Jack Clarke’s first-half brace propelled an Ipswich side featuring 11 changes into the last 16 of the FA Cup with a 4-1 win away to Coventry.
George Hirst put the Tractor Boys ahead from the penalty spot after only 90 seconds and although Joel Latibeaudiere soon equalised, Clarke struck twice before the break to put Ipswich in control.
The former Sunderland man then passed up the chance of a hat-trick to set up Jaden Philogene’s first Ipswich goal just after the hour as last season’s semi-finalists Coventry went out, while Ipswich advanced to the fifth round for the first time since 2007.
Clarke has made only five Premier League starts since joining for £15million in August, with 14 of his 22 Ipswich appearances in all competitions coming as a substitute, but he took his opportunity with an excellent display to add to the goal he scored in the previous round’s 3-0 win over Bristol Rovers.
City are challenging for the Championship play-offs after a turnaround in form since Frank Lampard took over in late November, but this showed the significant gulf in class to the Premier League as they were over-run by the reserves of a relegation-battling team who had lost their last four straight games.
Kick-off was delayed by 10 minutes due to congestion outside the CBS Arena and those among the 30,000 crowd slow to take their seats missed the opening goal.
It took just 22 seconds for Ipswich to win a penalty as Sammie Szmodics was bundled over by Liam Kitching, and Hirst then beat Oliver Dovin with a spot-kick into the bottom right of the net.
But Coventry, wearing one-off dark blue shirts to raise money for charity, were level six minutes later.
Ipswich conceded a cheap corner in failing to deal with Jay Dasilva’s cross, and when Jack Rudoni sent the ball in Latibeaudiere got in front of his marker at the near post to head in his first goal of the season, meaning new Ipswich goalkeeper Alex Palmer’s first touch was to pick the ball out of his net.
Coventry settled into the game and pushed forward against an Ipswich side looking uncomfortable at the back, but the pace in the Ipswich attack posed dangers every time they came forward and they were back in front with 28 minutes gone.
Hirst raced down the left and pulled the ball back to Clarke, who showed good feet to shake off a couple of defenders before arrowing a shot into the bottom corner.
After Philogene tested Dovin from range Szmodics, just back from an ankle injury, went down for a second time in the game, forced off as Nathan Broadhead came on.
The Wales international was almost immediately involved in Town’s third, picking off a poor pass from Luis Binks and firing it in to Clarke, who prodded home under pressure.
Coventry were first to threaten in the second half, with Palmer needing to stretch to push Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s low shot around the post and they kept the pressure on with a string of corners.
The hosts thought they had pulled one back just after the hour as the ball was scrambled in by Brandon Thomas-Asante from Latibeaudiere’s cross, but the flag was up for offside
Instead, Ipswich went straight to the other end to score a decisive fourth. Clarke dispossessed Latibeaudiere and then unselfishly squared from the left for Philogene to fire in his first goal since completing a £20million move from Aston Villa last month.
