FA Cup - Ipswich Town 1 Manchester City 4: Ipswich may have rescued their Premiership season with a fine recent run but yesterday they capitulated against a wonderfully entertaining Manchester City side who gained revenge for defeat on their last visit to Portman Road, when they were condemned to relegation last season.
Marcus Bent's deflected strike appeared to have brought the top-flight side back into the game but City had the pace and ability to take advantage of the defensive gaps Ipswich left behind as they pushed forward. Shaun Goater, with a simple header, sealed the game before Darren Huckerby was played through to cap victory.
Ispwich they were without the injured Mark Venus and Jim Magilton and the flu victim Chris Makin, and Finidi George was absent on international duty.
International calls also depleted City, who were without Paulo Wanchope and Lucien Mettomo.
Ipswich, who had won six of their previous seven games, and City, looking for their sixth victory in a row, attacked each other with the confidence of two form sides and it made for an open and highly entertaining opening half.
Huckerby tested Andy Marshall in the sixth minute, although Ipswich's response was swift when Bent shot over from Sixto Peralta's cross two minutes later.
Ipswich enjoyed other good chances, particularly when, in the 24th minute, Marcus Stewart played a through-ball to Martijn Reuser, who ran clear of the City defence only to clip his shot wide.
Three minutes later they went close again only for Nicky Weaver to save well from Reuser. On points, City had marginally the worse of those opening 45 minutes. But they finished the half the stronger and capped it with a goal.
It came in the 43rd minute, after City won a dubious corner on the left when Ali Benarbia's attempted cross struck Niclas Jensen on the backside and bounced out of play. The corner was taken by Benarbia and Eyal Berkovic volleyed it in from the edge of the penalty area.
In the 51st minute Huckerby shot wide of the right post and then, in the 56th, only a fine last-ditch tackle by Hermann Hreidarsson denied Goater. But it was only a brief reprieve. City soon went further ahead after Ipswich made a half-hearted attack down the right.
Jermaine Wright surrendered possession with a weak pass and Jensen moved the ball swiftly upfield to Benarbia. His clever through-ball sent Goater in to shoot past Marshall for his 25th goal of the season.
IPSWICH: Marshall, Wilnis (Armstrong 65), Hreidarsson (Le Pen 80), McGreal, Bramble, Holland, Wright, Reuser (Clapham 53), Peralta, Stewart, Marcus Bent. Subs Not Used: Sereni, Naylor. Goals: Marcus Bent 83.
MANCHESTER CITY: Weaver, Pearce, Wiekens, Dunne, Jensen, Horlock, Berkovic, Benarbia, Wright-Phillips, Goater, Huckerby. Subs Not Used: Nash, Ritchie, Negouai, Killen, Dickov. Booked: Dunne, Benarbia. Goals: Berkovic 43, Goater 65, 86, Huckerby 90.
Referee: G Poll (Tring).
