The size of the task facing whoever takes over at Town was made all too evident as Sheffield Wednesday left Portman Road having run out 3-0 winners. The Owls, previously without a win in 10 games, went in front in the first minute through Ross Barkley, the on-loan Everton man adding the second just before the hour mark, before Michail Antonio added the third late on.

Town caretaker-boss Chris Hutchings made three changes for his first and possibly only game in charge of the Blues. Josh Carson, Luke Hyam and Daryl Murphy returned with Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Nigel Reo-Coker and Andy Drury dropping to the bench.

Despite the change of personnel, Hutchings employed the usual 4-2-3-1 formation with Murphy wide on the left. Carson on the right and Martin behind lone strike DJ Campbell.

Town were behind within a minute of the start. The Blues failed to clear a throw from the right, Antonio’s cross was poorly cleared by Hyam, Lewis Buxton hit a low shot which was blocked by Hyam, the ball deflecting out to Barkley just outside the area from where he hit a low shot through a crowd of players and past Stephen Henderson.

The Blues looked all over the place in the early stages and Antonio should have put his side 2-0 in front in the fourth minute when sent away after an error by skipper Carlos Edwards, but shot weakly and Henderson saved.

Town’s first chance came in the 10th minute, Martin cutting the ball back to the on-rushing Hyam who scuffed well wide from the edge of the area.

Wednesday went close again on 14 when referee Roger East prevented Hyam from receiving a pass, which allowed Barkley to break. The 18-year-old midfielder found Antonio, who cut in and hit a shot across goal.

Two minutes later, Danny Higginbotham was forced to clear off the line after Henderson had only succeeded in finding Antonio out on the left with his punch. The ball was looped back in to Anthony Gardner, who headed towards the keeper-less net, only for Higginbotham to intervene.

Town gradually started to settle after their very jittery start. On 24 Richie Wellens laid the ball off to Martin on the edge of the area after good work from Edwards, but the midfielder’s shot was blocked by Gardner.

A minute later, Jose Semedo was booked for a foul on Martin just outside the area on the right. Cresswell curled the freekick just over the bar with the Blues improving. Moments later, the left-back went somewhat less close with another set piece from a similar position after Carson had been blocked by Daniel Jones.

Wednesday weren’t far from a second on the half hour, an unmarked Chris O’Grady heading Jones’s cross from the left well over when he should have done better.

Higginbotham shot wide after a freekick just outside the box on the right was laid off to him by Cresswell in the 36th minute, then on 41 Antonio shot wide for the Owls.

As what had been a generally scrappy half drew towards a close, Higginbotham headed wide, then Carson cut in from the right but failed to significantly test Chris Kirkland in the Owls goal.

The visitors deserved their lead at the break with Town still to really threaten, while Henderson had been the busier of the two keepers.

After the nightmare start when the Blues were made to pay for failing to clear their lines, they took a while to get into the game and could have been further behind in the early stages. As the half wore on they began to get more of a grip on the match but without ever looking like getting on terms.

Caretaker-boss Hutchings and coach Mark Kennedy continued a loud dialogue with their players throughout from the technical area.

Goalscorer Barkley hit the second half’s first shot just wide in the 51st minute, then at the other end Campbell scuffed a weak effort on the turn to Kirkland.

A minute before the hour mark Barkley made it 2-0 to the visitors. Antonio headed a ball forward down on the edge of the area and the England U21 international took a touch before hitting a powerful half-volley beyond Henderson and into the net, sending the 1,410 travelling fans wild.

Michael Chopra replaced the underwhelming Daryl Murphy on 61 as the Blues went to 4-4-2, before Antonio hit a low shot which Henderson claimed comfortably.

Jay Bothroyd was booked for pulling back Chopra, then a couple of minutes later Martin joined him in the book for a foul on Jones.

Town were looking very much a bottom-of-the-table confidence-bereft side but on 70 Campbell almost found Wellens as he broke into the box but a defender’s toe intervened.

The Blues’ misery was made complete in the 81st minute when Wednesday made it 3-0. Antonio was played in on goal by O’Grady, took the ball round Henderson and tapped into the empty net. The goal signalled chants of ‘What a load of rubbish’ and ‘Clegg out’ from the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

Antonio had a chance to make it 4-0 soon afterwards after a strong run by Bothroyd but the former Reading man curled the ball wide. Soon after, Bilel Mohsni took over from the disappointing Campbell.

It had been a very comfortable second half from Wednesday’s perspective, already-well-beaten Town allowing them to stroke the ball unchallenged with the Blues midfield outclassed and out-passed by their Owls counterparts.

Subs Chopra and Mohsni both shot high and wide before Luke Chambers picked up a yellow card for a foul on Bothroyd.

Referee East brought the most lacklustre of Town performances to a close, triggering the next round of boos and shouts of ‘Clegg out’.

The game after Roy Keane’s exit saw the Blues lose 7-0 at Chelsea in the FA Cup and this display was no less poor, certainly the worst of the season so far.

The early goal was the worst thing which could have happened to a side lacking in confidence and but for some poor Wednesday finishing, the scoreline could well have been worse before the break with the game going on around the inexperienced and unfit-looking midfield.

Once the excellent Barkley’s second goal had gone in Wednesday largely played keep-ball before Antonio added the third.

Chris Hutchings almost certainly had no chance of taking over long-term before today’s performance, but the result and the display will have extinguished any hopes he might have had.

Town: Henderson, Edwards, Chambers, Higginbotham, Cresswell, Carson (Emmanuel-Thomas 78), Wellens, Hyam, Martin, Murphy (Chopra 60), Campbell (Mohnsi 84). Unused: Loach, Smith, Drury, Reo-Coker.

Sheffield Wednesday: Kirkland, Jones, Buxton, Gardner, Semedo, Antonio, O’Grady, Corry (Johnson 73), Bothroyd, Barkley, Llera. Unused: Davies, Taylor, Madine, Mattock, Rodri, Pecnik. Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire). Att: 17,738 (Wednesday: 1,410).

Photo: Action Images

ip5w1ch added 08:09 - Oct 28 Is --Jonox123 added 17:33 - Oct 27 -- Jewell in disguise??
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Steelmonkey added 12:35 - Oct 28 For all those that think relegation would be the finest thing to happen, then I suggest you look down a league and see how Coventry are doing. If we are relegated or not there's no chance of a miracle happening and that we suddenly start playing like promotion candidates. With the squad we have they would struggle to hold their own in Division One. Tuesday night up untill derby equalised, we played the better football. Second half most of the team lost it and you could see the winner coming from Derby a mile off, it was just a matter of time. Whether it's a case of some of the players not wanting the then manager inplace, or perhaps they are just a bunch of untalented misfits, I really don't know. If it's the former, then tear there contrcts up and get rid, as they will always be a disruptive influence that cannot be allowed to survive, because it will kill this club. If it's the latter then do the same, if they are not good enough. These are questions the new manager has to ask himself once he has taken a good look at them. That's why it is imperative that we get a manager who is in touch with what is happening in this league , one that knows who the trouble making players are. To my mind this is why Mr Curbishly should be taken out of the equation, purely as he has been out of the game for so long - just as Jewell was prior to his appointment.

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foot_kick_ball_goal added 14:25 - Oct 28 BartparrChambersberraknudsenskusefraserAMNMcGoldrickSearsMurphy Substitutes: bru   tabb   pitman   toure   smith   alabi   gerken    Formation: 4-1-2-1-2 That whould be so so so much better than the rubbish 1 up front lark we keep putting on
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scottyB added 14:21 - Oct 29 we weren't great today, and i really think that Hutchings should have left along with Jewell, but i do feel the need to point out that we were beaten by an outstanding performance by Barkley who is possibly £nglands brightest prospects, there was very little we could do to stop his half volley, and we were unfortunate for the ball to land to him the way it did for the opener. he even got the assist. so lets not be harsh, Thats not what the club needs right now, lets just get behind the lads!

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R_LAMB3 added 19:26 - Oct 29 The bookmakers are not normally far out they make Mick McCarthy 4/9ON for the town job so pack your bags Mr Hutchings and take the rest of your mates with you and let big mick come in and sort out this mess and hopefully bring holland and Kevin Bond in to help him
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