Town fell to a home defeat for the first time under Mick McCarthy’s management as Brighton left Portman Road with a 3-0 victory. The visitors were 2-0 up at the break via Dean Hammond and Craig Mackail-Smith, then with the Blues failing to seriously threaten throughout, Wayne Bridge added the third midway through the second half.

McCarthy was forced into one change with Andy Drury missing out due to illness. Nigel Reo-Coker took the former Luton man’s place in the centre of midfield.

Left-back Tyrone Mings was on the bench for the first time since joining the Blues from Chippenham last month. Danny Higginbotham, who has joined Sheffield United, and Bilel Mohsni have left the club at the end of their loan spells.

The first action of the game saw Lee Martin booked for catching Seagulls right-back David Lopez with a high boot, although the Spaniard appeared to make a lot of very little.

Chances were rare at either end in the opening 10 minutes with referee Kevin Friend irking the home crowd with a number of his early decisions. On 12 Reo-Coker shot high and wide after a corner was cleared to him on the edge of the box.

After a scrappy first quarter hour not helped by overfussy refereeing, the visitors went in front from from the game’s first serious opportunity. Andrea Orlandi sent in a corner from the right and Dean Hammond headed in at the near post, his marker Guirane N’Daw having been blocked off by Adam El-Abd as he tracked his run.

Town threatened for the first time on 26 when Daryl Murphy did well inside the area and forced keeper Tomasz Kuszczak to save with a goal-bound shot from a tight angle. Carlos Edwards’s follow-up was blocked by Kazenga LuaLua and, with Brighton struggling to clear the danger, N’Daw looped the ball back into the box where it appeared to be handled by Seagulls’ skipper Gordon Greer. However, referee Friend waved away the protests.

As the game reached the half hour mark, the Blues were having most of the ball but without creating anything. However, Albion were always looking dangerous on the break and on 34 they went two goals in front when Ashley Barnes’s header sent Craig Mackail-Smith away and the former Peterborough man hit an angled shot from the right across Stephen Henderson and into the net off both posts.

The Seagulls hadn’t had to do much for their two-goal lead and in the 38th minute it might have been 3-0 when Barnes cut the ball across the six-yard box with Henderson beaten but Smith diverted it behind.

On 42, after a long spell of Town possession, Martin shot over from the edge of the box, but the Blues were having a frustrating afternoon having been unable to find a way through the massed ranks of the Seagulls’ backline.

The Blues got no nearer to a goal before referee Friend blew his half-time whistle, the official on the receiving end of boos from the home fans as he left the field.

Town had gone behind before the game had settled into a pattern, then as they started to find their feet had been caught on the break for the second.

Mick McCarthy’s men had had a fair bit of the ball but had been unable to create anything of note in front of goal. Brighton boss Gus Poyet will have been delighted with the way his game plan had worked out.

Aaron Cresswell curled a freekick wide off Orlandi in the third minute of the second half and the Blues just about had the better of the early stages, N’Daw hammering a very powerful half-volley wide in the 54th minute.

Town were if anything having even more of the ball but still without being able to carve out any clear-cut chances.

Just after the hour mark, Liam Bridcutt was booked for a foul on Martin not far outside the Blues’ area. El-Abd joined him in the book for pushing while Martin prepared to take the freekick, the midfielder eventually looping it on to the roof of the net.

With Town making little headway, McCarthy swapped strikers Murphy and Campbell for Michael Chopra and Jason Scotland. Campbell, who is due to rejoin QPR tomorrow, received a warm ovation as he left the field for the final time after one of Portman Road’s most successful loan spells.

But it was Brighton who would score the next goal. Wayne Bridge picked up a pass from sub Gary Dicker midway inside the Blues’ half and hit a low shot which somehow crept between the diving Henderson and his right post. The Town keeper should probably have got across to it.

Luke Hyam replaced N’Daw for the final 19 minutes with the game looking all but over, Town having made little impression on the visitors’ defence all afternoon.

Michael Chopra thought he ought to have been awarded a penalty in the 77th minute when Kuszczak fumbled an Orr header and felled the Blues striker as he looked to get to the loose ball. However, referee Friend felt Chopra had fouled the keeper first and awarded a debatable freekick to the visitors.

Greer diverted a Cresswell cross over the bar in front of Chopra in the 79th minute with Town continuing to push but without too much conviction. On 83 Martin curled high and wide from 25 yards.

Brighton might have made it 4-0 with three minutes remaining when Barnes and Will Hoskins left the ball for one another when they were through on goal and Henderson claimed with ease.

The sides played out five minutes of injury time with Town continuing to have a lot of the ball but without being able to do much with it, while Hoskins lobbed over moments before the whistle when he again might have netted his team’s fourth.

Brighton put in the type of professional away performance which saw the Blues to their victories at Charlton and Wolves. Town - who are still 19th but only five from the drop zone - were frustrated in attack, rarely seriously threatening to score, while the Seagulls took opportunities from a set piece and on the break.

A home defeat is a disappointing way to end what had otherwise been a positive festive period and even so, seven points can probably be considered a decent Christmas haul.

Town: Henderson, Orr, Chambers, Smith, Cresswell, Edwards, Reo-Coker, N'Daw (Hyam 71), Martin, Campbell (Scotland 65), Murphy (Chopra 65). Unused: Loach, Hewitt, Mings, Hyam, Emmanuel-Thomas.

Brighton: Kuszczak, David, Greer, El-Abd, Bridge, Bridcutt, Hammond, Orlandi (Hoskins 80), LuaLua (Dicker 55), Mackail-Smith (Dobbie 86), Barnes. Unused: Brezovan, Dunk, Crofts, March. Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire). Att: 19,018 (Brighton: 909).

Photo: Action Images

StowTractorBoy added 19:22 - Jan 1 The tone of this match was set in the first 5 minutes when no friend of Ipswich (sent Wilnis off twice) Referee Kevin Friend gave some awful decisions including the Martin caution. The continued petty stoppages did not allow us to get going, however I think we had lead boots on today as we just just did not come out - where was the non stop opening as against Forest. The second half opened also in low key which was disappointing and we got what we deserved a sound beating form a very decent Brighton side who undone us tactically yet again. Not going to knock the Manager as he has done superbly well but why oh why does Reo Coker play in preference to Hyam and why did we not match the crowded midfield of Brighton. It was so obvious that N'Daw and Coker would struggle in there but MM did nothing to rectify it. Edwards looks shot to me and up front Chopra must be one of the most expensive flops in our history. Much to do by MM in January otherwise the fine work done so far could be undone very quickly such is the nature of the league.

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runningout added 19:32 - Jan 1 Praising playing staff of past decent performances seems a pointless.. Sooner our players realise you have to be clinical during every minute of every game and always want to improve.. Even after a good win..
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thebeat added 19:36 - Jan 1 tractorboy4life99 were you actually at the game? NRC is totally useless.He hasnt had a good game since we signed him.he's like a bag of cement in a football kit.He is a serious weak link and we need to ditch him.Look at rhe stats when he's played.
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Edmunds5 added 19:37 - Jan 1 @Warbeat- Fair point, the division can throw up different results and that could just be it, I just feel that when we've played the more balanced sides like Forest, Millwall, Burnley and Wolves, Charlton we've managed to get results because our battling qualities shine through and as we've had a striker in form such as DJ we have that bit extra to win tight games. Just feel that when we play teams like Brighton, Palace, Blackpool even expressive teams like Peterborough and Derby we have struggled a bit because what we normally do isn't enough because even though we battle we haven't got that killer pass, piece of trickery, pace or perfect cross, especially with DJ now leaving I fear there will be too much reliance on our endevour and spirit rather than quality. Suppose that is why we are where we are and other teams are where they are, Without sounding fussy I just fear we're lacking spark.

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tractorboy4life99 added 19:39 - Jan 1 the beat yes I was at the game and NRC isn't as bad as you say he was one of the better players on the pitch. I'm not saying he's brilliant but he's not useless.
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thebeat added 19:42 - Jan 1 tractorboy4life99 you are joking right? NRC is like a bag od cement in a football kit.useless. slow,ponderous, ALWAYS passes sidewards and backwards,cant shoot,cant tackle,doesnt win headers and just stands about shouting at the other players.might aswell play with 10 men.et rid and spend his wages on a midfielder that can actually run 5 yards without blowing like an old lady

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tractorboy4life99 added 19:47 - Jan 1 I'd rather have Reo-Coker than some of the CM's we've had in the past couple of years.
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IvorFeeling added 19:59 - Jan 1 alot said already that I agree with, especially NRC. Taking Ndaw off though signalled to me that MM gave up on the result as he was our best player. We had no width on the right as Edwards continually came inside, especially first half and we looked slow and second best all day. We culd have played for another couple of days and still not scored. Brighton had pace and zip, which we didn't. Just hope it was a blip rather than reverting to the PJ days, which i am sure it is. As H32 says this is a reality check. Much to do, Mick knows it, but I am sure he will sort it.

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StochesStotasBlewe added 20:01 - Jan 1 A big reality check today, we were completely outplayed by a decent Albion team, a lot of work to be done this month sorting the wheat from the chaff. A good job we have a capable manager now who can & will.
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village_blue added 20:38 - Jan 1 Henderson today was again back to his worst send him back to West Ham asap please. Also today could not work out why MM took off Murphy and N'Daw as we lost all our height when defending set pieces. Oh well just another bad day at the office , lets just move on and look forward.
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Ipswichbusiness added 20:39 - Jan 1 Whilst it is disappointing after some of the excellent results we have had recently to lose at home, we have to recognise that Brighton have a very good side and will be there or there abouts at the end of the season and that Mr McCarthy hasn't had long to sort out the mess that he inherited. Why do the loan/sort term deal players like Reo-Coker seem to be selected ahead of local lads? Luke Hyam has done nothing wrong and so much right when he has had his chance. I think a combination of him and N'Daw is what we need in central midfield. The area where we are now looking a bit short is central defence as we have little cover for Chambers/Smith.

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muccletonjoe added 20:39 - Jan 1 Ramseyn , I wasn't trying to make the point that the team he had picked for the previous 3 games was no good , merely that with the exceptiopn of NRC he was expecting this side to play 4 games in 10 days against a team who had played only one!
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BuckieBlue added 20:50 - Jan 1 Obviously we need to strengthen in Jan/ for next season but today's other results show that even top 6 sides ( Watford/ Boro) can have a few bad results yet still be up there. Onwards and upwards into Jan.
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blueherts added 21:06 - Jan 1 Well a good reality check -we lost to a fresher team who had a game plan we could not solve..Carlos edwards has gone backwards in recent weeks orr and cresswell several times made good runs but we were too slow so badly need a cm with some creativity I love n daw and hyam and drury have been great But NRC is so a liabilty , out of condition and so slow ..still positive bout new year for us asMM and TC are good team watch us go n beat cardiff !

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Michael11 added 21:28 - Jan 1 I'm not overly concerned about losing today as all bubbles have to burst and we've had a great run! One pattern does concern me - Every time Reo-Coker starts we end up with a heavy defeat! Surely isn't coincidence when its so often?
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Ipswich24 added 22:20 - Jan 1 I will sum up what I saw today: I was very confident going into today's game with our 2 away victories we should have been full of confidence against an out of form side. How wrong could I have been? We were never in the game today, we couldn't cope with the pace and movement from Brighton. We have been saying this for years where is our pace and movement? Martin and in particular Edwards infuriated me today just kept cutting inside and Orr and Edwards just kept getting in each others way. I feel Edwards has gone downhill very quickly playing in midfield, he can't or won't take on a full back. He just keeps coming inside or laying ball back to Orr. We are crying out for some pace and final ball. Martin does some great work but then his final ball shot or cross is poor. For an attacking player he can't score goals and provides little assists. I won't even start on Reo coco the clown premiership player my ass.

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LankHenners added 22:45 - Jan 1 We have all known for a long time that our only consistency is our inconsistency. We go on a mini run, get overconfident, come up against a good side playing well, and we fail to break them down. Then we pick ourselves up, show some grit, and start to play well again. It has been this way for a while, which is why we always finish mid-table. However, we have had a great run of points since McCarthy came in and hopefully he'll will use January to bolster the squad to make it stronger and have options to mix things up if we aren't playing well. Also just like to add that we needed JET to come on today - we needed someone who could pull off something special and who wasn't afraid to attack and have a pop at goal. Scotland was really the only one who was trying to drive the team forwards instead of backwards or sideways. It was a disappointing manner in which we lost but heads up and let's keep on getting behind the blues!

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dirtydingusmagee added 08:58 - Jan 2 outplayed im afraid.Brighton turned their recent form around and we couldnt cope with it.Sorry result to end the Festive period, but cant dwell on it ,team must pick itself up again and fight on ,we are far from out of the woods .Hope Mick has more luck in the transfer market than Paul Jewell did . COYB .
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