Ten-man Town suffered late heartbreak as Cardiff's Jason Koumas netted a last minute winner. Fabian Wilnis was harshly red-carded on 13, Lewis Price saving the subsequent penalty, but Michael Ricketts soon put the Bluebirds in front. Jimmy Juan appeared to have saved a point before Koumas struck.

The Blues lined-up with Richard Naylor joining Nicky Forster up front, while Fabian Wilnis took Naylor's place at the centre of the defence. Skipper Jim Magilton returned to the centre of midfield alongside Jimmy Juan, Matt Richards and Gavin Williams. Billy Clarke was amongst the senior substitutes for the first time.

Town weren't far from a goal in the opening minute, Cardiff's Dutch defender Glenn Loovens forcing his keeper Neil Alexander to tip his header over the bar.

But chances were rare in the opening stages and neither side threatened until the 13th minute incident which saw Fabian Wilnis sent off for the second time in his Town career.

Jay McEveley was left injured after a challenge with Cameron Jerome and played the England U21 international onside as he ran on to a short back pass from Wilnis. The Dutchman attempted to get back ahead of the striker and caught him with his arm, Jerome falling dramatically to the ground. The touch had been slight at best and was certainly not the cause of the frontman's fall.

Referee André Marriner, however, felt Wilnis had fouled Jerome and had prevented an obvious goalscoring opportunity, debatable in itself with the ball running to keeper Lewis Price, and ordered the 35-year-old from the field and awarded a penalty. Wilnis's red card was the 50th in the club's history and he becomes the tenth Town player to be sent off twice for the Blues (no one has been sent off three times).

Michael Ricketts hesitated as he ran up to take the spotkick and Price saved his weak effort to his right, Jason De Vos putting the loose ball out of play. Kevin Horlock replaced McEveley at left-back and Richard Naylor moved to centre-back as Town switched to a 4-4-1 formation.

Ricketts shot wide of Price's goal in the 17th minute, then at the other end Jason De Vos headed a Jim Magilton corner wide.

Nicky Forster wasn't far from a stunning goal in the 22nd minute, attempting to beat Alexander from an impossible angle, the keeper tipping the ball wide. From the resultant corner, the ball was cleared to the edge of the area from where Gavin Williams shot just wide.

Despite being down to ten men, the Blues were playing much the better football and had enjoyed the lion's share of the possession.

On 26 Forster went wide from 25 yards, but it was the home side who would go ahead. Richard Naylor misplaced a pass which Joe Ledley seized on, sending a ball across to Ricketts who had got ahead of Horlock, the one-time England international beating Price from close in.

Paul Parry headed Rhys Weston's cross wide in the 35th minute, then Price did well to push Ledley's curling 20-yard shot wide.

Sito came close to opening his Town goals account in the 44th minute, Matt Richards's cross reaching the Spaniard on the right, Alexander saving well to his left. As the game entered injury time Gavin Williams shot weakly after good work from Forster.

Town could count themselves unlucky to be behind at the break having had the better of the half, despite having lost Wilnis to the club's third very disputable red card this season.

The Blues started the second half brightly but failed to create anything in front of goal but as the half wore on the extra man started to tell. Just after the hour, Price made a good save from Parry and then another from Jerome.

Whitley missed a good chance when through on goal, shooting over, then Price made a superb save from an unmarked Ricketts in the area, the former Bolton man looking certain to score.

Billy Clarke came on for his first team debut in the 66th minute when he replaced Jim Magilton as the Blues switched to 4-3-2.

Price made another save from Ricketts, shortly before Clarke created an opening for Forster, the summer signing's shot deflecting harmlessly to the keeper.

Richard Naylor weakly headed wide in the 76th minute on a rare Town foray forward, then Forster tried an audacious 30-yard looping effort which flew wide of Alexander's goal.

Price made another fine save from Parry's header after the midfielder had exchanged passes with Ricketts.

On 86 Whitley picked up the game's first yellow card for a foul as Clarke used his pace to break away from a couple of defenders on the edge of the area. A number of Town players sized up the shooting chance, Jimmy Juan getting the nod and sending the ball over the wall, under the bar and into the net for the equaliser Town's performance deserved.

Immediately, Joe Royle moved to a more defensive look, Clarke coming off and Darren Currie coming into the midfield.

Price continued to show the Welsh crowd why he is tipped to be their national keeper for years to come with another save from Parry.

However, even the Town stopper's best efforts couldn't prevent Jason Koumas from scoring the winner. A long ball from the left flew beyond Sito to the midfielder who took the ball inside, slipped as he went past Richard Naylor but regained his composure and beat Price from ten yards.

It was a big blow to a Town side who had deserved something from the game. Late on Kevin Horlock sent a freekick over the bar and Gavin Williams wasn't too far away with a shot from the left of the area.

The defeat, the 50th since Joe Royle took over as manager three years ago, was certainly harsh on the Blues who, despite the red card, once again showed they are a much better side on their travels than they are at Portman Road. They kept the ball with ease, particularly in the first half and were probably ahead on the shots count at the break.

Cardiff will certainly feel they should have dominated the game more than they did, although as the second half wore on they created enough chances to have won the game comfortably.

Lewis Price was outstanding in goal, while Billy Clarke's brief cameo led to the freekick from which Jimmy Juan scored.

Once again, as so often this season, Town fans were left bemoaning a sending off decision which had more to do with the theatrics of an opposition player, in this case Cameron Jerome, than a Town man's indiscretion and an appeal once again looks certain to see the card overturned.

Town: Price, Sito, McEveley (Horlock 15), Naylor, De Vos, Magilton (Clarke 66 (Currie 87)), Juan, Richards, Williams, Naylor, Forster. Unused: Supple, Proudlock. Att: 8,724.

Photo: Action Images

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