Hat-trick from Gregory lifts Ipswich hopes

Neil Gregory, who has struggled to break into the Ipswich first team, scored a first-half hat-trick last night to give Ipswich a 3-1 victory over their First Division promotion rivals at Portman Road.

He rattled in three almost identical goals inside the first 37 minutes. It took him just 19 seconds to make his mark. Paul Mason knocked a long ball over the top and Gregory raced through before hitting a low shot under Simon Tracey.

In the 11th minute, Jamie Scowcroft flicked on a long punt upfield by Richard Wright and Gregory again beat Tracey.

Jan Age Fjortoft pulled a goal back 10 minutes later, but in the 37th minute, the Mason-Gregory combination struck again.