Town and Wigan played out a disappointing 0-0 draw at a snowy Portman Road. Jay Tabb had the best chance for the Blues in the first half, while David McGoldrick and sub Freddie Sears had opportunities after the break, but overall a goalless draw was a fair reflection of a drab game.

McGoldrick’s return from his knee injury in place of Daryl Murphy, who has a calf strain, was Town’s only change from the team which lost 3-2 at Brighton 10 days ago.

The Town number 10 who had missed the previous two games, was partnered by Noel Hunt with recent signing on the bench.

The visitors carved out the game’s first chance in the fifth minute when Don Cowie sent James Perch away on the right and the ex-Newcastle man whipped over a cross which Marc-Antoine Fortune headed high and wide at the near post when he ought to have done better.

Town created their first opening a minute later, McGoldrick, skipper Luke Chambers and Paul Anderson exchanging passes on the right before the winger sent in a cross which Tabb was unable to head towards goal.

After Tommy Smith had eventually dealt with a difficult bouncing ball ahead of James McClean, Kevin Bru just overhit what would have been a superb pass into the path of McGoldrick.

On 14 Tyrone Mings fed in Tabb on the left of the area but the midfielder hit powerfully over when he should have played the ball across the six-yard box to the waiting Hunt, McGoldrick and Anderson.

The game developed into a scruffy affair on a pitch which was cutting up with neither side able to create much but with Wigan having the upper hand. Town were very much missing Murphy’s aerial presence up front with high balls regularly punted forward but defended comfortably by the Latics’ backline.

As the match moved towards the half hour mark snow began to fall steadily and the Blues managed a couple of shots. First McGoldrick hit a deflected effort through to Ali Al Habsi in goal for the Latics, then Hunt’s strike flew high and wide from distance.

Moments later, Smith was yellow-carded for a foul on Martyn Waghorn, then Wigan’s William Kvist joined him in the book for a challenge on Bru. Five minutes before the break McClean picked up a caution for tripping the breaking Bru.

Tabb headed Hunt’s right-wing cross to Al Habsi in the 43rd minute but neither side looked like breaking the deadlock as a dull half came to a close with the snow by now falling more heavily.

Under par Town, who were clearly missing Murphy, had been unable to create anything of note, Tabb’s opportunity just before the quarter hour when he should have passed rather than shot perhaps the best of them.

Wigan had similarly failed to significantly test Bartosz Bialkowski - Fortune’s early header was their best chance - in a forgettable first period in which there had been little between the teams, despite the Blues’ presence in the top four and Wigan’s current position second-bottom.

The Blues switched Anderson for Teddy Bishop at the start of the second half with the snow having momentarily subsided.

Nine minutes after the restart, Bishop, who had made an immediate impact going forward on the right, found Cole Skuse to his left, the central midfielder playing a ball in behind Perch to Mings, but the left-back’s cross was blocked.

Tabb felt he had been impeded as he broke into the area but referee Charles Breakspear, who had frustrated the home fans and players with a few decisions before the break, waved away his protests.

The game continued in the same less than inspiring manner of the first half with the snow having resumed. Just after the hour, Fortune cut in from the right but scraped his shot well wide.

The Latics went closer on 62 when Perch flicked Cowie’s left-sided corner from the left beyond the far post when he should have scored.

Three minutes later, with Wigan looking the side most likely to break the deadlock, home debutant Sears took over from Hunt.

Town carved out a rare opportunity on 72 when Mings crossed from the left but McGoldrick headed weakly to Al Habsi.

As the match moved towards its final 15 minutes Tabb flicked a header into McGoldrick’s path on the left and the striker did well to cut it back to Sears, who could only divert straight at Al Habsi at the near post.

The Blues were starting to look a bit more of a threat, but on 79 Berra cut out McClean’s dangerous cross from the left ahead of Fortune.

A minute later, Emyr Huws was booked for blocking off McGoldrick as Town broke. From the freekick deep on the left, McGoldrick headed Tabb’s ball wide. Jonny Parr replaced Tabb at left midfield for the final six minutes.

Two minutes before the end Sears had the ball in the net but having been flagged offside, although with the Town players complaining that the ball had been played into his path by a Wigan player.

After three minutes of uneventful injury time referee Breakspear confirmed Town’s first home 0-0 draw since the Blackpool game last February with frustrated boos greeting the whistle.

In truth the game didn’t really deserve a goal with both sides as poor as one another. Neither keeper was forced to make a serious save in either half.

After the break, Wigan probably should have scored through Perch’s header, while Town, who never put the struggling visitors under any real pressure, came closest via McGoldrick’s header straight at Al Habsi and Sears’s effort which the former Colchester man couldn’t divert away from the keeper.

Overall, a disappointing result for the Blues against struggling opposition, who battled gamely but showed little quality. Town remain fourth but are now three points behind leaders Bournemouth and Derby and two behind third-placed Middlesbrough with all three having a better goal difference.

After one win in six games in all competitions, the Blues need to get their stalling promotion challenge back on track with a win away against Rotherham, another of the teams at the wrong end of the table, next Saturday.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Mings, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Bru, Anderson (Bishop 46), Tabb (Parr 84), McGoldrick, N Hunt (Sears 65). Unused: Kenny, S Hunt, Clarke, Ambrose.

Wigan: Al Habsi, Taylor, Perch, Barnett, Ridgewell,Huws, Kvist, McClean, Cowie, Fortune, Waghorn (McKay 78). Unused: Carson, Boyce, Pearce, Kiernan, Cosgrove, Flores. Referee: Charles Breakspear (Surrey). Att: 19,155 (Wigan: 225).

Photo: Action Images

Hegansheroes added 18:10 - Jan 31 The dinosaur will not be moved-MM must have done his coaching badges in Rugby League because it's not football. Tabb, Anderson absolutely inept & have been most of the season, S HUnt not much better. Give Taylor a game, sorry forgot MM doesn't like people who have a bit of skill. MM's handling of the PT situation has really shown what an oik he is. Can you imagine Sir BR, Alf Ramsey, Burley or any other manager coming out MM's recent comments.

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blueherts added 18:11 - Jan 31 Below Parr, No ExSkuse If we want to stay in promotion hunt we berra start playing with some pace in the middle. One dimensional, too easy to read. We leave Stewart out the squad and Dids doesn't look fit. January has been as poor as Dec was good, we need a lift so I suggest a call to Pardew for JW is a start and we Have to add a striker - Wood or Doyle - either of em. What irks me most is we have a waster taking 10k a month out of this club that could be used to help ME, you have never been in a better position to invest so now is the time. Bonkers league, as MM would say. Brighton and Forest lose to Blackpool and Millwall! BUT top 3 are there on merit! Forshaw we have missed a chance in getting him class!

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Kesgraveblue57 added 18:14 - Jan 31 We have been found out we have hard working side but no quality it's as simple as that I am happy Town are in the top half of the league with just an outside chance of the play-offs
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kuyski added 18:21 - Jan 31 After the transfer deadline I will know how the ambition for our owner he have ?
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EssexTractor added 18:24 - Jan 31 Fact ..all true Town fans at start of season would have taken 4 th place by 31 January...Fact all fans amazed and delighted by the terrific form of Daryl Murphy.. Fact all Town fans euphoric on Boxing Day after 4.2 win at Brentford . But 36 days later insipid individual and collective performances have followed. Were we all ( owner, management , players, fans ) premature in believing all was rosy? We are still very much in the mix BUT today more than any other was a day when real doubts took root. Do we rely too much on Murphy, do we have a credible alternative method of ensuring victory? Do we have sufficeint footballing skill? I believe our back four are all in their own way wholehearted defenders, but none of them ( including the much heralded Mings) are really comfortable on the ball, are really comfortable in starting something meaningful. Hence what many see as the hoof ball style. In midfield our journeymen Tabb Anderson can as MM says put in a shift but in truth are unlikely to scare the opposition. I hope Kevin Bru is better than he was today, there have been signs that he is. It is as I have posted previously too early to expect too much of the undoubted talent of Teddy Bishop. Up front without Murphy we are, as evidenced today not good enough to be genuine contenders for the top two positions. Our achievement thus far has been based on great team spirit and " journeymen" individuals playing above themselves. In 2015 that situation has creaked a little Lets hope those who hold the real power at the club do everything in their power to address this " hiccup" so that our challenge continues over the next three months. No other team is significantly better than ITFC but all other immediate competitors seem to be strengthening for the push to the line. I wonder is there that same determination in the corridors of power at Portman Road

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therein61 added 18:27 - Jan 31 While every side has a blip in the season ours causes most concern as we are basically a 2 bob outfit and have been punching above our weight(or have been!! until now) our lack of depth has been found out as has our playing style the lack of new input player wise is worrying Mick always distances himself from the money side of things and has done in my opinion a great job since he has been here on next to bugger all it's time to put up or shut up Marcus(that's if you want promotion!!??) and give the guy a hand he bloody deserves it for his hard work as do we fans for our support we are in a rut and someone has to find a shovel pdq to get us out of it!!!!! sorry to be negative but while we are in the mix stop standing effin still and do something town.

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prebbs007 added 18:30 - Jan 31 That was absolutely disgusting !!!! Queue all the negative marks. Queue all the "we should be happy with our position" yes we should but none of that masks the fact that that was a shocking performance. We have too many average players who have massively over achieved this season and anyone who thinks these players will get us in the top two is dilusionall. I'm sorry but I listened to MM being positive on the radio on the way home. I love you Mick but to paper over that is wrong. You selected the wrong team. Wigan were not going to score if they were still out there now yet you stuck to your rigid 4-4-2 with square pegs in round holes. we should have played 3 centre backs mings and parr wing backs bishop in middle with Bru and skuse. Tabb was AGAIN a liability and chambers continues to disappoint at fullback and if anyone was watching Mings today they wouldn't give us 10 quid let alone 10 mill. We have done fantastic this season and to see it fall away now would be a shame. The only good thing to come out of today is that ME & MM must realise they have 2 days to bring in what we need or we WILL miss out on our best chance since Evans bought the club. We need at least 3 players or we will slip away and may even miss out on play offs let alone top two !!! I suspect it won't happen but I hope Marcus proves me wrong.

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HackneyBlue added 18:33 - Jan 31 Having seen most games this season its no surprise we are now looking average,we have done better than all imagined and yes i know we are still up there but a small squad and injuries will mean we will find it difficult to replicate pre xmas form-today was a mirror image of 18 months ago,we all knew it would end goalless as soon as the lineup was mentioned.I can understand the booing at the end which will be no more than frustration as we have a great chance of success and we can not let it slip.

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blueboy1981 added 18:34 - Jan 31 ....... certain posters !!! ....... are inconspicuous by their absence, as yet - I wonder why ?? No names mentioned, of course.
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bellazzurri79 added 18:37 - Jan 31 At the start of January I would NOT have taken 4th place.... One win in 2015 No home goals Hoof ball Middlesbro Bournemouth and Derby will pull away no doubt We will struggle to make play offs if this team continues to play like they have in the last month Mccarthy either wants to get promoted as the man who spent pennies or Marcus Evans is not backing him still.... Either way we are not going up with the 11 that started today or Shamir brighton

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pablo123 added 18:37 - Jan 31 We are not having a bad patch , just being found out for what we really are , very very average !!! That was f---ing rubbish AGAIN today !!! 1 win in 5 and 1 point against 2 teams in bottom four from the last 2 games !!! Like i said , very very average !!! The top 3 are miles better than the rest , including us !!!!!!!
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warktheline added 18:39 - Jan 31 @Hegansheroes, in reference to your 'handling PT situation', Sir Bobby had a fist fight with some of the players that didn't confirm to his methods..... So what's your point? Taylor couldn't even hold down a place at Rotherham, and I don't see clubs lining up for his services. It doesn't say much for the rest of the championship managers when our 'dinosaur' sits above most, with no money investment! Back to today's game, yes very flat, McGoldrick a big worry, looks disinterested. Hopefully a new face or two will freshen team up....I remember saying something similar after Norwich defeat....enough said.

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oldegold added 18:40 - Jan 31 Probably the most inept and sterile performance I have seen from Town since 2008. When I saw that MM was playing effectively with one recognised forward against the penultimate team in the Championship and with one win in the last 13 games, my heart sank and I knew we were in for a disappointing afternoon.I just can't believe that he could play such a bland formation when we need to be winning these games and Bournemouth, Derby and Middlesbrough have shown that fortune favours the brave. The automatic places have gone and if we play again like today we will be lucky to finish in the top half, let alone a play-off place. Totally unacceptable tactics and the usual hoof ball we come to expect from MM. Livid with what I saw today....

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warktheline added 18:46 - Jan 31 Blueboy, don't start something, you know the outcome.....you run away crying, tell all your leaving for good, then return two weeks later....sad!
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blueboy1981 added 18:47 - Jan 31 ........ truth hurts ......... obviously.
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bluesi added 18:48 - Jan 31 Let's be positive here. 4th in league,just 3 points from top.Not bad from what we're spent on players???
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warktheline added 18:51 - Jan 31 Blueboy, it does doesn't it... 3pts of top.
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bellazzurri79 added 18:51 - Jan 31 I notice the team that everyone was raving about last Wednesday lost 1-0 to bottom of the table Blackpool..... Yet they made is look like a walk over Brighton proved today how s**+ they are yet everyone was talking about how they are a better team than their league position States ... I'm afraid we are a team that is in s false league position and made Brighton look good

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prebbs007 added 18:57 - Jan 31 Do also have to say. The referee was an absolute joke today !!! Wigan were time wasting from minute 1. I don't blame them for that at all. A point for them in their position is a terrific result. But it's the job of the officials to stop time wasting and if he doesn't stop it then he needs to add the wasted time on at the end. 6 substitutions @ 45 seconds each = 4 1/2 added minutes. The time wasting should have added at least another 4. So how can it be that added time at the end of the game was only 3 minutes. Terrible referee matched our performance against possibly the worst team I have seen at portman road this season.

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NoelTheDub added 19:03 - Jan 31 Just reading our posts and agree with most pro or anti Mick comments but what gets to me most is our last few goalscores ie Ambrose,Sears,and Parr have not started a game since they scored.Two goalscorers from the midfield is that what we are looking for.As for our poor strikers who are starved of any quality and looking over at our bench to see young Teddy freezing to death.Maybe im wrong on this but something has to change asap...

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Spalderz added 19:18 - Jan 31 Anybody who booed today is a joke.
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jas0999 added 19:21 - Jan 31 Terrible result. Abysmal performance. This is now not a 'one off' but a very worrying run of form. I'm disappointed that MM was pleased with a point against a team second bottom and nailed on for relegation. Too many poor showings. I thought Tabb was woeful. But in fairness so were most of the players. I think in fairness this hard working bunch of players have over achieved and over performed and now we are back to where we were. The squad remains too small and lacking in enough quality to be serious automatic promotion contenders. ME is reluctant to spend which doesn't help as clearly we are in desperate need of a play maker. The midfield is uninspiring. N Hunt showed again that he is not a striker - he is a better wide man. Which means we are provably a striker light as well. Very disappointing today. Not good enough.

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Cloddyseedbed added 19:35 - Jan 31 Low ratings out of 10 today for all our players, no one stood out. Poor players, poor game. Defence just lumps it upfield. 1st 20 minutes Berra couldn't find a blue shirt with his hoofs. Nobody is comfortable on the ball - it's scarey. If Murphy had been playing today I don't think the outcome would have been any different. Our service to front men is provided by the defenders not the midfield. The ball must be suffering from altitude sickness. I can't see us making the playoffs with a squad of players that are hard workers, you need a bit of skill and we don't seem to have much around. I was surrounded by part time supporters today, by their own admission and all said they would not return to watch football played like that - that's sad, but a true reflection of today. Wigan near the bottom, 3 points a cert today many supporters were baying, not me been watching Ipswich too many years to realise no certain 3 points.

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thebeat added 19:35 - Jan 31 While i would have taken 4th position and 3 points off the top in August im not going to stick up for that today. The problem at the moment is Mick has lost the bravery he was showing earlier in the season. The bravery that dropped Tommy Smith and attacked teams with a 4-3-3 system with flying fullbacks that brought us our best spell of the season has been replaced with circa 2013 tactics of dogged 4-4-2 with old favourites Anderson and Tabb on the wings and Chambo being exposed out of position. I just dont get it, why have we reverted to this cautious formation? 4-3-3 was working lovely, it was great to watch and we were winning games. If we stick with this 1980s style then we will limp over the line when we could be sprinting for the tape. Be brave again Mick, put round pegs in round holes, attack teams with 4-3-3 and let Didz play behind Murph and Sears pulling the strings. I also dont understand why the whole team werent instructed not to hoof it today. Surely the first thing to tell the boys when you know Murphy isnt fit is "Keep it on the ground we dont have a target man . Its not hard is it?

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StowTractorBoy added 19:43 - Jan 31 I know we are all disappointed and none more than me but we are still 4th for goodness sake and are in the mix. How many thought we would be there come February and did anyone really expect us to finish in the top two - I certainly didn't ? As soon as we lose this board becomes so negative it is untrue. We have no devine right to win any game and Wigan did a job today by stifling us and wasting time etc. I did not agree with MMs team selection and nor his substitutions today but the bloke has performed miracles with what has been at his disposal. As for Marcus Evans loosening the purse strings how about the £85 million he has already loosened up for us and do you not consider financial fair play. Our turnover does not allow us to spend spend spend spend so we just have to get on with it and trust the Manager. I agree today was woeful and we have hit the buffers but we are still in there and on a shoestring budget. Rotherham will be no easier next week and nor will Sheffield Wednesday and Fulham after that. This is a tough league and frankly I will take where we are right now any day of the week.

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