Premiership: Outcast Alun makes Boro pay

Middlesbrough 1-2 Ipswich

Windass 39 Armstrong 46, 50

Middlesbrough reject Alun Armstrong bagged two second half goals to claim all three points and a record 9th away win for Ipswich Town, leaving his old side in deep trouble at the wrong end of the table.

The result pushed Ipswich three points clear of Leeds United in third place, and was no more than George Burley's men deserved. They claimed their 9th away win in the process, a record that even Champions Manchester United can't match.

The home side were on the back foot from the first whistle, with Ipswich playing some neat one-touch football and dominating both in terms of possession and chances created. Jim Magilton was running the game from midfield with some superb passes, while Martin Reuser looked dangerous until his half time substitution.

Boro' had to wait 20 minutes for their first attack. Dean Gordon got forward well, and his low cross fizzed invitingly across the face of the goal. Dean Windass was inches away from connecting, and a relieved Hreidarsson cleared the danger, knocking out for corner.

This served as a wake-up call for George Burley's men, as they proceeded to move up a gear. Terry Venables was forced to leave his seat in the stand on the half hour mark, opting to bellow instructions from the touchline as his side were being outplayed. The former England boss promptly changed his formation to 4-4-2 as Ipswich were clearly winning the midfield battle.

Venables' alteration didn't seem to be working, as Jim Magilton continued to boss the midfield. He was at the heart of the action, putting Hreidarsson through to cross for Jermain Wright, who should have done better with a header from 12 yards out.

Indeed, Ipswich were guilty of wasting several chances to take the lead, nobody more so than Titus Bramble. He found himself unmarked three yards out following Reuser's corner, and blasted ball straight at the Mark Schwarzer. The Australian keeper stood firm to deny the youngster his second goal of the season.

The home side took full advantage of Ipswich's wasteful finishing, snatching the lead with their first shot on target. Dean Windass timed his run perfectly, and as the Ipswich defence waited for the linesman's flag, he raced onto Paul Ince's through ball and rifled a shot across helpless Ipswich keeper Richard Wright to give the home side the lead five minutes before the break.

This proved to be the wake-up call Ipswich needed, as they raced out of the blocks in the second 45, bagging two goals in five frantic minutes.

Alun Armstrong, the man Bryan Robson deemed not good enough for Boro', made it 1-1 inside the first 30 seconds of the second half. It was the least Ipswich deserved after their first half dominance, and when the ball fell invitingly to Armstrong on the edge of the area he made no mistake, smashing it through a crowd of players into the corner of Mark Schwarzer's net.

If Bryan Robson wasn't already regretting his decision to sell the impish frontman, he would have been five minutes later. Golden Boot contender Marcus Stewart turned provider producing a great cross from the left, and Armstrong cut across Dean Gordon at the near post to flick the ball past a helpless Schwarzer with the neatest of touches.

Having taken a thoroughly deserved lead, the Tractor Boys never looked like surrendering it. Richard Wright was a spectator for much of the second half, and Bramble was again guilty of not adding to Ipswich's lead, heading over the bar from close range.

In truth, this was an outstanding display from George Burley's men, and the scoreline did not reflect the gap in class between the two sides. Ricard was lucky to stay on the field as he vented his frustration at his side's inability to make any progress against a classy Ipswich. The tractor boys will be looking to the Champions League while Middlesbrough are left to fight for their Premiership lives.