Town recorded their fifth consecutive draw as their home game with Wolves ended in a drab 0-0 stalemate. The visitors came closest to winning it late on when Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Ben Marshall both struck the woodwork.

Toumani Diagouraga replaced Emyr Huws, who suffered a hamstring injury during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Brentford, in the Town midfield, while Josh Emmanuel took over from Jordan Spence at right wing-back.

Tommy Smith was handed his first start since undergoing back surgery in September with Jonas Knudsen switching to left wing-back and Myles Kenlock moving to the bench.

Wolves, who had lost their last six matches, made five changes from the team which lost 2-1 at Reading at the weekend, bringing in Danny Batth, Matt Doherty, Jack Price, Andreas Weimann and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson for Mike Williamson, who was suspended, Dominic Iorfa, Conor Coady, Helder Costa and Nouha Dicko.

As so often in recent weeks the Blues started slowly with Wolves enjoying most of the early possession but without creating a chance.

However, in the fifth minute Town carved out the first opening when David McGoldrick found Tom Lawrence with a cross-field left-to-right pass. The Blues’ top scorer fed the overlapping Emmanuel but his low ball ran between the Town players in the box and McGoldrick who was breaking into the area.

The first quarter of an hour continued in much the same vein with Wolves having most of the ball but without threatening and Town making the occasional foray forward.

On 16 McGoldrick rode a challenge and fed Skuse on the edge of the area to the right but the midfielder appeared undecided whether to cross or shoot and the ball wafted harmlessly wide.

There was a scare for the Blues in the 21st minute when Knudsen handled as he tripped with Doherty breaking into the area behind him.

Wolves claimed a penalty and the Danish international, who was booked, was fortunate but it did appear he initially touched the ball with his hand outside the box. After a lengthy build-up, Romain Saiss shot well over from the freekick.

The incident briefly seemed to wake Town up with skipper Luke Chambers forcing his way into the Wolves area after an Emmanuel cross from the right had been cleared to him.

On 31 Diagouraga came a couple of yards from scoring his first goal for Town when Lawrence played a corner from the right to him on the edge of the box from where he smashed a powerful low drive not too far wide of Wolves keeper Carl Ikeme’s left post.

Wolves again claimed a penalty in the 35th minute when Ben Marshall crossed from the right to Dave Edwards at the far post. The former Luton man nodded back across goal but McGoldrick slid in and diverted the ball behind, off a hand according to Edwards, although it had appeared to strike the Irish international’s body.

Three minutes later, Lawrence carved out an opportunity in the 38th minute, the Wales international’s clever flick from Diagouraga’s pass taking him beyond Kortney House but wide and his well-struck low cross was cleared by Doherty.

As what had been a dull half moved into injury time McGoldrick and Lawrence forced an error from the Wolves backline and the on-loan Leicester man fed the Town number 10 on the left of the area but the Irishman’s low shot was saved by Ikeme.

That was the final action of an unmemorable half in which Town had never taken the game to an opposition who had had a lot of the ball without ever actually looking comfortable in possession.

Neither keeper had been particularly tested with the Blues’ best opportunities McGoldrick’s shot shortly before the whistle and Diagouraga’s strike, while for Wolves Saiss should have done better with the freekick from the edge of the area earlier in the half.

Town began the second half more positively and in the 47th minute Smith won a freekick midway inside the Wolves half on the left, visitors skipper Danny Batth picking up a yellow card for the foul.

Lawrence’s ball into the box seemed to be on its way towards Berra’s head until George Saville’s boot took it away from him.

Town felt they should have been awarded a penalty in the 52nd minute when Lawrence exchanged passes with Grant Ward and broke into the area before Doherty ran into him and sent him tumbling.

Referee Darren Deadman, perhaps recalling the two earlier Wolves calls for penalties, waved away the protests, however it looked a better shout than the earlier claims.

Town won a series of corners with Ikeme just about dealing with balls curling under his bar before Wolves broke through Weimann following a Smith error. His cross was deflected to Bodvarsson, who fed Marshall, who shot wide.

Another Town corner saw the ball just fail to fall for Berra then, with the half more open than the first, Bodvarsson crossed into Bartosz Bialkowski’s arms from the right.

On 61 Kenlock took over from Smith with Knudsen moving to the centre of the defence.

Wolves continued to have most of the ball but without testing Bialkowski, while the Blues were unable to keep possession and never threatened until McGoldrick hit a low shot to Ikeme from just outside the box in the 79th minute.

Two minutes later, Diagouraga sent McGoldrick away down the left with a clever pass with the outside of his right boot but the striker’s low cross to Ward was cut out.

On 82 Wolves brought on Helder Costa for Weimann, then two minutes later Kieffer Moore took over from Emmanuel for Town with Ward moving to right wing-back.

The visitors came close to winning it with five minutes left, Bodvarsson cutting in from the right and hitting a shot which Bialkowski pawed onto the post and wide.

Wolves threatened again a minute later after Skuse had conceded a freekick 25 yards out. Marshall’s shot struck the top of the bar and Knudsen nodded over and behind before any of the Wolves players were able to react.

The end of two minutes of uneventful injury time was met by boos from the home support after another frustrating evening at Portman Road.

The Blues, who badly missed Huws’s presence in midfield, looked a shadow of the team which dominated against Reading and Leeds and it was a display which will have done little to persuade any fans wavering over whether to renew their season tickets to part with their cash.

Wolves will feel they did enough to win having had most of the ball but without ever looking particularly comfortable in possession with Bodvarsson's late strike which Bialkowski palmed on to the post their only shot on target, while the Blues managed just two during a game which won’t live long in the memory.

Town, who are now unbeaten in seven but having won only one in their last 11 in all competitions, drop a place to 16th, nine points from the relegation zone ahead of Saturday’s trip to 11th place Barnsley, who lost 2-1 at QPR.

Town: Bialkowski, Emmanuel (Moore 84), Chambers (c), Berra, Smith (Kenlock 61), Knudsen, Skuse, Diagouraga, Ward, Lawrence, McGoldrick. Unused: Gerken, Pitman, Spence, Bru, Sears.

Wolves: Ikeme, Doherty, Edwards, Batth (c), Saville, Price, Bodvarsson, Saiss, Hause, Weimann (Costa 82), Marshall. Unused: Lonergan, Stearman, Dicko, Coady, Iorfa, Cavaleiro. Referee: Darren Deadman (Cambridgeshire). Att: 15,076 (Wolves: 443).

Photo: TWTD

Dissboyitfc added 22:29 - Mar 7 we aint going down! he should go for wins end of!! Muck out!!
6

StochesStotasBlewe added 22:30 - Mar 7 Dire performance, awful game devoid of any entertainment. Highlight was a woman who fell asleep in the row in front of me. If this is your idea of good football Mick, you can stick it up your arse.
14

runaround added 22:32 - Mar 7 After over 30 years I cancelled my season ticket in January because I could not justify paying good money for something I no longer enjoyed doing. After the apparent improved performances & results in February, I started to wonder if I had been hasty however after reading the reports of Saturday's & especially tonight's matches, I know I've made the right choice! McCarthy is very adept at setting us up to get battling, backs to the wall results against good sides but seems to have no idea how to win matches when we have to take the initiative. He set up today with a back 5, 2 defensive midfielders & 3 "number tens" & sounds as though we never imposed ourselves at all against a side whose confidence must have been rock bottom after 6 straight defeats. Many people talk about it being impossible to compete financially but attacking football & an attacking mindset of trying to win the game don't have to cost the earth. Tonight has reaffirmed my belief that Mick has taken us as far as he can & needs to leave for the good of the club. Continuation of the current situation will lead to fans & players becoming increasingly disillusioned & eventually relegation. Time to build the team up from scratch & give long suffering fans some hope & entertainment. Do that & people like me will return, I don't want to stop watching them, I just can't bear how boring it's become 💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤💤

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TimmyH added 22:32 - Mar 7 @cfmoses - so Johnny Williams was utterly wrong at the beginning of the season when he said it was one of the best squads he'd seen since his loan spells with us? Let's face it this season has been a season too far for a few players, 1 or 2 are struggling to come through and a few should have had more consistent playing time together plus a lack of any permanent signings in January...and one manager who isn't as good as he thinks he is.

11

nthstd added 22:34 - Mar 7 All those words to say we we're utterly cheap.
0

poldark added 22:37 - Mar 7 Has he gone yet !!!!!!
2

bobble added 22:37 - Mar 7 we have become a joke. we cannot beat a wolves team who have lost the last 6 ,we have won once in 11. lucky the rugby has started again, go the brumbies must get my dartboard and scrabble out again for some interesting games
3

BlueArrow added 22:38 - Mar 7 Said just before the Derby game you wouldn't see me at Portman Rd again while mm there. Justified by saving my money again. Too late now but good player's need to be bought. Over to you AGAIN Mr Evans.
2

Tony88 added 22:42 - Mar 7 The truth always hurts
-1

powinswitch added 22:42 - Mar 7 An utterly woeful match. There was nothing there to get the fans going at all, and so the atmosphere was flat. Not yet sure how many shots we had but I can't see it being more than a handful. An abysmal manager, bereft of ideas or attacking intent. Awful. Go. Now.
12

Lukeybluey added 22:43 - Mar 7 The highlights will be the shortest video ever I reckon!
7

Pencilpete added 22:43 - Mar 7 I'm going to sum things up by posting a comment made by my 9 year old daughter ..... "Why do we keep coming, nothing ever happens and it's so boring"
17

norfolkbluey added 22:45 - Mar 7 Things can only get better.............can't they? Not there again as I have vowed never to return until MM is on his allotment. I feel so sorry for the fans who go knowing they are likely to see boring football, having paid outrageous levels of hard earned ticket money. Please don't renew MM's contract unless you want to see a near empty stadium ME.
6

BlueArrow added 22:46 - Mar 7 Said before the Derby game wouldn't be back while MM there. Justified by saving my money again. New players need to be bought. Over to you AGAIN Mr Evans.
5

Taricco_Fan added 22:47 - Mar 7 Wolves: "different class".
6

50yearsablue added 22:51 - Mar 7 A second season devoid of any entertainment. That was horrendous and 4 of the back 5 just hoof the ball to opposition defenders. Bringing on Moore is a joke as he is nowhere near good enough. How we cannot remotely threaten woeful opposition is beyond me. I actually think we have some decent players but Mick's selection and tactics are baffling. I don't know whether he will stay or go but, after 60 years, I won't be renewing as I want to use whatever time I have left more productively

13

cfmoses added 22:54 - Mar 7 @TimmyH I'm afraid Johnny was wrong in his comments. Maybe if he had avoided injury yet again he would have provided the midfield spark/skill that we sadly missed for over half of this season. To score goals you have to have creative midfield players.....Bru? Skuse? Douglas? Ward? Dozzell? Etc ...doesn't set the pulse raising.
1

shakytown added 22:59 - Mar 7 Sadly we are just plummeting to new depths of indifference. Not even an attempt to win this game and nothing will change until Mick has gone. This wont happen until we are at least mathematically safe.
10

hogster1970 added 23:03 - Mar 7 Well thought I would never say this but buy god this is worse football over the John Duncan days and Atleast we had dalian Atkinson for excitement . With mark Brennan as part of the engine room of the side. But yep was god dam awfull. And like I've said before you live and die buy your sword and MM has pull his out of scabbard . Because the game was crying out for subs. I agree with bringing myles on. But Jonas was woefull and smith made a couple of errors so that was 50 50 who went of. But at the same time for me we needed either sears or pitman on take scuse off and bring lawerence back into midfield that would have added a bit more pace and spice back into the midfield Atleast. But no let's wait until the 80 minute and bring moore on ffs and not only that take josh off. Ffs what planet is MM on because I'm sure it's Pluto because it ain't planet blue that's for sure. Talking to my mate after the match with a pint and we Brough up scuse and I said . Remember when we got promoted and had Holland and magic in the middle now that was a engine room of a midfield. Ours atm has a crank shaft and a cylinder head but no bloody pistons going up and down. Well I won't be renewing whilst MM is here end off.

16

TractorBoy666 added 23:06 - Mar 7 I haven't commented on here for a while because I felt as if I was repeating myself every week. But after the so called 'wonderful' month of February where we were unbeaten yet only won one of the games, we've gone right back to the wonderful two holding midfielders policy! How many times are fans going to be fooled by the manager and owner? The manager cannot stay on but there also has to be a change of approach from the owner. This so called plan clearly is a load of rubbish, as is the football. What left me speechless tonight is hearing McCarthy saying Wolves were a good side! Have a laugh, they were bloody dreadful and if we had a half decent manager in charge who'd have realised that we may have come out of that game with a much better outcome. Anyway, I'm actually glad we don't have a home match until the new month. Credit to those who go away, I used to be that mad but not anymore. MICK OUT!

18

heathen66 added 23:07 - Mar 7 absolutely shocking performance. Did not learn from Saturdays mistakes A back 5 and 2 holding midfielders against a side who have lost 6 on the bounce. The formation does not work with Skuse and Diagouraga. Never has and never will. Pitman/Sears for Smith and a back 4 was the way to go and try to win the game, but Mick knows best...apparently. This was like watching a McCarthy side playing a McCarthy side. Both very poor and both thinking a draw is a good point. Changes are needed and they are needed now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

15

cat added 23:07 - Mar 7 WOW!!!, what a game!!!! Goals, ref card, pass and move football and probably the best away support I have witnessed, I've had it all, unfortunately with the lure of a free ticket and a game far nearer my home, the EMIRATES was my destination tonight, and reading the posts on here thank feck I made the right decision. Two years ago this would have been a no brainier!! PR WIYHOUT A DOUBT, but sadly nowadays it is what it is.... DINO OUT

6

Bert added 23:08 - Mar 7 Can't say I disagree with most comments on here. After an enjoyable February it's back to the dross. The lone substitution said it all when the situation cried out for a double attacking substitution with twenty minutes to go. I am ambivalent about whether MM stays or goes for without investment not much will change. The club should pull back on the season ticket offer until we know what the owners intentions are. A parting of the ways by mutual consent is the likely scenario but make it clear sooner rather than later.

1

Cloddyseedbed added 23:11 - Mar 7 Anybody else think he must be doing it on purpose to get the sack and his contract paid up. None of us can take much more of this, supporters, McCarthy and Evans. When and how will it all come to an end. 2 teams on the pitch tonight, neither deserve a place in the Championship.
13

muhrenmagic added 23:14 - Mar 7 Wished I'd stayed at home to give the dog some company, wasted petrol driving from Bury to Ipswich.... never mind caught up on some sleep!
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