Pride of Anglia - Ipswich Town Football Club

Millwall knuckle under

Sadly, image sometimes becomes reality. Millwall, traditionally the home of good earthy humour, have been burdened of late by the picture television saw fit to project of psychotic fringe masquerading as their fans.

The 19-minute hold up in the first half, when a running battle on the terracing in one corner of the ground sent supporters spilling onto the pitch, testified to how well the the most unnecessary lesson can sink into the dark recesses of the mindless.

The referee announced that the game would be completed no matter what - Ipswich were a goal up, and doubtless there were those hoping for an abandonment. The public address system sternly and rightly castigated those who where continuing the fighting.

It was all very unfortunate. Millwall who clearly try and play constructive football are totally undeserving of such a following. While never really achieving any real flow, they did better than the distorted scoreline suggests.

When their lively substitute, Mehmet, had cut the deficit to 1-3, they still seemed to fancy their chances even though only seven minutes remained.

But Ipswich destroyed their last fragments of a dream with three goals in three minutes.

Burley put Ipswich on the path towards the semi-finals with a fierce shot from 25 yards in the 11th minute. Johns, who could only touch it on its way, made useful saves from Osman, Mariner and Turner, in this broken backed first half. Ipswich were competent in defence, where Hunter was remorseless and Burley immaculate.

The main Millwall threat came from the silken running of Walker, but he had to spend much time supplementing the beautiful defence of Moore, Hazell and Kitchener.

Osman almost brought the scores level with a faultless back pass early in the second half but after 52 minutes Ipswich, inspired by the magnificent Talbot, went two-up as Mariner scored at the second attempt after a fine run by Osborne.

Mariner scored again after 71 minutes when Turner worried Moore into an error, but Millwall looked a livelier proposition now with Mehmet replacing Cross. The young substitute produced one splendid shot on the turn, then scored after 83 minutes when Cooper got entangled with Kitchener, now pushed into attack.

Millwall perked up even more, but after 87 minutes Walk volleyed home from a header by Mariner. At 60 second intervals, Talbot got Ipswich's fifth unopposed as Millwall disintegrated, and Mariner completed his hat trick from a neat cross by Lambert.

Alun Rees