Town’s poor start to the season continued as Crystal Palace left Portman Road with a 3-1 victory. Former Blue Darren Ambrose scored twice within a minute in the second half, Alex Bruce pulled one back for the Blues prior to Neil Danns settling any Eagles nerves with Richard Wright preventing the visitors from winning more comfortably.
As expected Tamás Priskin and Connor Wickham were handed their first Town league starts as Roy Keane switched his side to 4-4-2 with the injured Jaime Peters and Jon Stead dropping out. Alex Bruce took over from David Wright at right-back.
The Blues again started slowly and were fortunate not to go behind in the sixth minute when Paddy McCarthy’s header was superbly saved by Richard Wright, the keeper tipping the ball round the post low down to his left when a goal seemed certain.
Palace continued to have the better of the game with the Blues looking just as disjointed as they had on Saturday against Leicester.
Town finally created their first decent chance in the 21st minute when Lee Martin’s cross to the far post was met by Tamás Priskin, but the Hungarian nodded over.
On 25 there was another escape for the Blues when Alex Bruce missed a header and Alassane N'Diaye sent a ball across the six-yard box which miraculously avoided any Palace players.
Former Colchester man Danns took the ball on a long run from halfway evading challenges from Healy and Trotter on 31 but shot wide.
Town started to show more as the half wore on and on 34 Wickham saw a shot from inside the area blocked after Palace failed to clear a Bruce cross from the right.
Three minutes before the break, Healy had a shot cleared off the line, but referee Keith Hill had already stopped play after Wickham had collided with Palace keeper Speroni. The Argentinian required lengthy treatment and had swallowed his tongue but eventually continued.
The Blues pressed during injury time, Trotter seeing a shot deflect wide and then Balkestein heading over from a corner.
Town were lucky to go in on terms at the break. As on Saturday, they had rarely seemed on top and Palace, like Leicester, had been allowed to create one or two decent chances.
Richard Wright was again in action in the first minute of the second period, saving well from Freddie Sears after the West Ham loanee had broken quickly after a Town corner.
The visitors went in front in the 48th minute with the goal involving both of Palace’s ex-Town players. Alan Lee crossed from the right and Darren Ambrose scraped the ball past Richard Wright at the far post.
Ambrose doubled his side’s lead only a minute later, lashing home a shot having been given time and space 30 yards out.
Town manager Roy Keane immediately made changes, Jon Stead and Owen Garvan replacing the ineffective Tamás Priskin and Colin Healy.
Stead immediately deflected a Walters shot into the net, but from an offside position. Clint Hill was booked for a foul on Walters, then at the other end Danns shot well wide.
Town were looking better with Owen Garvan providing greater quality in midfield. On the hour, Damien Delaney crossed from the left, Garvan headed back at the far post and Speroni did well to save from Walters down to his right.
Moments later, a corner was cleared to Garvan, who sent in a cross and Bruce headed home his first goal at Portman Road.
Town and the crowd were briefly invigorated by the goal and Wickham hit a shot at Speroni, but Palace were still a threat and it was difficult to see how the Eagles failed to score during a lengthy 67th minute goalmouth scramble.
Two minutes later, the visitors’ lead was extended, the Blues again failing to adequately clear their lines and Danns heading home Ambrose’s cross from the right.
Alan Quinn replaced Lee Martin as the Blues threw everything forward in the closing stages. McAuley’s header was stopped on the line by Shaun Derry, then a loose ball inside the area failed to fall for either Stead or Wickham.
Danny Butterfield blocked from Stead with six minutes remaining, before Walters headed over and Trotter saw a shot saved.
Richard Wright made another save from Freddie Sears, Wickham headed to Speroni, then Wright had time to make one more excellent stop, this time reacting quickly to block Sears’s deflected shot, before referee Keith Hill blew the final whistle.
The boos, which were only a smattering on Saturday, were somewhat more significant as the crowd streamed out after another disappointing performance.
Town currently look a long way from a side which is going to challenge at the right end of the table. The performance was all too reminiscent of the nervous and scrappy displays of last season, while it took only a matter of minutes for sections of the crowd to start getting on players’ backs.
The Blues never really had control of the game with the midfield pairing of Trotter and Healy failing to get the upper hand, while Delaney and Martin in particular were on different wavelengths.
At the back, the errors on show at Coventry and against Leicester were again evident, while up front Priskin was very quiet. Wickham had his moments, while Alex Bruce’s never say die spirit was in evidence in the second half and Richard Wright prevented a more convincing Palace victory with some fine saves.
Town’s midfield was better when Garvan and Quinn were introduced in the second half, but overall it was nervy, incoherent display with the team appearing to lack self-belief and confidence.
Only a significantly better performance at West Brom on Saturday will prevent a third defeat from four league games.
Town: R Wright, Bruce, Delaney. McAuley, Balkestein, Healy (Garvan 52), Trotter, Walters, Martin (Quinn 72), Priskin (Stead 52), Wickham. Unused: Supple, D Wright, Colback, Smith. Att: 20,348.