Championship round-up: Southampton maintain perfect start as Lallana flattens Ipswich revival

Southampton continued their strong start to the Championship last night with a 5-2 win at Ipswich Town, with two goals each from Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana.

Saints had won their first two games, at home against Leeds United and away at Barnsley, and they continued that run at Portman Road. Lambert scored twice in the first 11 minutes to put the visitors in command. Veteran striker David Connolly then scored a third goal soon before half-time.

Ipswich fought back in the second half. Keith Andrews pulled one goal back before new signing Jay Emmanuel-Thomas scored his first league goal since joining from Arsenal in the summer. But two late goals from Lallana sealed a great win for newly-promoted Southampton.

"The first half was very pleasing," said the Southampton manager Nigel Adkins. "We continued what we've been doing and that's playing fluid football with lots of movement. We had a goal threat throughout the game and to be three-up at half-time was excellent." His Ipswich counterpart Paul Jewell thought his side "looked frightened to death" at times.

Middlesbrough are two points behind Southampton in second place, after winning 3-1 at Barnsley last night, Marvin Emnes getting Boro's third, his sixth of the season. Manager Tony Mowbray said the striker's flying start was down to the support he has been getting from the club. "Marvin is a very quiet boy, a very shy boy, and it's just giving him a little bit of confidence, a little bit of belief and putting your arm around him," Mowbray said.

Steve McClaren's Nottingham Forest won their first league game of the season with a 1-0 victory at Doncaster, Chris Gunter getting their goal. Leeds beat Hull City 4-1 at Elland Road but the atmosphere was rather soured when Ken Bates called fans who had protested against his chairmanship "morons" and pledged he "ain't going anywhere".