Coventry City travelled to Portman Road looking to extend their unbeaten run in Sky Bet League One against a faltering Ipswich Town side who have lost their previous three fixtures in the league.
City began the day at the top of the table, with two points separating them from the rest of the pack whereas the Tractor Boys sat in ninth, six points off the final play-off spot.
The first piece of action that the match produced was a penalty shout from the 17,000 home fans after five minutes as Jon Nolan went over under a tackle from Dom Hyam. Referee, Trevor Kettle, did not succumb to the appeals though and let play carry on.
The quarter-of-the-hour mark came without either team showing much attacking threat, until Matty Godden stepped up.
Liam Walsh picked the ball up halfway in Town’s half and immediately pushed forward.
He had two chances to set either Callum O’Hare free on his left or Jamie Allen free on his right, and it looked like the chance had passed City by.
Walsh then picked his head up and threaded a ball through to Godden, leaving the defender flat-footed, giving Godden all the time in the world to smash past Will Norris in goal and fire the Sky Blues into the lead.
City proceeded to take control of the game as they were looking to double their lead, but it was Ipswich who fashioned the next half-chance in the tie as Nolan latched onto a long ball out of defence that caught the City backline on their heels.
He was one-on-one with Marko Marosi with the ball failing to settle. The Ipswich man took a look and saw Marosi off his line and opted to loop a header over the Slovakian, but Marosi had made the move back to his goal line, bluffed Nolan, and caught his effort easily.
With five minutes to go in the first half, Freddie Sears had a slight sight of goal.
Once again, it was a ball over the top from Ipswich which found Sears although, Dom Hyam was around to put pressure on the striker this time.
Sears took a touch and took aim from the edge of the box and Marosi dived easily to his right to pounce on the strike.
HALF-TIME: Ipswich Town 0 – 1 Sky Blues
City created the first chance of the second half after five minutes, as Fankaty Dabo whipped a superb ball into the front post from the right wing.
Godden got across his marker but could only fire his header wide of Norris’ goal.
The home crowd grew into the game in the second half which seemed to mount a second wind for the Tractor Boys.
As the game entered the final half an hour, Ipswich began seeing more of the ball and creating more chances. Luke Chambers spurned a golden chance at the back post as he met an in-swinging cross from the left.
Chambers beat the City defence to the ball but could only guide his header wide of Marosi’s goal.
With all six available substitutions taking place within the space of 20 minutes, the game struggled to get going following the succession of stoppages.
Neither team managed to create any further goal-threatening chances as City travelled back to the Midlands with a five-point lead at the top of the Sky Bet League One table.
FULL-TIME: Ipswich Town 0 – 1 Sky Blues
Goals: Godden 16’
Yellows: Walsh 29’, Norris 45’, McFadzean 59’, Dozzell 76’, McCallum 90+1’
Attendance: 18,825 (1,740 Sky Blues)
Sky Blues Xl: Marko Marosi (GK), Fankaty Dabo, Dom Hyam, Kyle McFadzean, Michael Rose, Sam McCallum, Liam Kelly (C), Liam Walsh, Jamie Allen (Jordan Shipley 67’), Callum O'Hare (Zain Westbrooke 85’), Matty Godden (Amadou Bakayoko 78’).
Unused Subs: Ben Wilson (GK), Josh Pask, Ryan Giles, Max Biamou.
Ipswich Town XI: Will Norris (GK), Luke Chambers (C), Gwion Edwards, Cole Skuse, Jon Nolan, Teddy Bishop (Armando Dobra 74’), Alan Judge, Freddie Sears (Tyreece Simpson 68’), Andre Dozzell, Luke Woolfenden, Luke Garbutt (Josh Earl 64’)
Unused Subs: Tomas Holy (GK), James Wilson, Ben Morris, Emyr Huws.