Ipswich Town stretched their unbeaten run to a sixth game by seeing off Charlton Athletic 3-0 at The Valley.
The Tractor Boys capitalised on both of their openings in the first half to take a two-goal lead into the break.
Daryl Murphy doubled his personal tally following the restart to make it six goals in three games, with Charlton unable to muster a response in the remaining time.
Relive the 90 minutes of action with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Championship meeting between Charlton Athletic and Ipswich Town at the Valley. The hosts are going in search of a third win on the bounce under interim manager Karel Fraeye, having recently clawed their way out of the relegation zone.
Ipswich are still hovering in mid-table, meanwhile, looking to close the gap on the playoff zone which stands at three points heading into today's games. The Tractor Boys have taken seven points from their last nine, and will be eager to extend that unbeaten run in South London this lunchtime.
The team news at The Valley has already been released, so let's check out how both these sides lineup for today's lunchtime clash.
CHARLTON ATHLETIC XI: Henderson, Holmes-Dennis, Bauer, Sarr, Fox, Diarra, Cousins, Jackson, Gudmundsson, Makienok, Lookman
IPSWICH TOWN XI: Gerken, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Douglas, Maitland-Niles, Sears, Murphy, Pitman
Starting with the home side, and Karel Fraeye has opted to name an unchanged starting lineup for today's early kickoff. That does not come as too much of a surprise, in truth, as Charlton have recently recorded back-to-back wins to claw themselves to safety. Chris Solly did return to training earlier this week, but this match comes too soon for him.
Fraeye confirmed in his pre-match press conference earlier this week that injured trio Cristian Ceballos, Igor Vetokele and Ahmed Keshi would play no part in this match, while there is no place in the starting XI for new purchase Ricardo Vaz Te. The former West Ham United forward has been made to wait for his home debut, with a place on the bench awaiting him at The Valley this afternoon.
In terms of the visitors, Mick McCarthy has made just the one alteration from last time out. Kevin Bru drops out of the side in midfield, meaning a return for Arsenal loanee Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Ipswich, as expected, are still without the services of striker David McGoldrick due to his troublesome groin strain.
Ryan Fraser is closing in on a return to full fitness following his recent layoff, but this match comes too soon for him and a December return looks more likely. Teddy Bishop remains Town's only other absentee, with the midfielder's last piece of competition action coming in the playoff defeat to rivals Norwich City last season.
BENCH WATCH!
CHARLTON ATHLETIC SUBS: Pope, Lennon, Solly, Ba, Ghoochannejhad, Vaz Te, Ahearne-Grant
IPSWICH TOWN SUBS: Bialkowski, Malarczyk, Parr, Robinson, Coke, Tabb, Oar
This match may have come too soon for Solly's return to first-team action, having not featured this side of the international break, but he does form a part of Athletic's matchday squad here today. Vaz Te is another of the inclusions on the Charlton bench, and he will no doubt be keen to make a quick impact on his home debut should he be given the chance to shine.
Just the one change for Ipswich Town this afternoon, as Ainsley Maitland-Niles comes in for Kevin Bru. Charlton Athletic remain unchanged from their win over Birmingham City last weekend.
Well Charlton head into today's game seeking a third win on the bounce for the first time since March. Karel Fraeye had to defend the club's decision to place in his temporary charge following a slow start to life at The Valley helm, but his side's fortunes have certainly started to turn over the past few weeks thanks to wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham.
The Belgian has done his job prospects no harm whatsoever, yet he knows that the gap between Charlton and the relegation zone still remains at just one point. Athletic desperately need to make the most of this momentum that they have seemingly found in order to push away from the bottom three - a task that is clearly easier said than done.
Charlton had previously gone 11 games without a win to find themselves camped inside the drop zone, but having now clawed their way to safety the chance is there to put some further points on the board ahead of the gruelling festive fixture list. Despite the upturn in fortunes, supporters will use today's match to make their disenchantment with the running of the club known in front of the TV cameras.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS Charlton have not kept a clean sheet in this fixture in any of the last 11, in a run stretching back to a top-flight clash in 2001. Four of the last five encounters have been won by Ipswich, meanwhile, who have shipped just two goals during that time.
Visitors Ipswich head to South London looking to drag themselves into playoff contention following a somewhat indifferent start to the campaign. The Tractor Boys have taken seven points from the last nine on offer to move within three points of the top six, but they know that dropping points this afternoon could see that gap open right back up.
Ipswich, who hold claim to having the lowest pass-accuracy rate in the division, have managed to add goals to their game in recent weeks which is perhaps to thank for their five-game unbeaten run. After previously scoring on goal in five matches, the Blues have now found the net nine times in their last three, with five of those coming against strugglers Rotherham United.
Daryl Murphy went 15 games without a goal from the start of the season, but last term's top scorer has now bagged four in his last two. Charlton midfield Johnny Jackson has found the net with all three of his shots on target this campaign, meanwhile, so he could cause a threat this afternoon.
KICKOFF! The Valley nowhere near at full capacity for this early Championship kickoff, but there is a good noise being generated around the ground as the home side get us underway.
Nothing to get too excited about thus far, as Charlton aim to pass the ball into the attacking third. The second minute of the match marked the fans' protest that I mentioned pre-match, with supporters making their disenchantment known.
Fraeye has trusted Lookman to lead the line once again this afternoon, and he gets away the first shot of the match with an effort that deflected wide of goal. Athletic have made a positive start to the match, without truly troubling their opponents.
Some really good pressing from Charlton in the centre of the park allows them to keep this early pressure on. Ipswich unable to really get into advanced positions so far following a slow start to the contest.
Ipswich have started to see more of the ball, but a punt forward from Berra runs right through to Henderson in the Charlton goal. Worryingly for Charlton, skipper Johnny Jackson looks to be limping around a little at the moment and will likely be withdrawn if that is the case.
SHOT! Pitman fires the ball straight at Henderson from the edge of the box, forcing the Charlton stopper into a routine save. That's the first shot on goal so far, with that attempt followed up by Murphy heading wide of the target.
Jackson doesn't look as though he will be able to continue after pulling up a few minutes ago. The Charlton physio is now on the field and checking the midfielder over, but the Addicks will likely make an early change here.
CHARLTON ATHLETIC SUB! As expected, Jackson disappointingly leaves the field of play as a result of that hamstring strain. Chris Solly is handed a return to the Charlton fold following a couple of weeks away himself.
The momentum has been disrupted following that short break in play, though in truth there was not a great deal to begin with. Neither side has got a grip on this contest in the opening 16 minutes or so, but a corner won from nothing by Pitman could see Ipswich capitalise.
The corner caused just a little panic in the Charlton box, but the danger was cleared away in the end. Cole Skuse does well to prevent Athletic breaking up the other end with a smart challenge. This one has yet to truly take off.
SAVE! Best moment of the match so far, as Chambers's cross from the right is deflected high in the air and lands nicely for Sears to hit on the volley. The attempt was on target, but Henderson was equal to the shot down to his right to keep the ball out.
Cousins looks to play in Lookman down the middle, but the through-ball had a little too much on it and Gerken easily collected in the end. This match is much livelier now compared to the opening 18 minutes or so, yet we are still searching for that first goal.
A lot of gasps around The Valley after Gudmundsson took a shot right in the midriff from Holmes-Dennis's shot. A painful one for the midfielder, but he should be able to run that one off.
No real surprise to see Lookman up top once more this afternoon, with the youngster repaying his manager's faith by making a fairly lively start to this match. His latest shot from the edge of the box is pulled a little wide, as Athletic close in on that breakthrough goal.
GOAL! CHARLTON ATHLETIC 0-1 IPSWICH TOWN (DARYL MURPHY)
It's a bizarre goal to open the scoring at The Valley - and one that probably shouldn't have stood. Charlton just could not clear their lines properly, with Ipswich's persistence paying off as Smith eventually picked out Murphy to head home from close range. Smith looked to have shoved his opponent in the face when leaping for the initial ball, though, so the hosts are right to feel aggrieved.
SHOT! Almost an instant response for the home side, as Lookman forces Gerken into making a smart save. It's been an evenly-matched game on the whole, but the onus is now on the Addicks to find a way through.
Daryl Murphy had previously gone 13 games without a goal, remember...
Murphy moving into a wider position to pick up the ball now, swinging in a cross which has a little too much on it for Douglas. Town have done well to keep their opponents at bay since taking the lead, with Lookman firing away Charlton's only shot on goal.
Charlton back on the top now, looking to get a few crosses into the area which Gerken has so far been equal to. The Addicks will be disappointed with the manner in which they conceded the opener, but there is still plenty of time for a response to be found.
Ipswich are just more aggressive than their opponents at the moment, winning more of the aerial duals as witnessed a little early when Murphy opened the scoring. Seven minutes to go before half time and a Charlton goal does not look to be arriving anytime soon.
A frustrating moment for the hosts, as a decent spell of possession comes to a sloppy end with a loose pass. Ipswich continuing to remain strong, but Mick McCarthy will not want his side to remain this deep following the restart.
Gerken yet again plucks a cross out of the air without really being contested. Incidentally, Charlton have now conceded in each of their last 12 meetings with Ipswich - a side they have not fared all that well against in recent times.
It has hardly been a stellar performance from Ipswich, as this underwhelming first half draws to a conclusion, but they have done what is required to take a half-time advantage. Both teams just need to regroup at the break, with the interval now just a few minutes away.
Four minutes added on at the end of this first half which seems a little generous to me. Jackson and Gudmundsson both required some treatment, with the former eventually being withdrawn, but I think both teams would probably take half time now.
GOAL! CHARLTON ATHLETIC 0-2 IPSWICH TOWN (FREDDIE SEARS)
What a cruel blow this is for Charlton right at the end of the first half! The opening 45 minutes have been petering out for the last 10 minutes or so, but a hopeful ball forward was latched on to by Sears who timed his run well. Even when getting to the ball ahead of Bauer the Ipswich attacker still had Henderson to beat, though he somehow squeezed the ball into the bottom corner via a telling deflection.
YELLOW CARD! Morgan Fox is shown the game's first yellow for pulling back on Maitland-Niles. No complaints there, with the defender simply taking one for the team.
HALF TIME: CHARLTON ATHLETIC 0-2 IPSWICH TOWN
The half-time whistle sounds at The Valley, with Ipswich Town sitting comfortably on a two-goal lead against Charlton Athletic. That margin is not fully justified, in truth, but the Tractor Boys have certainly been more efficient in attack to put them well on track to claiming another victory.
It was a half of very few chances, with Pitman and Sears both forcing Henderson into making a save up one end and Lookman testing Gerken up the other. The breakthrough moment arrived just short of the half-hour mark, as Murphy capitalised on some head tennis to pick out the net for his fifth goal in three games.
The half was badly petering out from that point on but, in the third of four minutes added on, Sears somehow squeezed a shot beyond Henderson via the help of a deflection. It was nothing more than a half chance really, coming after a pass from midfield had not been cut out, but credit to the attacker for capitalising on a rare opening.
Karel Fraeye will surely be tempted to make a second change of the afternoon prior to the second half. The Addicks just haven't clicked into gear yet, meaning that a third win in succession for the first time since March is looking a million miles away at this midway stage. Ipswich, on the other hand, just need to keep doing what they're doing - sit back and make the most of their chances when they arrive.
Charlton have already been forced into one change this afternoon, with Chris Solly being forced back into action due to an early injury picked up by skipper Johnny Jackson. Ricardo Vaz Te is among their back-ups remember, so Fraeye may be tempted to throw him on soon.
CHARLTON ATHLETIC SUBS: Pope, Lennon, Ba, Ghoochannejhad, Vaz Te, Ahearne-Grant
IPSWICH TOWN SUBS: Bialkowski, Malarczyk, Parr, Robinson, Coke, Tabb, Oar
Goals from Daryl Murphy and Freddie Sears in the first half has given Ipswich Town a commanding two-goal lead over Charlton Athletic at the break.
RESTART! Vaz Te has replaced Fox at the start of this second half, so Holmes-Dennis will therefore move into left-back and Lookman drops to the top of a diamond midfield. Ipswich unsurprisingly remain unchanged.
Sears bends his run in a similar fashion to the end of the first half when tucking home, but this time he turns provider to get a cross into the box. It was far too close to Henderson, however, allowing the keeper to routinely collect the ball and end the dangerous move.
SHOT! This second half is pretty much continuing from where the opening 45 minutes ended; Ipswich hardly producing their best showing of the season but remaining in control of the contest. Murphy unleashed a real rocket after Athletic once again failed to properly clear their lines, with the attempt almost lifting the stanchion out of the ground.
SHOT! A rare attempt on goal for the hosts, which comes via a different attacking threat in substitute Vaz Te. The effort was very tame, hitting the ball right down the middle, yet it was something for Gerken to think about regardless.
A little stoppage in play following a little coming together in the middle of the pitch. The Addicks need a goal to just up the pressure on their opponents, who are cruising through this one at the moment thanks to two first-half strikes.
Cousins tries his best to get supporters back on Charlton's side by harrying opposition players. A good spell for Charlton, this, knowing that one goal really will change everything against an Ipswich side who let a lead slip twice at Molineux last weekend.
The vast majority of this second half has been played in the Ipswich half of the field, but still Charlton have not really done a great deal with the ball in the attacking third. As long as the contest remains like this, Mick McCarthy will be more than happy to see his side sit back.
An hour played in South London and those two first-half goals are still proving to be the difference - similar in many ways to the top-of-the-table clash at the KC Stadium last night. It has been a decent enough response from the Addicks, which will please Karel Fraeye, yet it ultimately counts for nothing at this stage.
YELLOW CARD! Makienok is booked for a foul on Berra. Not seen any real action in front of either goal since those two shots around 10 minutes or so ago. Fraeye is perhaps thinking about making that final change as we enter the final third of this match.
Skuse is forced to leave the field of play temporarily after being caught in the face. Things just simmering over a little between Diarra and Pitman, which leads to the referee speaking to both players.
The travelling supporters will be delighted by the way this contest is panning out. The Tractor Boys are now level on points with sixth-placed Birmingham City in the league table.
GOAL! CHARLTON ATHLETIC 0-3 IPSWICH TOWN (DARYL MURPHY)
A very well worked goal from the visitors, who have now surely wrapped up the contest. Charlton provided a half decent response, but they have lacked a cutting edge up top - something which has certainly not been a problem for the Blues. A sweeping move culminated in a pass from the right being dummied by Douglas, which allowed Murphy to strike home via the post with a shot across Henderson.
Fraeye is about to make his third and final change, but it has comes a few minutes late because this one is all over now. A very promising performance from the Tractor Boys, who have found some momentum and are now on the brink of a playoff place. A few more goals will lift them into the top six, in fact.
Birmingham City travel to unbeaten Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon, a match you can follow with us right here, so there is a chance that Ipswich could in fact move into the top six on goal difference come 5pm this evening. Job done for Mick McCarthy and his side here, with the Blues now going through the motions.
SHOT! All very subdued around The Valley now, as it has been throughout really, but things could still get worse. Pitman has just fired away a shot from 35 yards out, but the effort was right down the middle and far too comfortable for Henderson to handle.
No denying that both teams will be happy for the full-time whistle to sound right about now, but we still have over 10 minutes left to play. It has not been a classic contest, despite the three goals, yet Ipswich supporters will not be concerned by that one bit.
SAVE! A rare piece of action for Gerken, as he is made to stand strong to deny Bauer's bullet header from close range. A fine reaction stop from the Ipswich keeper to keep his side's clean sheet intact.
SAVE! It may have taken some 80 odd minutes, but Charlton have seemingly woken up! Vaz Te's header was destined for the bottom corner if not for Gerken's second save in quick succession to claw the ball to safety. Another great stop.
IPSWICH TOWN SUB! Giles Coke replaces Maitland-Niles for these final seven minutes. Vaz Te is now heavily bandaged after taking a blow to the head in the aftermath of his near miss a short while ago.
Charlton face the prospect of dropping back into the bottom three later this evening following the conclusion of the 3pm games. Karel Fraeye's hopes of landing the job full time have taken a real blow this afternoon.
SAVE! Gerken is earning his wages in these final stages, having been a mere spectator for large parts. He is once more across to push aside a ferocious Vaz Te volley, with the half-time sub ending the game strongly for the hosts.
IPSWICH TOWN SUB! Sears is given a chance to milk the applause from the visiting supporters when leaving the field of play. Tommy Oar is introduced for his fifth appearance of the season.
We are now into the second of four minutes added on at the end of this game. Charlton's best moments arrived late on, but they have been unable to muster a consolation goal at The Valley.
A number of Charlton players waiting to meet a cross into the box from the right, which Ghoochannejhad heads narrowly wide of goal. Ipswich just seconds away from claiming a clean sheet.
FULL TIME: CHARLTON ATHLETIC 0-3 IPSWICH TOWN
The Tractor Boys capitalised on both of their openings in the first half to take a two-goal lead into the break, before Daryl Murphy doubled his personal tally following the restart to make it six goals in three games. Charlton were unable to muster a response in the remaining time, meaning a chance to claim three wins on the bounce has passed them by.
That concludes our coverage of the Championship's early kickoff, but be sure to stick around with live commentary from The Amex, where Brighton play Birmingham, set to follow in a few minutes' time.
