Town's dismal run of home form continued with a lacklustre 1-1 draw against Blackpool. Alex Baptiste put the visitors in front in the 28th minute but Tommy Miller hit back for the Blues six minutes later.

Manager Jim Magilton gave a debut to new signing Luciano Civelli on the left of midfield, the club clearly confident that there are likely to be no problems with his Italian passport in the wake of the French investigation into his brother.

Civelli's introduction was one of five changes with Ben Thatcher, Jon Stead, Pablo Couñago and Danny Haynes replacing Kevin Lisbie, Pim Balkestein, the suspended David Norris and Alan Quinn, and Jon Walters, who had a stomach bug.

Alan Ferguson's Portman Road pitch looked better than some had feared after Monday's abandoned Youth Cup match, but still looked less than its pristine self with one area in particular on halfway a few yards in front of the dugouts appearing to have suffered the worst damage due to the waterlogged conditions.

The game started scrappily and, after two poor Blackpool freekicks from dangerous areas, the first serious goalmouth action saw Richard Wright spill David Fox's shot but grab the ball at the second attempt.

Wright saved from Roy O'Donovan on 22, then three minutes later Town created their first opportunity, Danny Haynes bursting down the right and crossing for Pablo Couñago, who headed wide.

The visitors went in front in the 28th minute when right-back Alex Baptiste broke forward into the area and was found in space by Fox, the defender beating Richard Wright with a powerful shot from eight yards to groans from the Portman Road faithful.

With the crowd starting to get on players' backs at the slightest error, Couñago did well to turn his man and send the ball into the path of the up-to-now quiet Civelli, whose low shot was blocked just in front of the line.

The Blues were starting to keep the ball for long spells, but usually without creating a chance. However, on 34 a lengthy period of Town possession ended with Couñago teeing up Miller on the edge of the area and the midfielder striking a low effort to the right of Blackpool keeper Matthew Gilks and into the net for his fourth goal of the season.

Wright saved from O'Donovan, prior to the bookings of Thatcher and Blackpool's David Vaughan for fouls.

Haynes almost played in Garvan in the 39th minute but Gilks claimed in front of the Irish U21 international. As the half moved into its final minute, Haynes hammered a fantastic 25-yard strike only narrowly wide of Gilks's goal.

Overall, it had been a disappointing half from the Blues, who had rarely threatened the Blackpool keeper. Miller's well taken goal was the brightest moment of what was generally a poor half lacking in much quality.

The Blues almost went in front in the first minute of the second half. Danny Haynes sent in a superb cross from the right and Jon Stead pulled off a fantastic overhead kick, which was unfortunately straight at Gilks. A yard either side and it would have been a goal to remember.

The game briefly threatened to boil over in the 51st minute when Roy O'Donovan went in late on Richard Wright after the keeper had claimed the ball at the second attempt. The former Cork City colleague of ex-Blue George O'Callaghan was yellow-carded by referee Phil Crossley.

DJ Campbell shot wide after a Blackpool break, then Gareth McAuley headed straight at Gilks from a corner. Veliche Shumulikoski replaced Owen Garvan for the final half hour.

Haynes teed up Stead on 63, but the ex-Sheffield United man rushed his effort and the ball flew over and into the North Stand.

Civelli, who had come more into the game as it wore on, scraped the ball over from the left of the area two minutes later after being found by Miller.

Bruce made an important tackle Campbell in the 72nd minute with the ex-Birmingham man through on goal.

Dean Bowditch came on for his first league appearance for the Blues this season, replacing the tiring Civelli for the last 16 minutes of the game.

David Wright lashed wildly over in the 84th minute after good work from Danny Haynes, then a minute later Stead's shot from the edge of the box was deflected wide. From the corner, Pablo Couñago's powerful header was somehow prevented from crossing the line by David Fox.

That was Town's last chance and after three minutes of injury time the final whistle was greeted by boos, but no more significant protest from the Blues support.

It was another drab performance in Town, lacking a spark, pace and ideas. The Blues had great deal of possession in largely unthreatening areas of the field but again showed a lack of quality in and around the box.

Blackpool keeper Gilks was tested far too rarely by a Town side which has now scored only once in their last three league games and is without a home league win since December 10th.

New signing Luciano Civelli found it hard to get into the game in the first half, but when he was involved he showed some good touches, sent in one or two decent balls from the left flank and was unlucky not to score. He was better utilised in the second period and despite his current lack of full fitness showed a lot of promise.

Town now sit seven points off the play-offs with 14 games left to play and it will take an extraordinary run of form to see them into the top six, the type of run they have so far been incapable of achieving and, on today's evidence, one which still looks well beyond them.

Town: R Wright, D Wright, Thatcher, McAuley, Bruce, Garvan (Shumulikoski 60), Haynes, Civelli (Bowditch 74), Couñago, Stead. Unused: Supple, Lisbie, Balkestein.

Photo: Action Images

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