Football: Marshall is artful

Ipswich Town. . .1

Chelsea . . . . .0

IAN MARSHALL'S transfer from Oldham over the summer is beginning to look like a great career move. His superbly taken goal, 10 minutes before half-time, was his third in three games and provided his new club with a victory that their high-quality performance deserved.

Ipswich now find themselves in a position they have not enjoyed since the good old days under Bobby Robson - top of the table. But with their victories being gained against Oldham, Southampton and now Chelsea, they would be the first to recognise that there are many sterner tests to come. All the same, nothing should be taken away from their 100 per cent record.

It was another frustrating day for Glenn Hoddle whose new side tried but failed to match the quality of Ipswich's passing movements. Chelsea have taken just one point from a possible nine and judging by the amount of times that Hoddle could be seen holding his head in his hands it seemed to have dawned on him that the machinery at Chelsea may need more than a little fine tuning.

Even Hoddle, however, will have appreciated the goal that sank his side. Collecting the ball wide on the right, Marshall cut into the box, jinked around two defenders and lashed a left-footed drive low into the corner of the net.

Until then, there had barely been a genuine attempt on goal but thereafter Ipswich stormed forward with Mick Stockwell, Steve Palmer and Chris Kiwomya all narrowly failing to give the scoreline a fairer appearance.

Ipswich Town (4-4-2): C Baker; M Stockwell, D Linighan, P Whelan, N Thompson; S Palmer, J Wark, G Williams, P Mason; I Marshall (S Whitton, 70 min), C Kiwomya. Subs not used: C Forrest (gk), B Genchev. Manager: M McGiven.

Chelsea (5-3-2): D Kharin; S Clarke, E Johnsen, G Hoddle, J Kjeldbjerg, M Donaghy; D Wise, G Peacock, A Myers; T Cascarino, R Fleck (E Newton, 60 min). Subs not used: K Hitchcock (gk), D Lee. Player-manager: G Hoddle.

Referee: D Elleray (Harrow).

Goal: Marshall (1-0, 35 min).