Report | 0-4 Ipswich Town

Gills were well beaten at MEMS Priestfield Stadium as three goals in 14 first half minutes proved crucial for Ipswich Town.

David Tutonda was the only change from the draw at MK Dons on New Year's Day as he came in for Danny Lloyd, who was on the bench.

Tom Dickson-Peters was named amongst the substitutes after signing on loan from Norwich. There was a late change to the Gills bench as Harvey Lintott came into the squad in place of Kyle Dempsey.

Vadaine Oliver had the first chance of the game in the fifth minute. Ryan Jackson’s long throw travelled towards the penalty spot finding the Gillingham target man. He rose highest, but his header sailed wide of the target.

In the ninth minute, James Norwood gave Ipswich the lead. The visitors managed to play their way into the Gills penalty area before Sam Morsy drilled a low ball across the six-yard box. Norwood was the first to meet it and smashed home from close range.

Wes Burns doubled Ipswich’s lead minutes later. They hit Gillingham on the counter-attack, and the ball was played towards Burns on the right. He blasted the effort towards the near post and beat Jamie Cumming.

Macauley Bonne made it three in the 23rd minute. Matt Penney managed to get in behind the Gillingham defence and squared it to Bonne, who had a simple tap in.

George Edmundson forced Cumming into a save in the 68th minute. The away end was encouraging the defender to shoot from distance, and he accepted the invitation. However, Cumming did well to get down to it and palm it away.

In the 73rd minute, Dan Phillips was sent off. He picked up his first yellow card minutes before for dissent and was given his marching orders following a professional foul, which stopped an Ipswich counter-attack.

Burns came close to scoring his second in the 82nd minute. The visitors caught Gills on the counter, and Burns was in space on the right-hand side of the box. It was played to him, but he drilled his effort into the side netting.

In the 84th minute, Ipswich were awarded a penalty following a shove on substitute Joe Pigott following a corner. Conor Chaplin, the other substitute, stepped up to take the spot-kick and smashed it into the back of the net as Cumming dived the other way.

Morsy almost added a fifth in stoppage time, but his effort from inside the six-yard box hit the face of the crossbar before bouncing over.