There can be few Ipswich Town fans around these days without bruises on their arm.

Because pinching yourself has become something of a mandatory task since the Blues set off on their journey through fairyland back in August.

Certainly the latest leg of their Premiership crusade was no exception thanks to a spectacle which packed more drama and incident into ten minutes than last week's clash at Coventry City managed in 90.

Every attribute which has contributed to Town's explosive start this season was evident at Maine Road on Saturday.

Resolute and united in defence, tirelessly hard-working in midfield and lively and intelligent up front, everything George Burley's troops touch at the moment seems to turn to gold.

And there appears no reason why their remarkable success story should grind to an untimely end.

Cynics talk about injuries causing the bubble to burst but the surprise inclusion of John Scales provides reassurance about their strength in depth.

Few Ipswich fans travelling to the North-West on Saturday would have ranked the veteran above Titus Bramble in Town's defensive pecking order.

Yet Scales, drafted in to replace the injured John McGreal for only his second Premiership start of the season, looked comfortable throughout.

Perhaps he should have marked Paulo Wanchope tighter for City's first goal but it would be ultra-critical to let that blemish an otherwise solid display.

Ipswich's greatest strength is the fact the team works and gels together as a unit. As has been said before, there are no superstars - just 11 very honest, talented footballers.

But every side needs its heroes and in Marcus Stewart Town have a player who has embraced the challenge of the top flight more than most.

His well-taken brace against City - his eighth and ninth strikes of the season - was testament to another match-winning performance and only the crossbar denied him a deserved hat-trick.

Stewart, making a habit of scoring early, broke the deadlock with one of Town's goals of the season.

Hermann Hreidarsson pumped the ball forward to James Scowcroft who showed great control in turning to feed Jamie Clapham.

The wing-back surged down the left before delivering a perfectly weighted cross for Stewart to dive onto and head past Nicky Weaver.

It was a textbook finish from the former Huddersfield Town striker, although his second proved as controversial as the opener was clinical.

City's defence stood still after Ian Bishop had been injured by a seemingly innocuous tackle on the right. Matt Holland picked up the loose ball and floated in a cross which eluded the head of Scowcroft.

Stewart, however, had ghosted in at the far post and, while the home defence watched on in dismay, he danced around Weaver before poking the ball over the line.

Sandwiched in between Stewart's glorious double, Hreidarsson opened his goalscoring account for Town with a towering header from Jermaine Wright's pinpoint corner.

At 3-0 Ipswich should have been cruising. In fact, the margin could have been greater after David Johnson latched onto Stewart's through ball before firing a snap shot against the near post.

But the storm clouds began to gather for the visitors when the gangly Wanchope found the space to rifle a shot past Richard Wright which took a deflection off Scales.

And Town found themselves backpedalling in the closing stages as City, pushing forward with renewed vigour, gave themselves genuine hope of snatching a point.

Wilnis conceded a free-kick wide on the left and was promptly booked - his fifth yellow card this term. Jermaine Wright then compounding his side's misery by protesting too forcefully and the ball was duly moved forward ten yards.

Steven Howey eventually connected with Mark Kennedy's set-piece to head City's second but it proved too little, too late.

The final whistle was celebrated like a fourth goal by the Ipswich fans, basking in the glory of watching their team chalk up three consecutive League triumphs.

At arm's length - Jim Magilton turns away from Paul Dickov

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.