Dec 20, 2014 at 3pm UK at ​Portman Road
IpswichIpswich Town
2-0
Middlesbrough
Murphy (25'), Tabb (45')
McGoldrick (38')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Vossen (21'), Omeruo (28'), Friend (88')

Result: Ipswich Town edge out Middlesbrough

Ipswich's Jay Tabb is mobbed by team mates after scoring the opening goal against Reading on August 3, 2013
© Getty Images
Mick McCarthy's Ipswich Town see off Championship promotion rivals Middlesbrough at Portman Road thanks to first-half goals from Daryl Murphy and Jay Tabb.

Ipswich Town extended their unbeaten run to nine games as goals from Daryl Murphy and Jay Tabb gave Mick McCarthy's side a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough.

After a lively opening period, Ipswich took the lead on 25 minutes when Murphy fired home the rebound, after David McGoldrick's effort from Tabb's cross had been saved by Dimitrios Konstantopoulos.

Tabb then struck on the stroke of half time when his eye-catching diving header from Teddy Bishop's cross found the corner of Bartosz Bialkowski's goal.

Aitor Karanka's side came roaring out of the blocks at the start of the second half, however, and nearly pulled a goal back when Jelle Vossen's flick across the face of goal was cleared just before it fell to the waiting Grant Leadbitter.

Adam Reach then came even closer when his looping header beat Bialkowski, only to be cleared off the line by Christophe Berra.

Ipswich went agonisingly close to finding a third which would have sealed the points when Murphy's header was cleared off the line, before Tommy Smith hammered the ball back against the post.

Daniel Ayala could have cut the deficit, but somehow fired over following a Boro corner as McCarthy's side held on for three points that see them leapfrog their opponents and move into second place in the Championship.

Ipswich's Daryl Murphy in action against Barnet during a friendly match on July 20, 2013
Read Next:
Half-Time Report: Murphy, Tabb hand Ipswich half-time lead
>
FA Cup
Premier League
Championship
League One
League Two
National League
Scottish Premiership
Scottish Championship
Scottish League One
Scottish League Two
Coupe de la Ligue
La Liga
Bundesliga
Serie A
Ligue 1
Primeira Liga
Major League Soccer
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Burnley442415568353387
2Middlesbrough44269960283287
3Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton442415570403087
4Hull City4322111062332977
5Derby CountyDerby442114965412477
6Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds441817962431971
7Cardiff CityCardiff441716115547867
8Ipswich TownIpswich441615134949063
9Birmingham CityBirmingham441613155046461
10Brentford43178186464059
11Preston North EndPreston441416144243-158
12Leeds UnitedLeeds441416144855-758
13Queens Park RangersQPR441318135353057
14Wolverhampton WanderersWolves441315165056-654
15Reading441313185054-452
16Huddersfield TownHuddersfield441312195861-351
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest441215174045-551
18Blackburn RoversBlackburn441116174245-349
19Rotherham UnitedRotherham441310215265-1349
20Bristol City441213195070-2049
21Fulham441115186576-1148
RMK Dons44912233664-2839
RCharlton AthleticCharlton44813233876-3837
RBolton WanderersBolton44415254080-4027