Bruce back in new promotion chase with win at Ipswich

STEVE BRUCE returned to management after a three-month break by steering Sheffield Wednesday to a win at relegation favourites Ipswich.

Bruce gave a cheery wave and applauded the travelling Wednesday supporters, shook hands with Ipswich manager Paul Lambert, who he replaced as Villa boss and watched his side win for only the second time in nine away games.

It was in stark contrast to last October when an Aston Villa fan threw a cabbage at him following a 3-3 draw with Preston, and Bruce was sacked hours later.

For 89 minutes it was frustrating for the new manager until substitute Lucas Joao scored the late winner with a simple tap in after Adam Reach cut the ball back from the byline.

Bruce said: ‘You wonder if it’s going to be one of those days. We were comfortable in the game.’

Bruce is chasing his fifth promotion as a manager and insisted he still has the enthusiasm and ambition to do that. He said: ‘It still burns in me that I want to try and achieve success.

‘We have not been in the Premier League for 18 years and I want to be the one to do that.’

Ipswich came into the game more in the second half but never tested goalkeeper Keiren Westwood.

Most notably, new signing Alan Judge, making his debut after joining from Brentford, hit Ipswich’s best chance over the bar.

Lambert said: ‘We rode the storm. The second half was better for us but the goal was poor.’