The performance was not important - it's results that count at this stage of the season.

That's the general view of the pundits at this point of another fraught campaign and it's a theory which the vast majority of the Ipswich Town faithful will subscribe to.

Nerves frayed and fingernails bitten helplessly beyond the quick, Town fans are anticipating Groundhog Day for the fourth consecutive season.

Nervous twitches and contorted facial expressions give away the identity of most Ipswich supporters: the play-offs are only just around the corner.

All of a sudden though- whisper it - George Burley's side are back in with a chance of second place after the promotion pendulum swung in their favour.

Barnsley's unexpected slip-up allowed Town to make a little headway but Burley still rates David Bassett's side - along with Manchester City - as favourites to claim the decisive second spot.

Ipswich - now unbeaten in four games - simply rolled over a Port Vale side which as sure as night following day will be riding into the Second Division sunset come May 7.

Vale boss Brian Horton would have had a better chance of taking a point at Portman Road if he had fielded ten cardboard cut-outs to protect Kevin Pilkington's goal.

But surely even the training ground aid would have resisted turning out for a club which has no further interest in this campaign after a lamentable performance epitomised by the laboured approach of one Sagi Burton.

Well known to supporters of Colchester United, Burton struts around the park in a manner which bears a resemblance to the legendary German international Franz Beckenbauer.

If he wasn't sweating blood and tears in Vale's battle to beat the drop, Burton would probably be turning out for Barcelona against Chelsea in the Champions' League this week.

But while Beckenbauer had the class and the poise to be able to glide around the pitch as if he owned it, Burton showed little of the pride and passion which Vale require.

He made a token effort to clear Jamie Clapham's cross when Town opened the scoring in the 12th minute and after that he simply hoisted the white flag and surrendered.

Town cashed in on the visitors' generosity at every opportunity and they had James Scowcroft to thank for putting them in front with his 15th goal of a highly-successful season.

When Burton shirked his defensive responsibilities, Scowcroft powered home a header which Pilkington could only parry off one of his own defenders and into the net.

It took until the 39th minute for Town to extend their lead. David Johnson, sinner against West Brom, turned saint when he capitalised on Mark Snijders' blunder to slot home goal number 18 of the campaign.

Town's third came in the closing stages when Martijn Reuser - outstanding in his 19-minute cameo role - clipped the ball into the path of Matt Holland.

The Town skipper then sidestepped Vale's fragile defence to score his first goal at Portman Road since October last year.

Former U's defender Sagi Burton (grounded) had a woeful game for Port Vale.

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