Ipswich Town 0 Fleetwood Town 1: Ched Evans strike lifts Town back into play-off zone

Ched Evans’ strike late in the first half proved all-important as Joey Barton’s men leapfrogged Oxford United and Peterborough United into sixth position.

This was a sixth win in seven for Barton's side, refreshed from their unscheduled weekend off, and they have lost only once in 16 games going into Saturday's home derby against Blackpool.

Fleetwood started with an unchanged side from the one which drew 1-1 at Sunderland last Tuesday.

Evans was named among the substitutes, having served a three-match suspension for his red card against Wycombe Wanderers, but was quickly called into action when former Ipswich loanee Callum Connolly went off with a facial injury in the 16th minute.

The striker went on to score the only goal of the game on 40 minutes and the visitors deserved their lead at the interval after bossing possession.

Barrie McKay slid Evans in on goal and he fended off the attention of Ipswich skipper Luke Chambers before coolly firing a low effort beyond keeper Tomas Holy.

Even though chances had been at a premium, Fleetwood had been on top and went close to scoring just before the half-hour mark.

Paul Coutts played a clever pass to McKay, whose low cross from the left was inadvertently sliced onto the near post by Chambers.

It was a real let-off for the hosts, who looked surprisingly lacklustre and only threatened late in the half, when Harry Souttar blocked Janoi Donacien’s cross.

Lewie Coyle then pounced to dispossess Will Keane, after the striker swivelled and made space for himself in the box.

It was perhaps a warning of what to come as the hosts, having lost five of their last seven and in desperate need of a fillip, started the second half brightly.

Coyle cleared Alan Judge’s free-kick just in front of the line before keeper Alex Cairns made a brilliant reflex save to claw away the follow-up from Jon Nolan.

With the game in the balance, Fleetwood nearly grabbed a second after neat play from Paddy Madden teed up Danny Andrew but the full-back’s low shot was well saved by Holy.

At the other end, Ipswich also went close and the visitors were again indebted to Cairns for keeping their slender lead in tact.

He bravely collected a dangerous-looking cross from Freddie Sears before producing another outstanding diving save to thwart substitute Tyreece Simpson.

It proved the final act of a tense contest, with Fleetwood celebrating another eye-catching victory at the final whistle – much to the delight of their 88 hardy supporters who had made the long midweek trip to Portman Road.

Fleetwood: Cairns 9, Coyle 8, Souttar 8, Gibson 7, Andrew 7, Burns 7, Whelan 7, Connolly 4 (Evans 16, 8), Coutts 7 (Thorvaldsson 84), McKay 7 (Sowerby 72), Madden 7; Subs not used: Crellin, Saunders, Holgate, Morris

Ipswich: Holy, Wilson, Chambers, Earl, Donacien, Nolan (Bishop 74), McGavin (Sears 45), Dozzell, Garbutt, Judge, Keane (Simpson 61); Subs not used: Edward, Norris, Woolfenden, Dobra.

Referee: Neil Hair.

Attendance; 15, 678