Winger Gary Roberts's preparations for the weekend derby were tinged by tragedy when he learnt that close friend Ben Nowak had been killed while on duty in Iraq. Roberts wore a T-shirt bearing a photo of his friend under his Town strip during the game in tribute.

Nowak, 27, was one of four soldiers killed when a boat patrol was attacked on the Shatt Al-Arab waterway a week prior to the game.

The loanee from Accrington Stanley told the club site: "Ben was a close friend of mine. He loved his football and it really knocked me back when I heard the news.

"Last week wasn't a good one for me at all. The manager gave me a few days off to go home [to Liverpool] and see his family and mine as well.

"I was very upset through the week, but knew I had to get my head right for what was a big game on Sunday.

"I wore a T-shirt under my Ipswich shirt in tribute to Ben for the game and, although I was obviously delighted we won, what happened to Ben puts everything into perspective.

"It will change the way I look at things because sometimes in this game you can get down if things are not going your way but my mate has lost his life. That says it all."

Photo: Action Images

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