Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna said it was a “difficult” game for his team despite their convincing 4-0 victory over Burton.

He acknowledged the visitors were “challenging opponents” but his side did well to claim a fourth clean sheet on the trot.

Three first-half goals from Conor Chaplin, Nathan Broadhead and Freddie Ladapo in a pulsating 11-minute spell put Ipswich in control and the result keeps up the pressure on the two teams at the top of the table.

Chaplin’s deflected shot off Jasper Moon completed the scoring in the second half.

Dale Taylor just failed to find the target for Burton when he diverted a goal-bound effort from Deji Oshilaja and Chaplin scored in the 31st minute.

Seven minutes later, Town made it 2-0 through Broadhead and Ladapo put them further ahead in the 42nd minute with Chaplin’s deflected shot rounding off the scoring.

McKenna added: “The scoreline makes it look like it was a comfortable win but it was a difficult game and we knew it was going to be all week, a really challenging opponent who put the ball in the box at every opportunity, play off the set-plays right through the game and it was difficult and we had to stand up to that.

“I thought we did that and it was a big effort from the whole squad to get the clean sheet because we had to work really hard over the last three days to get some details right.

“The players on the pitch went and executed it well and it was a really well-earned clean sheet and of course they were pressing high against us and pressing hard and we executed really well to break that pressure and get some goals.”

Meanwhile, Burton boss Dino Maamria felt his team made things “difficult” for themselves despite being in control in the opening period.

Maamria said: “We made it difficult for ourselves. I thought for half an hour we were excellent, we were on the front foot, we had a clear-cut penalty and close decisions can change the momentum of the game, that first goal.

“After the first half an hour, we had a crazy 15 minutes and we know about this place and when they get their tails up and when we conceded that first goal the game got away from us a little bit.

“This is a top team, there’s no doubt about it, they do that to teams that give them chances.

“We didn’t show the best version of ourselves today because we are much, much better than that but if you give teams with this quality those chances they will score goals.

“It’s disappointing because we know exactly how they are going to play and we know exactly their threats, it was disappointing to see all their goals come from full-backs and that’s why it’s disappointing really.”