What's The Frequency Kenneth?

The Salvation Army band outside Portman Road - it must be Christmas

For the first time since Joe Royal's day, we had the chance to top the league at Christmas. We were sitting in fourth place going into the match, against second placed Middlesborough. Norwich had done their bit by drawing at third placed Derby in the lunchtime kick-off (so neighbourly of them!)

Grant Leadbitter - now captain of Middlesborough

Former Town skipper Grant Leadbitter got a frosty reception from the majority of the twenty thousand plus crowd inside Portman Road. There are not many players that return to Ipswich and get such a hostile welcome, but he has still not been forgiven for asking for more money as his contract was coming to an end in 2012. It was quite pleasing to see him to fluff his first corner of the game in front of the North Stand, something he often use to do in a blue shirt.

Not for the first time this season Daryl Murphy gave us a deserving lead. Midway through the first half he knocked in a loose ball from six yards out.

The Borough defence were finding life very difficult containing Ipswich's front pairing and were grateful to the referee for a dodgy decision, when he waved away, what looked to be a clear penalty. David  McGoldrick was tripped in the box, by the already booked, Ken Omeruo, but rather than award the spot kick and give the defender his marching orders he booked McGoldrick for diving! McGoldrick was bemused by the decision to put it mildly.

In first half injury time the two shortest players on the pitch combined to double Ipswich's lead, Teddy Bishop swung in a cross, which all, five feet seven of Jay Tabb (is he really that tall?) headed into the Teesiders net!

Half time and it's The Co-op bands turn to play carols

I don't know why? But I never felt comfortable during the second half, Middlesborough came out and looked more like a side challenging for promotion,. They had some good passing moves and I got the feeling that if they managed to score a goal, then the momentum would swing their way. 

Borough, especially Omeruo, got very lucky again after the defender blatantly brought Bishop down on the edge of the area. The ref awarded a free kick, but he once again chose not to book Omeruo which incensed the Town fans, in their opinion he had bottled it, a decision acknowledged by the visitors manager, Aitor Karanka, who immediately substituted his beleaguered defender, before the resultant free kick could be taken.

With twenty minutes remaining, Ipswich almost got the vital third goal, which would have put the result beyond doubt. Leadbitter cleared Murphy's header off the line and Tommy Smith's follow up shot hit the post before rebounding away from trouble.

As it turned out my anxiety was ill formed, Town were able to contain the Middlesborough threat and keeper Bartosz Bialkowski kept his fifth clean sheet of the eight starts he has enjoyed since replacing Dean Gerkin between the sticks.

Elsewhere, in the top versus bottom, 'battle of the beaches', Bournemouth beat Blackpool 6-1 away from home, meaning that they and not us sit on top of the Championship tree at Christmas.