Ipswich promoted to Premier League in style after rolling over QPR

And in what style. They are used to promotion parties in this part of Suffolk and, under Kieran McKenna, they do not fall flat. Two early goals dismissed any fears of shredded nerves and an afternoon of celebration could commence. No police presence around the pitch perimeter was ever going to be sufficient to stop this pitch invasion. Happy days, indeed. It had not been the simple season many anticipated for a team widely expected to make this instant return to the top flight. Given the swashbuckling style of their last Championship ascent and their status as title favourites this time around, it is difficult to avoid the sense that Ipswich largely underperformed in a campaign that flickered at regular points, but never really caught light. There was nothing underwhelming when it truly mattered. The manner in which Ipswich put this promotion decider to bed was as exhilarating as anything they had produced all season, laying siege on the Queens Park Rangers goal from the first whistle. It was a barrage as devastating as it was sublime and early goals from George Hirst and Jaden Philogene were no more than they deserved.

Job done with a total absence of fuss, the remainder of the match could pass largely without incident before Kasey McAteer sealed the deal with a late third. No need for consideration of permutations that might have given Millwall or Middlesbrough designs on snatching the Championship’s second automatic promotion spot. The feverish atmosphere had been apparent around the stadium all morning, with flags flying and supporters singing themselves hoarse long before the players emerged on to the playing field. IThis was the third time in four full seasons under McKenna that the fans had arrived expectantly with promotion at stake and tens of thousands filled the streets with a fog of blue flares to greet the arrival of the players’ coach. On those previous two occasions, Ipswich had achieved their task with consummate ease, brushing aside Exeter 6-0 to bid farewell to League One and then following up with a 2-0 win over Huddersfield that brought Premier League football to the club for the first time in 22 years. This was no different. As much as he had attempted to talk up the opposition’s potential threat, McKenna could scarcely have chosen a simpler task than facing a team winless in five games, shorn of a fit striker and safely ensconced in mid-table with nothing of note to play for. Ipswich burst out of the traps like a greyhound, pummelling their hapless opponents with wave after wave of blistering attack. Just three minutes had gone when, after coming close to scoring himself, Leif Davis turned provider for the opener. The left-back’s belting low cross sparked panic between the QPR defence and goalkeeper, allowing Hirst to tap in from barely a yard.

The resulting Portman Road roar was deafening. Six minutes later, the dream had already become reality. With the visitors’ defence all at sea, a wonderfully slick one-touch move culminated in Hirst playing in Philogene, who had time to settle himself and slot into the corner from eight yards. QPR improved – it would have been impossible not to – as a content Ipswich eased off and the visitors fired six unanswered shots at the end of the first half. But even then the best chances fell to the hosts, Philogene going close with a wonderful volley soon after half-time and Dara O’Shea heading inches past the upright, before McAteer tapped in a loose ball with five minutes remaining for goal number three. That Ipswich had chosen to go into this final-day decider without the Championship’s £17.5m record signing, Sindre Walle Egeli, a Napoli loanee, Jens Cajuste, and a former Premier League winner, Ashley Young, in their matchday squad displayed their strength in depth. The Premier League was an expectation this season and once the celebratory champagne bottles have been cleared away the manager’s attention will turn to ensuring their next top-flight stay is not as brief as the last. Such concerns can wait, for now. This is a bank holiday weekend for celebration. Explore more on these topics