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

warktheline added 07:58 - Mar 8 @cat, don't be fooled by swn, one lucky win and he'll be crowing about McCarthy's managerial skills! Two years on and McCarthy is still scratching his head! I guarantee you, when he writes his autobiography he'll have nowt positive to say about his stay at Portman Rd. The club is just existing, no more. I have no doubt McCarthy is truly fed up with the situation, re-read article where he mentions about 'muddling around the Championship in mid table'. He's fully aware Evans hasn't got his heart in the club, all very depressing. The next man in will need to be young, hungry and extremely motivated! Emphasis needs to be with our youth system and the manager needs to bring with him a top scouting team! For me Cowley would already be sitting in the manager's seat! Sadly McCarthy won't resign, its all about the money, and as for Evans, well, he doesn't want to pay him off! Two years of stalemate and counting!

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cat added 08:59 - Mar 8 Walktheline - Everyone has different threshold levels, and to be honest I hate being negative, but there's nothing to be positive about IMO. Yeah, recent results have been decent, but they've are only papering over there cracks. Looking forward to getting behind a new manager, MM days are well and truly numbered now. This cannot continue for much longer.
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walberblue added 09:16 - Mar 8 What a talent-less oaf. Get Mick out NOW!! And What a mess he'll be leaving. 4 years and he's built nothing. Next seasons squad less loan players, players out of contract and players jumping ship. The next manager will be stuck with a real stink of a situation. And with ME's Nonexistent millions we'll be relegated and have to rebuild from scratch. Mick walks away with millions and leaves a great big turd for ITFC to clear up. It even looks like he may be actively damaging the club so that when he walks away and we get relegated he can spout on about his "achievements" at keeping us in the championship. If we need points to stay up go after them against teams like wolves. Get rid of Best,Douglas Coke Williams and give some ITFC players a chance. Four precious years wasted on a big headed Yorkshire man's ego. Criminal.

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Ferguson added 09:19 - Mar 8 Unbelievably we're 13th in the form table. Predictably we're 16th in the league Unforgiveably we're rock bottom for entertainment.
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walberblue added 09:36 - Mar 8 And Wolves were 23rd in the form table. No excuses for the tactics last night
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DariusBlue added 09:43 - Mar 8 One of the most boring games of football I have seen. I was feeling quite upbeat after February - Now it seems to be back to script with MM setting up his team to basically defend all game. Wolves were poor and there for the taking and the amount of efforts we had on goal really sums up. I for one like the system with five at the back IF the wingbacks actually try and go past the half way line once in a while. Also why the hell was Lawrence playing up front? He is much more of a weapon playing off the front two. Why did the substitutions take so long? When we did make one it was the wrong player - Pitman / Sears?

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midastouch added 09:50 - Mar 8 Well a cat has 9 lives, how many does a dinosaur have? It feels like waiting a million years for this one to go extinct! While I thought he deserved at least some credit for our improved performances last month, mainly because the line ups were more adventurous (at least by his standards), he's going back to 10,000bc default settings and getting those damn negative two midfielders two bore everybody to tears! I've never been a fan of Skuse as I just think he lacks quality. I know he tries hard and I wouldn't fault his effort or attitude, but he just hasn't got the quality to take us anywhere. To get anywhere in this tough league you need a midfield that can drive you places. They are the engine and without an engine your car is virtually stuck in the pits! Now I know Mick rates Skuse but surely after what happened last month he must of been able to put 2 and 2 together and see we were a lot better without him. But no, stubborn old Mick won't have it and so we revert back to 2 defensive midfielders to send us all insane again! Mick had the perfect get out card to leave Skuse out as he didn't even have to drop him, he got injured, and there was no reason to let him back in the team unless injury or a drop in form from any of our other midfield players. But of course good ol' Mick always knows best but 99% of us can see that he really doesn't any longer! I'll give credit where credit is due (as I was prepared to concede prior to the Norwich game) but I did say at that time if he lets Skuse back in the door and things look ultra negative again I'd be just as quick to voice my anger than voice any praise! You had 1 more life Mick (and you were lucky to get that!) and it's just been gobbled up, GAME OVER Mick!

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itsonlyme added 10:38 - Mar 8 What more can one add! The football on show last night was utter utter tripe. All MM spouted on about last night was how good Wolves were????? Wolves were awful, which does not say much about us! Why play a defensive team? Why leave it til the 97th minute to bring on a striker? Lawrence was poor. Must play Moore or Pitman on Saturday.
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Lightningboy added 10:56 - Mar 8 I think Mick was getting way too ahead of himself last week suggesting that he'd won the supporters over because we'd scraped a point against the mighty Norwich. 1 win in 11 games now! Then starts coming out with all this guff last week suggesting he was going to be here for more excitement next season - Patted yourself on the back a little too hard Mick - wakey wakey,fans of this club and what this club (stood for) want a return to better times,when we were a pleasure to watch and support,not a chore. Please do everyone a favour and empty your desk.

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Razor added 10:57 - Mar 8 We may struggle to make mid table mediocrity. So so so DEPRESSING.
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Lightningboy added 10:59 - Mar 8 "Eddie Charlton vs Terry Griffiths would've been more exciting" 👏🏼😂 Or maybe Nigel Bond vs Mike Hallett (for slightly younger supporters)
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Surco72 added 11:21 - Mar 8 Get Dozzell ,Bishop, Emmanuel Kenlock, Sears in the team and build around them for the future , they cannot do worse and we are not winning anyway at present especially as 4 players playing regularly are not even ours . It will get all the youngsters valuable experience and conditioning of championship football . Also MM it doesn't matter how many times you play Keiffer Moore he will not be a championship player , he is becoming your next Tabb , Nouble , Douglas , he is a nice lad don't make fans dislike him because you are stubborn

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dirtydingusmagee added 12:28 - Mar 8 where is Geddis and his barmy army ? was looking forward to his take on the game, the games they watch are better than any ive seen or listened to .Even the Radio ''SUFFIK '' crew are getting fed up with watching the bloody games, Not only was it dire it is predictable, anybody with half a brain [the'' Mick in crew'' think that's us ] can predict how Mick will go about a match . I said in a thread yesterday how it would go, I was right , WELL ALMOST ,I thought it would be a 1-1 but I underestimated how boring we have become. we cant even get a decent result against lowly struggling teams. Lets face it when you consider how bad weve been this season Its hard to believe there a teams below us, but there are, AND EVEN THEY MAKE US LOOK POOR.!...... MICK AND EVENS OUT

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Steelmonkey added 12:58 - Mar 8 Can someone please confirm that we are in the month of March and it's not still January.
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norfolk1 added 14:12 - Mar 8 Will someone please tell me where do we go from here?
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MicksZzzTactics added 14:50 - Mar 8 @guentchev All true (both your posts on this page).... and while just about every team over the course of a full season besides being on both the receiving end of good and bad refereeing, also enjoys the **occasional** very late point-giving goal (and **occasionally** suffers the agony of throwing away points very late too mind you!, although some clubs and even managers are more susceptible or shall we say "Better at it" than others! :-) LOL), just rewind a bit and think where we for instance would in the standings be today WITHOUT just a a couple of The Dino's full handful of quit remarkable last-gasp "Houdini Escapades" particularly in the later part of 2016???!!! ...Houdini Escapes which btw came at a time were most fans thought The Dino would otherwise have been sacked on the very following morning i.e. before IM/ME announced not only their super cute & hollow-sounding "5 Point Plan" but especially before this mind-boggling & indefensible "He is master of his own destiny" deal presented as a sort of 'Gentleman Agreement' when in reality it was simply and strictly a matter of Pesos!!! Meaning directly booting him and TC (without any kind of the proverbial "mutual consent" stuff etc.) is not something ME seems remotely willing to pay for???!!! ....as the ITFC side of The Marcus Evans Empire apparently is soooo short of funds (and the reason for this could very well have plenty to do with the contains of my post from the weekend i.e. the proactive "penniless" strategy we have witnessed in later years DUE TO the hard financial ramifications of these here special new UK Tax Law Changes coming into effect on April 1, 2017 targeting quote: "Groups that have engaged in aggressive tax planning using debt to reduce their tax bill") that this was never an realistic option in the 1st place i.e. back when ME offered him and his prehistoric sidekick that a-the-time fairly BASELESS & STUPID extension, an extension which a lot of fans still seem to forget can run not only to 2018 but all the way to 2020 (contract option) something which I deem extremely likely IF he is initially allowed to stay on this summer by his from MM's perspective: Turned-soft & no-longer demanding and thus ultra cozy, inherently football-clueless but very much golf-fixated .. and super conveniently :-) often "A.W.O.L.", boss! Anyway, I think we will escape relegation though Bontcho ... just barely even if the event of an imho realistic "Worst Case Scenario" involving the outcome of fixtures of those teams currently below us! But HEY!!!! people, if "only" you momentarily (and sarcastically too! :-) try to forget all about not only entertainment and Value-For-Money but also alllllllll about desperately wanting to watch your favorite football team practically tactically TRYING (their hardest !) to win a game of football, and instead just look at task ahead in that almost embarrassingly simple but also alleged jaw-droppingly wonderful "PRAGMATIC" :-) 'The Dino Way' ...... = 10 more "excellent" 1-point draws coming our merry way! .... well then we will finish at 54 points which should be sufficient for yet another awesome year (our 16th straighti!) in the Championship I believe! LOL (But as long as the threat of relegation is mathematically there at least, I would also like to stress that while I never ever personally could get myself to seriously wish for a relegation of this once proud & revered club which I personally have faithfully followed for 40+ years, despite me literally loathing this current beyond incompetent 'Regime' with a passion!!!, I do however find myself partly in agreement with those real decent folks who have posted here in recent months that a trip to the 1 Division is not just all bad! but could, repeat could, indeed conceivably do this nowadays very very MORIBUND looking and allout ANTI-positive appearing club a lot of good! albeit likely in a somewhat longer perspective obviously).

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Lightningboy added 15:49 - Mar 8 @midastouch Spot on re Skuse's inevitable reinstallment in the midfield. I just will not buy the whole "doing a job/protecting the defence" reasons. When we went up with Burley we had 2 of the most creative/hungry midfielders I can remember at itfc in the centre (Magilton & Holland - who used to manage 15 goals a season between them)...we're currently playing with 5 defenders,why do we need a bloke sat in front of them who just picks the ball up and either knocks it sideways or backwards? We need energy in our midfield as Huws has shown over the last few weeks - signing him this summer is a must but he needs someone equally positive alongside him.

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blueboy1981 added 17:43 - Mar 8 Am I surprised ... ? - NO- all far too predictable. THE MAN WILL NEVER CHANGE. Just how long can the Dinosaur continue on the Club's payroll ? ...... shpuld have been long gone.
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Bluetone added 17:52 - Mar 8 The long overdue statement I long to see:- “I have today tendered my resignation as Manager of Ipswich Town Football Club. I freely admit I am no longer up to the job and in recognition of this I will not be seeking any settlement fee. To the club, it's directors, staff, players and above all it's supporters I offer my sincere apologies for my abject failure. I wish the club success in the future, thank you”.

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blueboy1981 added 17:57 - Mar 8 ........ and there will still be a number of ?????'s supporting him - UNBELIEVABLE.
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warktheline added 18:02 - Mar 8 What no Bohslegend! If I recall him and 6 alike haven't posted to date. Maybe they should do a remake of that legendary film, 'The Magnificent Seven', I suggest a change of name, 'The Clueless Seven'.
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blueboy1981 added 18:20 - Mar 8 ....... nice one warktheline - sounds spot on to me.
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surgery added 18:49 - Mar 8 He's on home turf on Saturday, can't be seen to lose to that bloody lot. I'll take a 0-0 against them any day considering what they've spent. God help us. Happy days.
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Geddis78 added 19:13 - Mar 8 Terrible game. Abject gutless performance. Dull dull dull. I thought the line up was fair enough but players didn't perform. As you know, I don't think it is all down to the manager and my opinion is we are where we should be with our squad. But clearly, things can't go on like this. Atmosphere is awful and McCarthy won't win back a large % of the fans even in we won each match til the end of the season. I am not convinced anyone new will do much better with what we have but for the sake of the club, we have to have a change. I hope we get behind whoever comes in and give them time, I would say at least 2 years. Read an interview with the Lincoln manager. He sounds a top bloke, why don't we go for someone young and ambitious like him?

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warktheline added 19:51 - Mar 8 @geddis, his name is Cowley, I've been harping on about him for a while! Would be ideal, trouble is what member of our hierarchy has the nouse to analyse our next appointment? Let's not forget, Jewell was asked to recommend his successor!
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