Norwich dent Ipswich's title hopes with deserved derby win | OneFootball

Norwich gave their play-off hopes a big boost and dented Ipswich’s title ambitions in the process with a 1-0 win in a captivating East Anglian derby on Saturday afternoon.

Scorers: Núñez 39′

In addition, it also stretches the Canaries’ impressive run in this fixture to 14 games unbeaten.

After a quiet opening half hour, the game sparked into life when Josh Sargent went scampering clear before being taken out by Axel Tuanzebe but despite big red card appeals from the home side, the defender escaped with a booking.

That only buoyed the Canaries who took a well-earned lead shortly afterwards when Marcelino Núñez tried his luck with a central free-kick 35 yards from goal and his low bouncing effort crept into the corner to send Carrow Road wild.

Goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky had fingers pointed at him for his part in that and after the break, looked uncertain again when another ball over the top caused Ipswich problems but his blushes were spared when Borja Sainz’s looping effort could only find the side-netting.

A tame Omari Hutchinson effort was easily held by Angus Gunn as Ipswich looked for a response, shortly after Sargent was again controversially hauled down when racing clear on goal – and once more the officials gave Kieran McKenna’s men the benefit of the doubt.

No further goals followed in a nervy final foray as Norwich moved seven points clear in sixth place (although Coventry in seventh do have two games in hand), while the table-toppers are now in danger of being leapfrogged by both Leeds and Leicester.