Joe Royle's men nicked a hugely enjoyable game 6-4 with goals which ranged from the spectacular to the downright bizarre.
The hosts took the lead on just three minutes when Neil Sorvel could only clear Tommy Miller's (pictured) cross back to the same player who unleashed a fierce shot beyond Clayton Ince.
Miller doubled the advantage on ten minutes when he collected Pablo Counago's pass and curled a 20-yard shot beyond Ince.
The game see-sawed from end to end with Crewe reducing the arrears on 35 minutes when Dean Ashton volleyed Kenny Lunt's pass in off the crossbar.
Just three minutes after the interval and the visitors were level when Ashton's low cross was diverted in to the back of the net by John McGreal.
Ipswich responded by forging back in front through Shefki Kuqi as the Finland international took advantage of poor goalkeeping by Ince to head home Matt Richards' cross.
But a second own goal, this time from Richards, put The Railwaymen back on level terms. Ashton's shot was saved by Kelvin Davis but rebounded off the leg of Richards and in to the unguarded net.
Town then seized the initiative to establish a two-goal cushion courtesy of strikes from Martijn Reuser and Counago.
Reuser's cross-cum-shot dipped under the crossbar on 72 minutes and then Counago fired in a low shot two minutes later.
The visitors would not give up and on 82 minutes, James Robinson latched on to a flick-on to steer a shot beyond Davis.
Ipswich finally made the game safe with two minutes remaining when Kuqi ran into the area and guided the ball past Ince.
