WATFORD confirmed their status as the Championship's away-day specialists by brilliantly ending Ipswich's long unbeaten home record this afternoon.

Goals from Tommy Smith and Nathan Ellington put the Hornets in command after an hour and they negotiated the last 20 minutes without too many anxious moments after Jonathan Walters had pulled one back on 70 minutes.

With Leigh Bromby outstanding once again alongside the imperious Dan Shittu, Watford did not cruise to victory as they did against Coventry and Norwich earlier this season but this was an extremely professional display from Aidy Boothroyd's new-look team and must rank as their best win on the road this season.

In racking up win number ten away from Vicarage Road, Watford became the first side to win at Portman Road since Southend in March, 2007.

Fielding only three of the starting XI who played in the 2-0 win over the Tractor Boys in September, Watford started on the front foot and imposed themselves on the visitors immediately.

On seven minutes, Darius Henderson fired over a cross from the left that just eluded Smith and Lionel Ainsworth while the bruising striker - recalled to partner Ellington - just failed to connect with a similar cross from Mat Sadler minutes later.

With John Eustace and Al Bangura suffocating the Ipswich midfield, the home side struggled to play their usual brand of free-flowing football. The closest they came to a goal in the opening 40 minutes was a header from Alex Bruce that the returning Shittu cleared off the line.

With Watford opting to get the ball forward as quickly as possible and relying on set-pieces, particularly the long throw of Bromby, cries of Boring, boring Watford' started to emanate from the home supporters who were hugely frustrated at the scrappy nature of the game.

However, they were stunned into silence on 33 minutes when Smith headed Watford in front from a Sadler corner. The Ipswich defence were so concerned with the threat of Shittu and Henderson that they left the winger unmarked and he headed into the roof of the net from six yards out. Smith had only just recovered from a heavy challenge from Alan Quinn that forced him to briefly leave the field of play.

John Eustace then registered an effort on goal following another Bromby missile before the former Stoke midfielder became the first player to be cautioned by Andy D'Urso.

Watford were good value for their slender half-time lead, although they required Richard Lee to beat away a well struck shot from Jonathan Walters just before half-time to preserve their advantage.

The Hornets were on the front foot at the start of the second half and almost doubled their advantage when Ellington cushioned a pass from Bromby and fired a sweet volley into the side-netting.

Henderson, Ellington's strike partner, then found his way into D'Urso's note book following his third robust challenge of the match.

Jim Magilton opted to bring on crowd favourite Alan Lee at the break and he almost made an instant impact, cushioning a raking pass from David Norris and lobbing Richard Lee with a delightfully weighted effort than beat the keeper all ends up only to rebound off the bar.

Boothroyd responded to the move that originated down the Ipswich right by replacing Lionel Ainsworth with Jordan Stewart, providing Sadler with more protection.

Stewart was brought on for his defensive qualities but he ended up creating the decisive second for Ellington on 56 minutes.

An intricate move on the right flank involving Mariappa, Bangura and Ellington culminated in Stewart receiving possession on the left of the Ipswich box. Stewart appeared to have picked out Henderson but he completely missed his kick and the ball ran to Ellington. He took one touch before smashing the ball past the helpless Bywater for his third in four games. Boothroyd could not have wished for a better start to the second half.

Facing an uphill task, Magilton made a double change, throwing on Danny Haynes and Velice Sumulikoski as Ipswich attempted to salvage their proud home record.

They were, however, fortunate not to be three goals down on 67 minutes when Ellington pulled off his marker to send a powerful header goalwards. The effort looked to be nestling in the opposite corner but Bywater pulled off a superb one-handed save to tip the ball round the post.

It proved a crucial intervention as three minutes later Ipswich were back in the match. Following a foul by Bangura, who became the third visiting player to be booked, David Wright sent a deep free-kick to the far post which was headed back across goal by Alex Bruce and there was Walters to stab the ball past Lee.

That sparked the home crowd into life and they were roaring in approval on 72 minutes when Bromby was booked for time-wasting as he prepared to take another monster throw. They had became increasingly irritated by Watford's gamesmanship.

With the momentum now with Ipswich, Boothroyd made his third change of the afternoon, opting to bolster the midfield by bringing on John-Joe O'Toole for Ellington who had just directed another header towards goal.

The manager would have had his heart in his mouth on 80 minutes when a cross from Walters, deflected off Sadler, looped over Lee and dropped just past the far post.

But that was about the closest Ipswich came to leveling the match and Watford held on for a hugely significant win.

Ipswich: Bywater; Wright, De Vos, Bruce, Harding; Miller, Garvan, Norris, Quinn; Walters, Counago.

Subs: Lee for Miller, 45; Haynes for Counago and Sumulikoski for Garvan, 59. Naylor, and Colgan not used.

Watford: Lee; Mariappa, Bromby, Shittu, Sadler; Smith, Eustace, Bangura, McAnuff; Henderson, Ellington.

Subs: Stewart for Ainsworth, 53; O'Toole for Ellington, 77; Kabba for Smith, 81. Doyley and Poom not used.

Ref: Andy D'Urso.

Booked: Eustace (41), Henderson (51), Bangura 70.

Att: 24,227.