Jim Magilton's first home game as Town manager ended in a 2-0 defeat to Serie A side Lazio in front of a disappointing crowd of 10,365. The impressive Tommaso Rocchi netted a goal in each half for the Rome club.

The Blues fielded a side as near as to Magilton's first 11 as fitness allowed with Shane Supple in goal, Fabian Wilnis on the left of the defence, Sito on the right and Richard Naylor and Jason De Vos in the centre. In midfield, Darren Currie started on the right, Jaime Peters on the left with Matt Richards and Ian Westlake in the centre. Up front, Dean Bowditch partnered Nicky Forster. Matteo Sereni, whose 2003 move to Lazio was the reason for the game, was not in the travelling party.

Town gathered together in the newly introduced huddle ahead of the kick-off, but quickly went behind to the Italians. Rocchi beat the Blues' offside just beyond halfway and took the ball on into the area before beating Supple.

Rocchi had a chance to put his side further ahead in the 12th minute after Darren Currie had lost the ball deep in his own half and the Italian striker was played through one-on-one with Supple who made a good save.

Currie was in more positive action at the other end soon after, sending in a near post cross which Bowditch headed to veteran Lazio keeper Marco Ballotta.

The Blues were enjoying most of the possession and Forster came close to a goal in the 17th minute when Lazio failed to clear a corner. The striker hit a shot on the turn which Ballotta did well to save. Soon after, Forster headed a Currie cross over the bar.

Currie caused more confusion in the Lazio box with a freekick in the 21st minute, the ball flashing across the area but failing to find a Town toe.

Two minutes later, another Currie ball in from the right found Jaime Peters at the far post, the diminutive Canadian nodding back to Sito, making a rare run forward into the penalty box, the Spaniard sending the ball into the Greene King upper tier.

Supple saved again from Rocchi, then Goran Pandev shot off the post after Ian Westlake had lost the ball and Jason De Vos's saving tackle had cannoned into the Macedonian's path, leaving him through on goal.

Just after the half hour, Matt Richards hit a strike which deflected off a defender and flew only just over the bar after a freekick on the left for the latest in a succession of fouls on Jaime Peters who was giving the Lazio defenders a difficult evening.

Bowditch teed-up Forster on the edge of the area in the 35th minute, Ballotta pulling off a good save low to his right. Within a minute, Bowditch hit a shot which deflected over.

Sito almost sold Supple short with a backpass but the keeper cleared ahead of Pandev, prior to Naylor heading a Currie cross over the bar.

Town had passed the ball around in the manner promised by new manager Jim Magilton but despite enjoying a lot of possession hadn't created too many chances, too many of Currie's crosses had flown across the area with no tall striker there to take advantage. At the other end, the defence were caught on the break on a number of occasions and might have conceded more than the one goal.

Alan Lee took over from Dean Bowditch at the break, providing the Blues with the aerial threat they had missed in the first half. Bowditch had looked more his old self in the first half, making some positive runs and creating one of the better opportunities for Nicky Forster.

Rocchi struck another fine effort in the 49th minute, Shane Supple doing well to tip the ball over the bar. The striker scored his second of the night five minutes later, curling a shot from the edge of the box past the helpless Supple.

The Blues almost hit back immediately, Sito crossed from the right, Nicky Forster nodded down and Alan Lee hit the top of the cross bar from the edge of the six-yard box.

Haynes replaced Forster, shortly before the game almost boiled over when Lee went in on Ballotta, the keeper making much of the challenge, something which was not untypical of the Italians' approach. Lee pushed the keeper, then Sebastiano Siviglia pushed Lee before referee Andre Marriner regained control and made his displeasure known without issuing any cards.

With 17 minutes remaining Owen Garvan took over from Darren Currie, Westlake switching to the left, Peters to the right and the Irishman taking up his usual central role. Fabian Wilnis made way for Scott Barron at left-back.

Westlake and Richards almost conjured a goal from a short corner in the 82nd minute, Peters flicking on Richards's cross and Lee heading over from five yards out when he should have scored. With five minutes remaining Sam Parkin replaced Richards.

Lee and Parkin almost sent keeper Ballotta into his net with two minutes left on the clock as they tried to convert a Haynes cross from the right.

As the game neared its close, Lazio sub Igli Tare clattered into Naylor some while after the ball had departed, the central defender taking exception along with Jason De Vos and referee Marriner showing the first yellow card of the game. Tare later apologised to Naylor for the challenge and the pair shook hands.

There was still time before the final whistle for Ian Westlake to join Tare in the book for an innocuous looking foul.

By no means a poor display from the Blues who on another night might have had a couple of goals, although by the same token they could have conceded more.

Jaime Peters, impressive throughout pre-season, probably made the biggest impact, forcing the Lazio defenders into a succession of fouls and making several pacy runs down the left. Darren Currie sent in a number of first half crosses but drifted out of the game in the second half, while Dean Bowditch performed better than he has for some while.

Alan Lee did well during his time on the field, looking a lot more match fit than a man who has previously played only 45 minutes of reserve football this pre-season.

Town's main area of weakness was the centre of midfield with neither Matt Richards nor Ian Westlake players likely to provide the kind of spark which Owen Garvan will be expected to supply once he gets to full match fitness.

It seems likely that Magilton's ideal side, as the squad stands now, is as the team lined-up at the start but with Lee, Garvan and Gavin Williams coming in for Bowditch, Westlake and Richards.

Town: Supple, Wilnis (Barron 73), Sito, De Vos, Richards (Parkin 85), Naylor, Currie (Garvan 73), Forster (Haynes 61), Bowditch (Lee 46), Peters, Westlake. Unused: Price. Att: 10,365.

Photo: Action Images

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