Ipswich Town secured an immediate return to the Premier League after defeating Queens Park Rangers to seal the Championship’s second automatic promotion spot.
Relegated 12 months ago after just four wins in their first top-flight season in 22 years, Kieran McKenna’s side have bounced back straight away.
With matters in their own hands going into the final day, Ipswich knew that three points at Portman Road would nullify anything promotion rivals Millwall or Middlesbrough could do.
Goals inside the first nine minutes from George Hirst and Jaden Philogene set them on their way before substitute Kasey McAteer added a late third to seal the result, as the Tractor Boys enjoyed a third promotion in four seasons under the Northern Irishman McKenna in a special period for the Suffolk club.
This fixture completed a miserable end to the season for Queens Park Rangers, who finished with four straight losses and six games without a win, ending up 15th as they completed an 11th consecutive season in the second tier.
In both of Ipswich’s previous promotions under McKenna, they had entered their final home game of the season, as they did here, knowing that victory would get the job done.
Amid a pulsating atmosphere at Portman Road, they flew out of the traps, producing some of their best football of the season.
In Hirst, Leif Davis and Wes Burns, Ipswich had three players remaining from the side that defeated Huddersfield Town to secure their previous Premier League promotion. Two of those combined for the opener, as Davis’ overlapping run and cross ended with Hirst scoring from close range.
Scotland striker Hirst, who scored three years ago when promotion from League One was secured, then turned provider as his neat pass allowed Philogene to poke the ball beyond Hoops goalkeeper Joe Walsh.
From there, Ipswich had the control they wanted and, aside from a couple of attempts from substitute Paul Smyth, they never looked like relinquishing it.
During a slight lull in the second half, McKenna introduced McAteer, top scorer Jack Clarke and January reinforcements Dan Neil and Anis Mehmeti—four players who would be starters in virtually any other Championship side highlighting the squad’s depth.
McAteer duly added the third late on to fully ignite the promotion celebrations.
