the second round, losing on away goals to Grasshoppers. Results First Division August to December Ipswich started their league campaign with a 1–0 victory away at newly promoted Leicester City, with John Wark scoring the winning goal in the 88th minute. This was his first of a prolific season to come. Home wins against Brighton and Everton sandwiched a 2–2 draw at Stoke City, and left Ipswich unbeaten in the league and top of the table on goal difference at the end of August. Bobby Robson was awarded Football League First Division Manager of the Month for August. The club went through September undefeated, with victories against Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Coventry City and Wolves, maintaining their position at the top of the division at the end of the month, four points ahead of Liverpool. Commitments in both the UEFA and League Cups meant Ipswich's league activity in October was restricted to four matches, drawing with Leeds United, Liverpool and Manchester United, and winning at Sunderland. Although Ipswich remained undefeated in the league by the end of October, Villa topped the table by two points, having played two more games. November commenced with two draws, a goalless game at home against West Bromwich Albion and a six-goal match against Southampton. A shock 1–0 defeat against bottom club Brighton saw the end of Ipswich's unbeaten run of fourteen league games since the start of the season. Ipswich were without first-team regulars Paul Cooper, Thijssen, Alan Brazil and Kevin Beattie through injury, and Terry Butcher was suspended, having been sent off in the Southampton match. Burley succumbed to injury during the game; Robson remarked "I must admit, our resources are being stretched to the absolute limit". The defeat was followed by two wins, against Leicester City and Nottingham Forest. Ipswich ended the month third in the league, three points behind Aston Villa and two points behind Liverpool, but with three games in hand. Their performance was similar in December, commencing with two draws (against Manchester City and Liverpool), followed by a 5–3 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. At 3–3, Ipswich's Eric Gates was sent off, seemingly for retaliating to Graham Roberts, and Tottenham took advantage to score twice in the final ten minutes through Steve Archibald and Osvaldo Ardiles, inflicting Ipswich's second league defeat of the season. Ipswich won 3–1 at Birmingham City before playing two matches in two days after Christmas, beating