Everton need lift after Ipswich defeat

Victorious Ipswich skipper Matt Holland had a cautionary word for the fractious Everton fans who have turned against their struggling side.

Holland warned that the supporters' anger aimed at their under-performing team could contribute as much as any opponent towards defeat and ultimately relegation.

'It can be destructive when that happens,' he said. 'I thought Everton fans were good overall and stuck by the team quite well, but it is a thin dividing line.' Holland should know. Ipswich were bottom at Christmas, usually a sure sign of relegation. Since then they have taken 21 points from 24, a run second only to that of Manchester United.

Match-winner Holland explained: 'Our fans were good to us earlier this season, but there were times when you sensed they were feeling a bit of pressure and fearing we would struggle to survive.

'All the teams in the bottom half of the table are in danger. The fans can play a part by being supportive.' Out-of-touch Everton strikers Kevin Campbell and Duncan Ferguson took the brunt of the Goodison barracking, but there was an alarming lack of purpose throughout the side which had manager Walter Smith lamenting: 'The opening 25 minutes cost us the game. We had most of the play but didn't create opportunities. 'There are a lot of teams under pressure. We are going to need a strong mentality to handle the situation.' Ipswich took the lead after 11 minutes when Jamie Clapham crossed for Argentine Sixto Peralta to crack in a half-volley.

On 28 minutes, Ipswich goalkeeper Andy Marshall brought down Campbell and David Unsworth hammered home the resulting penalty. Holland made the final score 2-1 a minute before half-time when Clapham set him up from a free kick 25 yards out.

Ipswich manager George Burley said: 'We were making too many errors in the first half of the season, today we were rock solid at the back.'