Premiership: Patience pays off for Ipswich

Everton 1-2 Ipswich

The Ipswich bandwagon rolled on at Goodison Park as a screamer from skipper Matt Holland gave them a 2-1 win and moved them towards mid-table safety.

David Unsworth's penalty briefly threatened to deny Town a seventh Premiership win in eight after Argentine Sixto Peralta had fired a close-range opener on 11 minutes.

But Irishman Holland collected a short free-kick and hammered the ball high beyond Steve Simonsen just before half-time.

It was as much as Ipswich deserved for their more organised approach, and the Toffees may need more than bluster if they are to avoid being dragged towards the relegation places.

They started promisingly enough, and Andy Marshall in the visitors' goal was called into action twice in the opening exchanges, denying Gary Naysmith and Alan Stubbs as Everton attacked down the flanks.

But George Burley's side dampened their hosts' early ardour with some thoughtful football, and they forged ahead when Jamie Clapham arrowed a cross from the left and Peralta stabbed his fifth of the campaign.

With Paul Gascoigne receiving close attention his performances might not have merited a few weeks ago, Everon lacked the head to match their heart in midfield, and they could have been further behind when Jermaine Wright sent a dipper just over Simonsen's bar.

But they were thrown an unlikely lifeline just before the half hour mark after referee Steve Dunn adjudged Marshall to have brought down Kevin Campbell. Unsworth leathered home the penalty.

With youngster Peter Clarke an impressive figure at wing-back, Everton briefly threatened to gain the upper hand, but Holland left the Goodison crowd moping over their half-time pies after David Weir had fouled Marcus Bent.

Clarke gave way to new signing Tobias Linderoth at the break, but the Swede struggled to get to grips with the pace of proceedings.

His compatriot Jesper Blomqvist had more luck, teeing up Duncan Ferguson for a volley which Marshall punched clear, but that was as close as Everton came to a second leveller, and Ipswich headed home with the Toffees below them in the table and with the top half in sight.

Man of the Match: Matt Holland (Ipswich) - Town's heartbeat as always, and grabbed the headlines for once with his piledriver

Everton: Simonsen, Clarke (Linderoth 45), Weir, Stubbs, Unsworth (Moore 83), Blomqvist, Gascoigne, Gemmill, Naysmith, Ferguson, Campbell.

Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Tal, Cleland.

Booked: Stubbs.

Ipswich: Marshall, Makin, McGreal, Venus, Hreidarsson, Clapham, Peralta, Holland, Wright (Magilton 45), Armstrong (Stewart 56), Marcus Bent.

Subs Not Used: Counago, Reuser, Sereni.