Crystal Palace 3 Ipswich Town 4

Last updated : 21 October 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Ipswich moved into the play-off places with their eighth victory in nine games after winning 4-3 at Crystal Palace.

Shefki Kuqi scored the winner two minutes from time after the Eagles had equalised from a Dougie Freedman penalty.

Ipswich deserved their win even though they were 2-0 down inside 16 minutes.

Andrew Johnson opened the scoring after just five minutes. Put through by Freedman he finished well at Kelvin Davis' near post. Palace went 2-0 up when good work by Danny Butterfield saw Neil Shipperley battle into the box where Freedman fired in the loose ball from close range.

In between Cedric Berthelin made a good save from Jermaine Wright. Kuqi should have scored in the 24th minute but was denied by Curtis Fleming's block.

From the resulting corner Richard Naylor's near post headed looped in at the far post. Kuqi was twice denied before half time but the Tractor Boys did score before the break.

Crystal Palace failed to clear a Jim Magilton free-kick, Wright's shot came back off the post for Naylor to score again from two yards.

Ipswich controlled the second half forcing Palace boss Steve Kember to switch to a 4-4-2 formation.

Freedman was denied in the 55th minute when Davis tipped his close-range effort over and Eagles were to rue it when Ian Westlake's left-wing cross was converted by Pablo Counago from close range.

Ipswich soon took off Counago to tighten up their midfield but it was his replacement Tommy Miller who tripped Wayne Routledge and conceded the penalty.

Freedman sent Davis the wrong way to equalise only for Miller to make amends with the ball from which Kuqi scored the winner 30 seconds later.