Ipswich Town didn’t bother dressing this one up. They came to Vicarage Road, did the job, and left with three points that felt far more straightforward than they probably should’ve been.
Watford never really got going, the crowd never really woke up, and Town just kept the whole thing at arm’s length.
It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t dramatic, but it was exactly the sort of away win you cling to in a promotion chase.
Town settled quicker, sharper, and with a bit more purpose. Nothing fancy, just simple passes, good shape, and players actually wanting the ball.
Ipswich’s opener came from a moment of real quality. Marcelino Núñez stood over a free‑kick on the right, shaped like he was going to whip it deep, then fizzed in a nasty, dipping ball that Watford completely misjudged.
It dropped perfectly for Sindre Walle Egeli, who met it on the volley and smashed it past Selvik before anyone in yellow reacted. A sharp finish, clean as you like, and exactly the sort of moment Ipswich needed to settle the night.
Watford’s response was… well, there wasn’t much of one. A couple of crosses, a few half‑runs, but nothing that made Walton do anything beyond the basics.
Ipswich weren’t dominant, but they were the only side that looked remotely organised. Ipswich Went in 1-0 at the break.
Watford came out after the break trying to convince themselves they were still in the game, but it never really stuck.
Nestory Irankunda had a couple of bursts, but Jacob Greaves and Cedric Kipré just dealt with him in that blunt, Championship way, no fuss, no drama, just get rid.
Ipswich slowed everything down, took the sting out of the crowd, and waited for the moment to finish it. And when it came, it was classic away‑day stuff.
Jacob Greaves, who’d been solid all night, suddenly whipped in a brilliant cross from the left, one of those awkward, dipping balls defenders hate.
George Hirst attacked it, didn’t overthink it, and it went in off his chest. Not pretty, not clean, but absolutely perfect for the situation. A proper striker’s goal in a game that needed exactly that sort of scruffy finish.
From there, Watford looked like they were going to get back into the game from a penalty that Tom Ince took, but Christian Walton saved.
Ipswich shut the door, took the pace out of everything, and saw it out like a team that’s been here before.
Christian Walton, Darnell Furlong, Dara O’Shea (C), Cedric Kipré, Jacob Greaves, Azor Matusiwa, Dan Neil (65′), Sindre Walle Egeli (65′), Marcelino Núñez (73′), Jack Clarke (87′), Ivan Azon (73′)
Subs used: Ben Johnson (87′), Jens Cajuste (65′), Anis Mehmeti (73′), Wes Burns (65′), George Hirst (73′)
Egil Selvik, Jeremy Petris, James Abankwah, Matthew Pollock, Stephen Mfuni, Marc Bola, Nestory Irankunda, Nampalys Mendy, Imran Louza (C), Giorgi Chakvetable, Luca Kjerrumgaard
Subs Used: Edoardo Bove, Jeremy Ngakia, Mamadou Doumbia, Tom Ince, Pierre Ekwah
Walton – 8.6 (MOTM), Furlong – 6.5, Dara Oshea – 7.2, Cedric Kipre – 7.3, Jacob Greaves – 8.1, Azor Matusiwa – 7.6, Dan Neil – 7.5, Sindre Walle Egeil – 7.8, Marcelino Nunez – 7.2, Jack Clarke – 7.3, Ivan Azon – 6.3
Subs Used: Jens Cajuste – 6.0, Wes Burns – 6.7, Anis Mehmeti – 5.8, George Hirst – 7.1, Ben Johnson N/A
Six points off Middlesbrough now, and this felt like one of those nights where you don’t play brilliantly, but you still walk away with exactly what you came for. It’s the sort of win that keeps a season alive, not glamorous, not memorable, but absolutely vital.
Up next for the Tractor Boys is a return to Portman Road, where they host Swansea City on Saturday at 3pm.
