan Broadhead goals had the game won by half-time.
Hutchinson added his second, and created two more for substitute Ali Al-Hamadi as Ipswich made it consecutive defeats for relegation-troubled Wednesday.
Ipswich suffered the heartache of losing to a goal in the 100th minute at Cardiff that interrupted a run of six straight victories which had given them a second wind in a breathless promotion race.
They hit back from that disappointment in fine style against a Wednesday side who have roused themselves from their slumber under the guidance of German manager Danny Rohl and went into the game having won five of the previous seven.
The Tractor Boys were without 12-goal leading goalscorer Conor Chaplin, who was injured in training this week, but it made no difference they scored three times in each half.
Chelsea loanee Hutchinson took centre stage in a fine team display, and he opened the scoring by turning and reversing his shot into the far corner after the Wednesday defence gave him too much space.
Ipswich suffered another injury blow as Wales winger Wes Burns limped off with what seemed to be a muscle problem that makes him a doubt for his country’s upcoming internationals.
That could not interrupt the home side’s rhythm, however, and after Kieffer Moore headed Leif Davis’ corner against the bar, Cameron Burgess snapped up his first goal of the season to double the lead.
Ipswich made it three in added time in the first half with a slick move as Moore held up the ball, played in subtitute Kayden Jackson, and his cross was neatly turned home by Broadhead for his 12th goal of the season.
Any thoughts of a revival by the away side were quashed within three minutes of the restart as Broadhead played in Hutchinson and he netted his fifth goal in his last five Portman Road appearances, and took his season tally to eight.
With the game as good as won and Wednesday offering little resistance, Ipswich scaled down their efforts in the second half but the introduction of Al-Hamadi spiced it up and brought two late goals that boost the team’s goal difference in what could be a tight fight for the top two places.
Hutchinson’s driving run scattered the defence and when Jeremy Sarmiento’s shot was parried by keeper James Beadle, Al-Hamadi snapped up the rebound.
Hutchinson had one last delight for the fans, dancing into the box and teeing up Al-Hamadi for the sixth goal.
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk:
“I thought it was an outstanding performance from the first minute to the last and pretty much all phases in the game. Our work on the ball, off the ball, our set plays, our transitions were excellent. A top, top performance.
“Against a team in good form, a Sheffield Wednesday team who were improved and have been performing well against the top teams who have been performing well. To impose ourselves on them to that extent is a really, really good performance.
“You can’t complain having scored six by any means and they were high quality goals, but we created chances right the way through the game and the players never settled, never stopped, kept pushing for more goals while still respecting things defensively so that’s always really pleasing.”
Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield:
“It’s a hard defeat. It’s hard to say the first half was okay when we conceded three, but I saw some moments, six or seven minutes, where we had a cut back into the area and a shot from (Ike) Ugbo.
“We conceded the first goal and were still in the game, then another from a set piece and the third just before half-time, and then it’s difficult.
“All in all it was well deserved from Ipswich. They are a strong side, and that’s why they are at the top of the table at the moment.
“We need to refresh our minds and face eight finals in the coming days, games we have to win, with no excuses.”
Line-ups
Ipswich
Formation 4-2-3-1
31Hladky
40Tuanzebe6Woolfenden15Burgess3Davis
25Luongo5Morsy
7Burns20Hutchinson33Broadhead
24Moore
31Hladky40Tuanzebe6Woolfenden15Burgess3Davis25LuongoSubstituted forTravisat 85’minutes5MorsySubstituted forTaylorat 85’minutes7BurnsSubstituted forJacksonat 38’minutes20HutchinsonBooked at 34mins33BroadheadSubstituted forSarmientoat 72’minutes24MooreSubstituted forAl Hamadiat 72’minutesSubstitutes1Walton2Clarke4Edmundson11Harness14Taylor16Al Hamadi19Jackson21Sarmiento28Travis
Sheff Wed
Formation 4-3-3
26Beadle
6Iorfa20Ihiekwe17Bernard18Johnson
36Poveda4Vaulks10Bannan
45Musaba12Ugbo41Gassama
26Beadle6IorfaSubstituted forFamewoat 77’minutes20IhiekweBooked at 32mins17Bernard18Johnson36PovedaSubstituted forWilksat 53’minutes4VaulksBooked at 86mins10BannanSubstituted forDiabyat 45’minutes45Musaba12UgboSubstituted forSmithat 65’minutes41GassamaSubstituted forValentínat 45’minutesSubstitutes1Dawson2Palmer5Diaby7Wilks14Valentín23Famewo24Smith42Cadamarteri44Diaby
Referee:Leigh Doughty
Attendance:29,325
Live Text
Match ends, Ipswich Town 6, Sheffield Wednesday 0.
Second Half ends, Ipswich Town 6, Sheffield Wednesday 0.
Foul by Kayden Jackson (Ipswich Town).
Anthony Musaba (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Goal! Ipswich Town 6, Sheffield Wednesday 0. Ali Al Hamadi (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Omari Hutchinson.
Foul by Axel Tuanzebe (Ipswich Town).
Anthony Musaba (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Axel Tuanzebe (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Anthony Musaba (Sheffield Wednesday).
Will Vaulks (Sheffield Wednesday) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Lewis Travis (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Will Vaulks (Sheffield Wednesday).
Substitution, Ipswich Town. Jack Taylor replaces Sam Morsy.
Substitution, Ipswich Town. Lewis Travis replaces Massimo Luongo.
Attempt missed. Mallik Wilks (Sheffield Wednesday) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Pol Valentín.
Offside, Ipswich Town. Leif Davis is caught offside.
Goal! Ipswich Town 5, Sheffield Wednesday 0. Ali Al Hamadi (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Jeremy Sarmiento (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Omari Hutchinson.
Václav Hladky (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Mallik Wilks (Sheffield Wednesday).
