Town's defensive frailties were once again to the fore as Sheffield Wednesday left Portman Road with a 2-0 victory. The Owls went ahead via Marcus Tudgay in the first half and summer Town target Madjid Bougherra rose unmarked to head the second with eight minutes remaining.

The Blues lined-up as expected with Danny Haynes making his first Town start of the season alongside Alan Lee. Fabian Wilnis returned to the right of the defence after his one-match ban with Alex Bruce moving back to the middle and Richard Naylor dropping to the bench.

In midfield, Mark Noble, making his final appearance before his loan ends, started in place of Simon Walton, who was suspended. Gary Roberts made his first home start on the right with Matt Richards on the left.

Town had most of the early play and Sylvain Legwinski was close to playing in Danny Haynes in the first minute but Wednesday keeper Mark Crossley claimed ahead of the frontman.

The visitors' first chance came in the sixth minute, Chris Brunt laid the ball off to Marcus Tudgay but Shane Supple saved the former Derby man's shot to his right.

Wednesday took the lead with their next opportunity. Wade Small broke quickly down Town's left flank and crossed low to Tudgay, who stabbed the ball past Supple at the near post.

The Blues were distinctly second best and Owls keeper Crossley was a virtual spectator, although Danny Haynes did send a dangerous ball across the box, but just behind Alan Lee. Haynes had already suffered a knock and was replaced with Jon Macken soon afterwards.

On 26 Madjid Bougherra shot over after a freekick was played across the edge of the box.

Town had lost their way after the goal but gradually started to come back into the game. Just before the half hour mark Mark Noble made a strong run forward and found Gary Roberts to his left. The loanee from Accrington might have shot but instead sent in a low ball to which Alan Lee, Jon Macken and others narrowly failed to apply a final touch.

Wednesday's Small became the first player to pick up a caution for a late tackle on Dan Harding, by no means the first time a Town player had been challenged after the ball had gone.

The usually excellent Town pitch was cutting up badly as the half wore on with one or two outrageous bad bounces catching out players of both sides.

Gary Roberts and Matt Richards swapped flanks and soon after the former England U21 international came close to creating an equaliser. Richards took the ball in from the right and teed-up Alan Lee six yards out, but the Irishman somehow managed to squeeze the ball wide of the Wednesday goal.

It was a bad miss, but the Blues were by now well on top and looking likely to score. Gary Roberts shot over from 25 yards out on the left, then John Hills, another player targeted by the Blues during Joe Royle's time in charge, hooked a Lee cross over from under his bar. From the corner, the ball was cleared to Mark Noble who shot over.

Town again came close in the 36th minute. Lee went wide to Roberts on the left, the winger again choosing to cross and finding Matt Richards at the far post, who shot over when he should have scored.

The Blues really ought to have been on terms and felt they were denied a penalty just before the break when Jason De Vos was very obviously shoved inside the area as he went to a head a freekick into the box. Referee Keith Stroud, the latest in a succession of poor officials to take control of the Blues, waved away the appeals.

De Vos and several other players were engaged in conversation with the referee regarding the penalty incident as they left the field at half-time. Town had rarely been at their best but could have been in front had they taken their chances.

The second period started scrappily with Supple saving from Brunt at one end and Macken shooting on the turn into the sidenet at the other.

Alan Lee felt he had been fouled inside the area by Lee Bullen, the defender appearing to push him as the striker went for a ball. Again referee Stroud wasn't interested.

Bullen and Lee were involved in an ongoing battle and the Town striker found himself in the book for what seemed an innocuous clash with the Wednesday player in the 55th minute, a number of Town players complaining at an over-reaction from Bullen, while Crossley demanded that Lee should be sent off for an elbow.

Supple saved Tudgay's overhead kick, the keeper subsequently miskicking his clearance but De Vos getting back to cut out the chance. Soon after, Darren Currie replaced the limping Mark Noble and going to left midfield.

Currie's first contribution was a deep cross which Jason De Vos headed down but which Crossley grabbed at the second attempt.

Lee almost got on to a Roberts cross, the striker colliding with Bullen as he went for the ball and referee Stroud awarding yet another freekick.

Crossley saved Richards's 25-yard freekick with no problems in the 71st minute, then Macken headed a Roberts cross from the left just wide with Lee behind him probably better placed.

Wednesday sealed their victory in the 81st minute when Madjid Bougherra rose in what seemed like yards of space to head home unmarked. Town were one of a number of clubs chasing the Moroccan defender in the summer and his goal illustrated why defensive recruits were, and still are, badly required, the goal yet another the result of poor marking at a set piece.

Richard Naylor replaced Dan Harding and immediately moved up front as the Blues switched to a 3-4-3 formation with Jason De Vos also spending time forward.

The visitors had a lucky escape in the 85th minute when a Roberts cross struck Bullen, hit the post, then Crossley and went wide of the post. The incident just about summed up Town's afternoon.

Currie was booked for a foul on Frank Simek, another needless yellow card born out of frustration.

As time ran out, Crossley tipped Lee's goal-bound header over, then, from the corner, the ball fell to Richards on the edge of the box but his shot went narrowly wide, grazing the sidenetting.

A disappointing display from the Blues, particularly in the second half when they were hardly ever in control of the game. Town failed to keep hold of the ball and created little in the way of chances and handed two poor goals to the Owls, the first after being caught short at the back as Wednesday broke and the second again from thier failure to mark at a corner, as at Burnley last week and all too often over the last couple of seasons.

Town; Supple, Wilnis, Harding (Naylor 83), De Vos, Bruce, Legwinski, Noble (Currie 63), Richards, Roberts, Haynes (Macken 24), Lee. Unused: Drobný, Peters. Att: 21,830.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls