Ipswich Tn 2, Oxford Utd 1 UNITED paid the price for a dreadful start as their three-match unbeaten run in Division 1 came to an end against impressive Ipswich at Portman Road on Saturday.

Two goals down inside eight minutes after some terrible defending, Oxford were facing the distinct possibility of a repeat of the seven-goal humiliations they had suffered at Birmingham and Sunderland earlier this season.

And if a rampant Ipswich side had taken a series of gilt-edged chances they created in the first half-hour, Oxford could have been 5-0 down.

But George Burley's promotion-seekers frittered away their opportunities, and with Christophe Remy pulling a superb goal back for Oxford just before half-time, battling United could have even snatched an undeserved draw in the second half.

The kick-off was delayed 15 minutes for safety reasons following a road accident, but once the match got under way, Ipswich's pacy strikeforce wasted little time in wreaking havoc. Oxford's defence, without the suspended Phil Gilchrist, were all at sea as Brian Wilsterman and Les Robinson returned alongside Mark Watson in a sweeper system.

United had an amazing escape in the third minute when Wilsterman let the ball sail over his head. Robinson lobbed it over Paul Gerrard as he came off his line, and Marlon Harewood raced through with the goal at his mercy, only to hit the post from two yards.

It had to go down as one of the misses of the season.

However, there was no let-off for Oxford in the sixth minute when Jamie Clapham's corner was flicked on by Harewood for Matt Holland to run in unchallenged and side-foot past Gerrard from eight yards.

Two minutes later, Oxford fell further behind. Harewood put Johnson through, but just as he was about to pull the trigger, he was sent tumbling by a crude lunge from Wilsterman.

Sutton Coldfield referee Ray Oliver had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, and could easily have sent off the Dutch defender, but strangely didn't even see fit to brandish a yellow card.

However, justice was done when Mark Venus thumped a cracking left-foot penalty into the corner of the net. Former United midfielder Jim Magilton, on loan from Sheffield Wednesday, was pulling the strings for Ipswich, and he initiated another flowing move which ended with Wilsterman making a last-ditch tackle on Johnson.

Dean Windass, seeking to equal Paul Moody's United record of scoring in six successive games, glanced a header wide from a Joey Beauchamp corner in a rare Oxford attack.

Venus then burst forward from halfway, and picked out Holland in acres of space on the edge of the Oxford box. He looked certain to score, but Gerrard got down well to save his low shot.

Watson volleyed over the Ipswich bar from six yards, but when United forced another flag-kick, Ipswich broke out quickly and Harewood's superb crossfield ball found the lively Kieron Dyer, and he exchanged passes with Johnson before firing inches past the far post.

Joey Beauchamp tested Wright with a curling left-foot shot, and Windass sent a free kick into the side netting.

But then, in the 43rd minute, Oxford gave themselves a lifeline when Windass sent an inch-perfect pass to Remy, who had set off on a run down the right. The Frenchman drove forward and cut inside Tony Mowbray before beating the advancing Wright from just inside the area with a low shot.

Harewood ballooned a shot over for Ipswich early in the second half, and Gerrard palmed Venus's low shot around the post and Dyer fired over the bar from the edge of the area.

However, Beauchamp then had a great chance to equalise when he ran on to Francis's flick-on, but Wright just got a hand to his shot and Fabian Wilnis completed the clearance.

United were gradually coming more into the game and Francis blazed over from a similar position before And Paul Powell unleashed a cracking 20-yard drive which brought a superb save from Wright, diving to his left.

Gerrard came to Oxford's rescue again when he blocked a shot from Ipswich substitute Richard Naylor, who was then lucky to stay on the pitch after a shocking challenge on Windass which sparked a 17-man melee. Naylor was shown the yellow card, and Watson was also booked after getting involved in the fracas.

Story date: Monday 22 February

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