Ipswich Town 3 Colchester United 2: Haynes caps recovery to keep Ipswich interested in play-off spot

The prospect of earning a minimum of £25m from a season in the top flight leaves some Championship clubs drooling with anticipation. Many, like Ipswich Town, have sampled Premiership life before.

It is no wonder then that the thought of finishing in the play-off spots is a top priority, even for a club undergoing a slow rebuilding process under a rookie manager, Jim Magilton. So soon after his move up from being one of Ipswich's senior players, a play-off spot may be seen as a little too greedy, but that does not mean that the former Northern Ireland and Southampton midfielder will stop asking his players to set the bar that high. Coming from behind to beat Colchester, a side with play-off aspirations of their own, was pleasing.

The defender Richard Naylor said: "On our day, we will beat anyone in this league. We showed a lot of character from going a goal down and deserved to win in the end. We need to go on a run if we are to make the play-offs and that is the most important thing."

Ipswich dominated but Colchester took the lead. The hosts had had a goal cruelly ruled out, after Garry Richards cleared the Ipswich full-back David Wright's attempt off the line. The ball appeared to have crossed and, with the Ipswich players remonstrating with the referee, Colchester scored at the other end through Karl Duguid.

Ipswich were back in the game on the half-hour when Alan Lee tucked away a penalty after a challenge from Greg Halford. The French midfielder Sylvain Legwinski put the home side ahead on 56 minutes, heading in a corner from Gavin Williams, and Danny Haynes neatly tucked away a third late on.

There was a scare in injury time when Chris Iwelumo scored a penalty for Southend, but Ipswich were fully worth the win.

Goals: Duguid (15) 0-1; Lee pen (30) 1-1; Legwinski (56) 2-1; Haynes (82) 3-1; Iwelumo pen (90) 3-2.

Ipswich Town (4-4-2): Price; Wright, Bruce, Naylor, Harding; Peters, Legwinski, Williams, Roberts (Richards, 90); Lee (O'Callaghan, 86), Clarke (Haynes, 67). Substitutes not used: Supple (gk), Wilnis.

Colchester United (4-4-2): Gerken; Halford, Brown, Richards (White, 86), Barker; Garcia, Watson, Izzet (Jackson, 77), Duguid; Iwelumo, Ephraim (Guy, 63). Substitutes not used: Davison (gk), Elokobi.

Referee: G Laws (Tyne & Wear)

Booked: Ipswich Town Clarke, Williams. Colchester United Halford, Brown. Sent-off: Wright (90).

Man of the match: Lee.

Attendance: 28,355.