Clarke double sends Ipswich second

Ipswich’s stay in the automatic promotion places could last just 24 hours as Middlesbrough, the side they displaced, take on Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium on Wednesday night.

But Kieran McKenna’s side are undoubtedly a team with real momentum, racking up their sixth home win on the bounce and taking 16 points from the last 18 available.

The fact that they rode the loss of Philogene, who had been the club’s leading goalscorer going into the game with nine, by replacing him with the equally dangerous Clarke, underlines their promotion credentials.

It took the former Sunderland man just eight minutes to break the deadlock, receiving the ball from Jens Cajuste tight to the touchline he moved across the Robins’ defensive line on the edge of their box, awaited his moment, and passed the ball expertly into the far corner.

It would have been more by half-time but Azon skimmed the roof of the net with one effort and then saw on-loan Manchester United goalkeeper Radek Vitek brilliantly tip his close-range effort over the bar.

Emil Riis squandered two good chances to level for the visitors, first when seizing on Cedric Kipre’s sloppy pass he was denied by Christian Walton in the Ipswich goal, and then fired tamely at the keeper.

Ipswich were always the more likely to score and they doubled their lead on 55 minutes, after Robins defender Rob Dickie wobbled under a high ball.

Azon has struggled for goals since joining the Tractor Boys on loan from Como in the summer, but he harried Dickie into a mistake, with the defender heading the ball up in the air.

The Spaniard instantly controlled the ball as it fell and looked up before perfectly picking out Clarke’s run, with the winger despatching the ball into the opposite corner this time to make it 10 goals for the season and overtake Philogene.

Neto Borges turned and fired wide as the Robins tried to hit back instantly, but it was one last show of resistance as Ipswich saw out the game comfortably.