DANNY Haynes returned to once again haunt City with what proved to be the winning strike in the first half.

Earlier Ched Evans had fired the Canaries into the lead with a great strike from 25 yards after four minutes - only for an Alex Pearce own goal to level matters.

But then up stepped Haynes to slide the ball between David Marshall's legs and claim all three points for Jim Magilton's play-off chasing side.

Before the match City skipper Mark Fotheringham was a surprise absentee from the Norwich starting line-up, reportedly having suffered a neck injury in training.

Into an intriguingly attacking line-up came Ched Evans, joining fellow strikers Dion Dublin and stand-in skipper Jamie Cureton. Exactly how the Norwich team would line-up was the talk of the pressbox, with options including a straight 4-3-3 formation or alternatively employing Jamie Cureton in a flank role as was the case at Watford.

Meanwhile a change in defence saw Gary Doherty start in place of Jason Shackell.

Town fans gave a big cheer before the game as the name of Shefki Kuqi was read out. The former Blues striker is back at Portman Road on loan from Palace and has proved a handful for the City defence in previous derbies - and the news he had been given his first start since returning was greeted with approval by the Blues faithful.

As the game kicked off City's formation took shape with Cureton wide on the right, Huckerby on the left and Dublin joining Welsh Under-21 star Ched Evans in attack.

And the potential attacking potency of such a line-up was underlined in emphatic fashion with the game only four minutes old as the Canaries stunned their hosts by taking the lead.

There didn't appear to be much danger as Pattison intercept a sloppy pass by the Town defence and rolled the ball to Ched Evans. But the youngster only had one thing in mind as he took one look before drilling a fizzing low drive past Bywater and into the far corner from 25 yards out.

Ched Evans celebrates after scoring the opener

Town desperately tried to craft an instant response in the next couple of minutes - first Quinn blasting in a shot which Marshall dived to his right to collect on the bounce and then Garvan's effort deflecting behind off Doherty for a corner.

But there was no denying them in the 12th minute as they clawed their way level - albeit with a massive slice of fortune.

Danny Haynes showed good persistance and skill to outfox Bertrand on the Ipswich right before blasting a low and dangerous cross into City's six-yard box. The pace of the ball caught Norwich centreback Alex Pearce out and his attempt to clear the danger instead saw it cannon off him and into the net for an own goal.

On the quarter-hour a foul by Doherty on Kuqi gave Miller the opportunity to try his luck with a free-kick from outside the box which Marshall reacted smartly to palm wide.

The momentum was all with the home side for now and and they came very close to extending their lead on 17 minutes. A simple pass through from midfield into the box found Kuqi and a good first chance saw him evade the challenge of Pearce before prodding the ball goalwards - only to be denied by the legs of the on-rushing Marshall.

In the 22nd minute City relieved some of the pressure with an attack of their own, Huckerby flicking on a throw for Russell to chest down and volley wide from the edge of the box.

Town were keen to try and get their noses in front before the interval and Garvan hit a dangerous corner in the 31st minute which his skipper De Vos climbed to meet with a glancing header - fortunately for City it fell a couple of feet wide.

In their next attack only frantic defending from City kept the scores level. First Garvan's corner was met by Bruce with a first-time effort which Marshall did superbly well to keep out. The rebound fell to Haynes but his shot on the turn was deflected behind as Otsemobor dived in well to block.

With the game only 35 minutes old Shefki Kuqi's participation came to an end as he left the ptich, presumably with a knock, to be replaced by Walters.

Danny Haynes had a trial with City as a youngster and has since come back to haunt the Canaries several times in an Ipswich shirt. Today was to be no exception as the young striker raced on to a slide-rule pass from Pablo Counago and calmly slid the ball through Marshall's legs to give his side the lead.

Norwich needed to find a way to pose more of a threat themselves and in an effort to try and achieve this Huckerby swapped flanks with Cureton as the half entered its closing stages.

But it was Town who went closest to scoring before the break, Hayne firing in a cross from the right which Counago headed over from eight yards.

It was a lucky escape at the end of a half which will have given City boss Glenn Roeder plenty to ponder during the interval.

Half-time score: Ipswich 2, Norwich 1

There were no changes during the break and the second half started at the same high tempo as the first. Too high a tempo at points for referee Mike Jones' liking and he produced a yellow card for Alex Bruce in the 48th minute for a scything challenge on Evans.

In the 53rd minute a blunder from Bertrand saw Haynes race clear on the Ipswich right only to stand on the ball at a crucial juncture - Miller was on hand to follow up with a low diagonal show which flashed wide of the far post.

Darren Huckerby chases down Danny Simpson

A minute later the game's second booking arrived, Alan Quinn cautioned for a foul Russell. In the 56th minute Jim Magilton made his second change of the match, Sito Castro coming on for Alex Bruce.

Alan Quinn can perhaps count himself fortunate to stay on the pitch after he once again sent Russell crashing to the deck in front of the ref - but Mr Jones felt a free-kick was punishment enough.

As the game approached the hour the unfortunate Gary Doherty fell over while attempting to clear, allowing Counago to burst unchallenged into the box before squaring to the unmarked Haynes. This time the young striker's finish was not so clinical and he scuffed his effort a foot wide of the post.

On the hour Darren Huckerby became the first Norwich name to go into the book, for a foul on Quinn.

A couple of minutes later Roeder decided to try and change things round, with veteran Dion Dublin making way for Lee Croft. The switch saw Huckerby go back out to the left, with Croft on the right and Cureton reverting to a more familiar role in the centre of attack.

Haynes yet again accelerated into space behind the Norwich defence on 67 minutes - but this time as he bore down on Marshall's goal he was denied by a superb saving tackle from Doherty.

Ryan Bertrand had endured a tough work-out all afternoon and in the 72nd minute he was replaced by Mo Camara.

For all of their territorial advantage Town had failed to convert enough of their chances to put the game out of City's reach - spurning another good one in the 77th minute when Miller released Walters but once again we saw another shot dribble wide of the post.

Jon Otsemobor battles with Town's Alan Quinn

With ten minutes to go and Norwich pushed up the pitch Ipswich found themselves with a four on three break - but as Haynes sprinted free on Town's right flank his run was ended by a foul by Evans. The City youngster was duly cautioned for his efforts.

Ipswich got another golden chance to wrap the game up in the 83rd minute when Counago exchanged passes with Miller and found himself with only Marshall to beat - but the Norwich 'keeper stood up brilliantly and managed to deflect the Spaniard's shot behind for a corner.

As the game reached 90 minutes Croft picked up a head injury and was replaced by Kieran Gibbs. But despite throwing Gary Doherty into attack for the final four minutes of injury time Ipswich held on for a victory which keeps alive their hopes of reaching this season's Championship play-offs.

Final score: Ipswich 2, Norwich 1

Ipswich Town: Bywater, De Vos (c), Bruce (56), Garvan, Counago (Sumulikoski), Miller, Haynes, Wright, Simpson, Quinn, Kuqi (Walters 35). Subs not used: Colgan, Rhodes.

Norwich City: Marshall, Otsemobor, Huckerby, Dublin (Croft 62) ((Gibbs 90)), Cureton (c), Pearce, Russell, Bertrand (72), Pattison, Doherty, Evans. Subs not used: Gilks, Shackell.