Counago's hat-trick inspires Ipswich rout

Ipswich Town 8 Avenir Beggen 1 Ipswich win 9-1 on aggregate

Ipswich Town put their financial woes temporarily behind them by performing some exquisite party pieces at Portman Road last night to ease into today's draw for the first round of the Uefa Cup. Their crushing victory came with the help of a hat-trick from Spanish under-21 international Pablo Couñago and Tommy Miller's first two goals for the club.

Avenir Beggen were, as expected, absolutely outclassed but their coach Gilbert Dresch was clearly dismayed by the manner in which his Luxembourgian part-timers capitulated in the second leg of their qualifying round tie. "They treated the game as more of a holiday than a serious football match,'' he lamented. "We were too disorganised, inexperienced and naive to deal with an Ipswich side which was quite as good as the one we met in Luxembourg.'' But that, as Dresch pointed out, was an almost entirely different side.

Only four of the Ipswich players who had started in the Stade de Josy Barthel a fortnight ago were in George Burley's line-up. Correctly, the manager assumed that he could afford to omit players such as Marcus Stewart, Ipswich's first leg marksman, who was negotiating a £1m move to Sunderland.

He was not missed, since Miller doubled the aggregate lead within four minutes. Somehow Beggen avoided further damage until the 18th minute when the floodgates opened, Couñago side-footing home meticulously. Miller promptly scored with a delightful back-hell from Couñago's cross and the third goal in as many minutes arrived when Miller reciprocated with a low centre for Couñago.

Then Wayne Brown headed his first goal for them from John McGreal's cross. Ipswich, featuring midfielder Matt Holland for the first time, were finally breached after 55 minutes when Greg Molitor stooped to head in a cross.

Normal service resumed when McGreal scored simply after a drive from Fabian Wilnis had been blocked and Couñago's next, after keeper Kevin Hartert mishandled a through ball, was even more absurdly easy. Darren Ambrose completed the rout.

If only it was as easy in the First Division, Ipswich would be promoted by Christmas.

Ipswich Town (4-4-2): Marshall; Wilnis, McGreal, Holland, Brown; Miller (Ambrose, 60), Magilton (George, 71), Reuser (Richards, 50), Clapham; Counago, M Bent. Substitutes not used: Pullen (gk), D Bent, Gaardsoe, Naylor.

Avenir Beggen (1-3-5-1): Hartert; Miedico; Laraccia, Ney (Diallo, 83), Calvaruso; Gomes de Almeida, Molitor, Calvaruso ( Picard, 85), Martin, Da Luz; Pace (Lopes, 60). Substitutes not used: Gilbertz (gk), Hamdaoui, Schaack, Schmit.

Referee: T Skjerven (Norway).

* Aberdeen also made it to the first round last night, winning 1-0 on aggregate after a 0-0 against Nistru Otaci in Moldova, as did Livingston, on away goals with a goalless home draw against the Liechtenstein side FC Vaduz following a 1-1 draw in the first leg.