Sam Szmodics on target as Ipswich defeat former club Blackburn to remain third

Former Blackburn fan favourite Sam Szmodics scored a late third goal against his old club as Ipswich extended their unbeaten run to six matches in all competitions with a 3-0 Championship victory at Portman Road.

Two goals in the opening 12 minutes set promotion-seeking Ipswich on their way and they remain third in the table, hot on the heels of leaders Coventry, who defeated Leicester 2-1, and Middlesbrough, who beat West Brom 3-2 on Friday night.

Injury-hit Rovers conceded an own goal from debutant Eiran Cashin, while Town midfielder Jack Taylor scored the second and Szmodics was on target in the 88th minute – to add the gloss – in a match where the hosts spurned a series of missed chances.

Blackburn, who failed to have a shot on target, were left languishing in 20th spot to sit just four points above the relegation zone.

Town got off to the perfect start in the third minute thanks to Blackburn defender Cashin.

It started with George Hirst winning the ball in the Blackburn half and he fed Jaden Philogene wide on the left, who in turn passed it to Marcelino Nunez and his sweeping low cross was diverted into his own net by Brighton loanee Cashin.

Rovers goalkeeper Balazs Toth acrobatically turned a volley from Sindre Walle Egeli over the Ccrossbar before Taylor made it 2-0 in the 12th minute.

Nunez’s high, swirling corner was met by Dara O’Shea’s head and Toth saved down low but Taylor was alert to stab the ball home from close range.

The visitors nearly clawed their way back into the game moments later. Norwegian Sondre Tronstad hit a shot from 25 yards that took a deflection off Cedric Kipre and ended up going wide but close to the far post.

Ipswich should have made it 3-0 in the 49th minute as Nunez had a hooked effort saved by Toth before Walle Egeli’s rebound was blocked by Cashin.

Mathias Jorgensen’s low cross into the Ipswich box found Yuki Ohashi, who tumbled and claimed a push in the back from Darnell Furlong.

The ball ran loose and Todd Cantwell went down following a challenge by Town goalkeeper Christian Walton but referee Andrew Kitchen waved away penalty appeals, much to the fury of Rovers boss Valerien Ismael.

Toth came to Blackburn’s rescue when he parried away a shot from Wes Burns and followed that up with another from Nunez.

The referee then turned down what appeared to be a cast-iron penalty when Ivor Azon was tackled by Cashin just as he was about to shoot.

But the hosts extended their lead after Burns squared the ball for Szmodics to side foot home from six yards out to register his first goal at home for Ipswich and seal maximum points.