The cynics urged Ipswich Town to take their money and run when Richard Wright stalled on a new contract.

The England Under 21 stopper, widely respected as the best keeper outside the Premiership, is third in line for full honours and is expected to make the jump sooner rather than later.

And when he shelved contract talks with the boardroom hierarchy at Town until the end of the season it looked as though he was playing a waiting game before a big-money move to the land of milk and honey.

After all, he lies behind the ageing pair of David Seaman and Nigel Martyn and, depending on the national team coach's mood, behind Tottenham's erratic Ian Walker.

At Portman Road on Tuesday, Wright showed precisely why Town are desperate to keep hold of him and why he is regarded as the best young prospect since Peter Shilton at Leicester.

For much of this season the Town keeper has hardly had a chance to parade his talents and do justice to claims he is in the £5m bracket.

He certainly got his chance to give Kevin Keegan a nudge with an incredible double save against high-flying County.

With the ball permanently attached to the feet of Town's outfield players in the opening spell Wright was in danger of summoning the physio to be treated for hypothermia when referee Paul Rejer gave County a penalty.

The usually reliable Matt Holland was adjudged to have brought down Ian Moore and spot-kick king Tony Dinning stepped up for County.

Such has been Town's dominance in matches this season Wright has complained of a lack of action in recent matches but his double save from Dinning was testimony to his brilliance between the posts.

He palmed away the initial effort and as Dinning followed up to crash home the rebound he responded by somehow clawing the ball away to safety.

Portman Road erupted and the effect galvanised Town to such an extent they finished the half with the confidence in their passing which has been missing since the opening weeks of the season.

Few can deny Wright his hour of glory but spare a thought too for James Scowcroft.

The former England Under 21 striker sparkled in a match which lacked an obvious matchwinner but he deserved the plaudits for a display which rewarded him with his tenth goal of the season.

Typically he started the move which nosed Town in front after 34 minutes when he sprayed the ball wide to Fabian Wilnis on the right.

The Dutchman sent in a dangerous cross to the far post which Clapham headed across goal and into the path of Scowcroft who volleyed Town into the lead.

It was just reward for the Town forward who had to do much of David Johnson's share of the workload up front.

Richard Naylor's efforts were fruitless and Johnson, perhaps still struggling with niggling calf and thigh injuries, looked well short of his best.

But the win puts pressure on Huddersfield, who lost to Charlton Athletic at home, and Manchester City at the top of the table.

It might not have been Ipswich vintage, but they can certainly look forward to life in the Premiership early in the new millennium.

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