Once again Town had Matteo Sereni to thank as the Italian's goalkeeping brilliance prevented a comfortable away victory for Helsingborg. On a night when fans had hoped and expected so much Town put on their worst home display yet in a so far largely dismal season.

With Alun Armstrong rested Finidi George returned to the attack, a position he had previously failed to excel in on a number of occasions, while Fabian Wilnis replaced Chris Makin at left-back. Other than that it was the side who drew 0-0 with Everton on Saturday.

The pre-match period saw Lennart Johansson officially open the new Greene King Stand and a display of fireworks which did a pretty good job of upstaging what was to come.

As ever Town started fairly brightly and in the third minute Finidi George hit the first chance of the game just wide on the volley as a defender cleared a freekick from Martijn Reuser.

Two minutes later the Nigerian deflected a Hermann Hreidarsson shot off the bar and over. The crowd were warming to the start, but things weren't going to get much better than that.

Town forced a series of corners and even tried a 'long' short corner where the ball was played to Jim Magilton on the edge of the area. The Northern Irishman hit a cross to John McGreal but his header was pushed behind by Andersson in the Swedish goal.

Helsingborg had their first chance on 16 when Eklund hit a shot which Sereni saved. Reuser had lost the ball on the half-way line and the Swedes had broken in a manner reminscent of Torpedo Moscow's goal at Portman Road a few weeks back.

Three minutes later Brazilian Alvaro Santos hit a shot which Sereno saved. Two minutes later the Town keeper saved again from the same player. A freekick had come in from the left and Santos had flicked a header which Sereni tipped round the post. The defence was looking as fragile as in previous games and Town were lucky the Italian was once again on top form. A number of low crosses flew across the Town box which no defenders latched on to. Fortunately neither did any attacker.

On 31 Sereni took a high ball well as Swedish international Christoffer Andersson ran in on him. A minute later the Town crowd was on its feet as Martijn Reuser was controversially given offside. This wasn't the first strange looking flag from the man running the line in front of the Cobbold Stand.

In the 33rd Jermaine Wright almost found Finidi George wide on the left in space. Wright had picked the ball up from a poor Helsingborg ball but his pass was cut-out with Finidi well-placed.

On 34 Sereni made another one of his by now trademark one-on-one saves. After beating Kevin Campbell several times on Saturday this time the Italian came off best against Rade Prica. The Helsingborg player had been put through by a deflected Hermann Hreidarsson clearance.

A minute later Santos hit a freekick well over after Jermaine Wright had fouled five yards outside the Town penalty box.

On 36 Prica was sent away with only Sereni to beat once more with the Town defence this time caught square on the halfway line. Sereni wasn't required this time as John McGreal got back to put in a solid challenge and dispossess the striker.

The 40th minute almost saw Martijn Reuser play in Finidi George before Stewart played an excellent ball into the path of the Nigerian as he ran in on goal. He tried to slip the ball over the keeper but Andersson had come off his line quickly and saved. Finidi's effort was Town's best of the half.

Half-time saw some fierce debate on the terraces over what changes needed to be made. As in previous games Finidi George was not getting into the game despite having Town's only real shots on goal. He still looks lacking in match fitness although showing his skills on the ball in bursts. Most felt that he might be replaced or at least moved back into his more familiar right wing role after the break. At the other end of things Matteo Sereni's superb goalkeeping display had one fan even suggesting that he be given the Player of the Year award already such has his contribution been so far this season.

In the end the only half-time change saw Mark Venus move to left-back and Hermann Hreidarsson to the left-side of the centre of defence.

Jermaine Wright had the first shot of the half from just outside the area. This failed to test Andersson in goal.

Sereni was quickly back in action as Eklund hit a shot which he had little trouble with.
Town had a lucky escape a minute later when Michael Hansson found himself in space just to the right of the Town goal and with only the keeper to beat. Fortunately for the Blues he put his shot the wrong side of Sereni's right post when a goal looked very much on the cards.

On 50 Mark Venus hit a freekick across the Helsingborg box which John McGreal and Marcus Stewart both just failed to connect with. In fact it looked as though they might have impeded one another as they climbed and dived towards the ball.

in the 52nd minute Sereni yet again saved Town. This time Christoffer Andersson was played in beyond the Town defence but the keeper dived in bravely and prevented a goal. Andersson was also injured in the incident but play carried on for some while with Town in possession. Eventually, with players not knowing whether to play the ball out or not Jermaine Wright played in Finidi on the right of the penalty box. The Nigerian was again thwarted by Sven Andersson in goal. After the shot Finidi was surrounded by angry Swedes cross that Town hadn't stopped the game while Andersson was down in Sereni's box with the Italian waving that play should stop. Andersson went off and was seen hobbling back to the Helsingborg bench later with a bandage on his ankle.

On 54 George Burley brought on Pablo Counago for the uncharacteristically quiet Martijn Reuser. A minute later Sixto Peralta replaced Jim Magilton in midfield. While Reuser's departure was greeted with boos, Peralta's appearance was greeted warmly by the as-usual frustrated crowd.

In the 58th minute Peralta and Stewart were involved in a neat one-two. The ball was cleared but the Argentianian appeared to have instilled new passion into the Town side and made a couple of excellent runs forward from midfield.

Santos hit a shot well over the bar for the Swedes as he escaped the Town defence once more.

On 64 Jermaine Wright had a shot deflected wide as more good work between Peralta and Stewart was poorly cleared in a crowded box.

Peralta was booked for a late challenge on 67, the only card of the night. Three minutes later the Argentinian and Counago played a nice one-two but again the defence cleared.

In the 74th minute Finidi was played in by Counago but the keeper came out to clear and collided with him. Counago's rebound sailed over the bar.

Eklund hit a shot well over in the 85th minute as the Swedes seemed to settle for a draw. Town kept going, but with a lack of quality balls coming in there were few chances.

There was a call for a penalty for handball, but referee Wolfgang Sowa from Austria saw nothing. Jamie Clapham replaced Wilnis with five minutes left and made it to the byline twice, the first time Town had done this all evening. But despite this he failed to get a cross in on either occasion, which just about summed the evening up.

Not a great way for the nation to see us on TV and not the performance or result we needed. Town needed a heartening victory, not only to take to Sweden for the second leg, but to get the confidence back and to get the spirits back to the levels enjoyed last season. Sadly we got perhaps the worst performance since promotion and by the end the side was left lacking any shape and merely banging balls up to Stewart and Counago up front.

Town are lucky to be in the position of having no away goal to come back from in Sweden and have Matteo Sereni to thank for that. His performance, and latterly the promising role played by Sixto Peralta, were perhaps the only elements to take heart from on a night when fans were left debating whether this or Everton, or a number of other performances, were the worst of the season so far.

Photo: Action Images

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