First-half goals from Craig Bryson, Tom Ince and former Blue Darren Bent saw Derby to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Town in front of Portman Road’s lowest league crowd for more than 17 years. Bryson and Ince netted on nine and 12 to set the Rams on their way and Bent added the third just before the break and the Blues never looked like getting back into the game.

Skipper Luke Chambers, who is staying with Town despite interest from his former club Nottingham Forest, started for the Blues with manager Mick McCarthy making three changes from the team which drew 1-1 at Preston on Saturday.

Paul Digby, Jordan Spence and Kevin Bru came into the side for Josh Emmanuel and Grant Ward, who dropped to the bench, and Toumani Diagouraga, who missed out.

The Blues started in a 3-5-2 system with Chambers in the centre of the defence between Christophe Berra and Paul Digby. Jordan Spence and Jonas Knudsen were the wing-backs.

In central midfield Cole Skuse was partnered by Kevin Bru with Tom Lawrence ahead of them and Freddie Sears and Brett Pitman up front.

Derby were without Blues nemesis David Nugent (knee), midfielder Will Hughes (hamstring) and winger Jonny Russell (knee). Ex-Blues striker Bent started.

After a scruffy start, Derby won a series of corners which eventually led to their opening goal in the ninth minute.

Chambers headed a flag-kick from the right clear, the ball was played back into the right of the box to Ince, who took it down and laid it to Bryson on the edge of the box, from where he struck a low shot past Bartosz Bialkowski to his right.

Within three minutes it was 2-0. Ince brought the ball in from the right unchallenged and smashed a left-footed shot across Bialkowski and into the net, a goal reminiscent of Lawrence’s at Preston on Saturday but from the other flank.

Town switched to a four-man backline as they looked to get back into the game with Digby moving into five-man midfield with Lawrence on the left and Sears the right and Pitman up front on his own.

The Blues threatened for the first time in the 21st minute when Lawrence tricked his way past a couple of defenders on the edge of the box then hit a shot which was too close to Derby keeper Scott Carson.

Town toiled as they sought to get back in the game but Derby created the next opportunity, Abdoul Camara cut the ball back to Ince, whose low shot was too close to Bialkowski.

The Blues were making little headway with Derby happy to sit back and let Town play the ball around unthreateningly at the back. With nine minutes of the half remaining McCarthy switched Digby for David McGoldrick.

On 41 Lawrence made a run towards goal towards the right and hit a shot which was blocked. The loose ball fell to Bru, but his low cross into the area was cut out.

Two minutes later, Bru sent Sears away on the right and the ex-West Ham man won the first of three corners. From the third, Chambers headed into the ground and Carson pawed the ball away from Berra at the far post.

Moments later, Lawrence, Town’s only first-half danger man, turned his ankle as he cut inside a defender and required treatment.

In injury time Ince sent a dangerous ball across the Blues six-yard box, which Chambers turned behind.

And in the aftermath of the resultant corner, the Rams made it 3-0. The ball was cleared to Bryson just outside the area from where he struck a powerful shot which Bialkowski superbly tipped onto the bar.

However, the ball was sent back in from the right and an unmarked Bent nodded into the net from close range with several Town players claiming that the former England striker - who didn’t celebrate against his old club - had fouled Knudsen as the ball came over but to no avail.

Soon after referee Andrew Madley’s whistle ended the half and started a chorus of boos which followed manager McCarthy off the pitch and down the tunnel.

Derby had hardly been made to work for their three goals, the two early strikes having set the half up for them perfectly.

Having got comfortably in front the Rams were happy to sit back and let Town try to find a way through them, which the Blues were wholly incapable of managing with only Lawrence showing any threat at all.

The third goal was just as poor as the other two from a Town perspective and made the already very difficult task of getting back into the game all but impossible.

Lawrence was replaced by Ward at the start of the second half, the Wales international having succumbed to the injury he suffered at the end of the first period.

The Blues were first to threaten after the restart, Sears hitting a 47th minute shot from the left of the box which deflected over. Two minutes later, Ince hit a low effort through to Bialkowski from the edge of the box.

On 50 Knudsen crossed from the left and found McGoldrick at the far post but the Irish international’s strike was hit straight at a defender.

Derby should have gone four in front in the 53rd minute when Bent cut the ball back to Ince who shot against the outside of Bialkowski’s right post from eight yards with the goal gaping following a swift counter-attack.

The Rams continued to look the more likely scorers with Bialkowski saving well from Bent as the game moved towards the hour mark.

After Ward had sent over a dangerous low ball from the right which Carson cleared with his boot, Kieffer Moore replaced Pitman in the Town attack.

The 6ft 6in striker immediately got involved, hurling himself towards a Bru cross from the right but a defender got to the ball ahead of him. Soon after, Ince curled a freekick over at the other end, then ex-Blue Bent was applauded off by his old fans as he was replaced by Matej Vydra.

Derby continued to look the more likely next scorers, Bialkowski saving from Bryson on 69, then making an even more impressive stop from Jacob Butterfield, the Pole somehow clawing the ball away from his line after the former Barnsley man had hit a low shot to his right having been found on the left of the box by Ince’s clever pass.

On 75 Bru won a freekick 25 yards out which McGoldrick got over the wall but too close to Carson.

Town kept at it and as the game moved into its final five minutes Ward claimed a penalty after he looked to have been caught as he took the ball inside a defender on the edge of the area after good work from McGoldrick. Referee Madley was again unmoved.

Moments later, Moore saw a shot deflect wide, then from the corner the big striker headed back across the area but Marcus Olsson cleared.

Boos greeted the final whistle but many of the 14,719, Town’s lowest home league attendance since December 1999 when 14,712 watched the 3-1 defeat of nine-man West Brom, had already made their way home after another thoroughly disappointing Portman Road display by the Blues.

The game was all but over after the two early Derby goals with the third sealing it before half-time.

After the break the Blues toil with little success and but for some poor finishing and another impressive display from Bialkowski in goal the Rams would have increased their margin of victory.

The result sees Town drop to 17th but still 10 points off the relegation zone but with Wigan and Blackburn in 22nd and 23rd having two games in hand over the Blues.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Digby (McGoldrick 36), Chambers (c), Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Bru, Lawrence (Ward 46), Sears, Pitman (Moore 66). Unused: Gerken, Douglas, Dozzell, Emmanuel.

Derby: Carson, Baird (Christie 80), Keogh (c), Pearce, Olsson, Johnson, Bryson, Butterfield, Ince, Camara (Anya 56), Bent (Vydra 69). Unused: Mitchell, Shackell, de Sart, Blackman. Referee: Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire). Att: 14,719 (Derby: 464).

Photo: Action Images

norfolkbluey added 15:20 - Feb 1 It is hard living in Norfolk at the moment. ITFC going nowhere but forward one pace and then back again in the doldrums. Will my anger help ...I don't think so. Its just inevitable sadness watching my lifelong club going nowhere. SUCH UTTER BOREDOM. We are now a club with no stars and nothing left to hope for but survival.
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DidHisHelmetTurnBlue added 15:25 - Feb 1 https://goo.gl/photos/mw4X67rp4Q7gjA349
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ChrisFelix added 15:30 - Feb 1 Not for the first time in the last 2 years macarthy starts with the wrong team. Remember Brighton last season. He is able to change it at round as shown by early substitutions but its often too late
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barrystedmunds added 15:54 - Feb 1 You have to laugh! Watch match highlights, Town v Derby, it says on the home page. What highlights will that be then, as a Town fan?
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LWNR2013 added 16:00 - Feb 1 We allowed Darby to look like Barcelona. And as others have said was sad to watch. If we get relegated this season I fear the spiral downwards will continue and could well be non league in Aug 2019. If we don't go down this season .... All down to the owner imo no one else. Bit of a bu**er really.
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LWNR2013 added 16:04 - Feb 1 BTW I was there last night and will be Saturday but wont be spending anything in the ground. They have taken enough and not just money.
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LWNR2013 added 16:06 - Feb 1 Stop buying pies drinks programmes. Perhaps someone will notice. Perhaps not.
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TimmyH added 16:16 - Feb 1 Just seen the 'highlights' on the player, even though Derby were playing with a fair bit of movement in their attacking you could clearly see in those attacks too many Town players ball watching and not picking up players, this use to be one of McCarthy's forte's in defensive organisation - he can't even do that now and maybe a case of some of the defensive lads past their best or need to be dropped i.e. Knudsen/Berra. Looks like a team shot on confidence in part thanks to MM, a poor transfer window won't help things either, hoping the introduction of Taylor at the back and the return of Smith might help things but I might very well be clutching at straws.

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1RWR added 16:39 - Feb 1 No matter how many times you look at those 'highlights' it doesn't get any better, the night [& I was there] was shocking, no other word for it. Bereft of ideas I am sadly.
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warktheline added 16:54 - Feb 1 @Timmy, really don't think what team McCarthy plays will make much difference! He's had his time, really should step down, although he won't! Money, give it to him, then he'll gladly walk. What's even more disturbing,is the fact our owner is unbelievably clueless. The bloody attendance tells you all you need to know! Extremely worry times pal! Personally I'd recruit Lincoln's Cowley, give him a budget and leave him to it! The lad lives and breathes football. He knows the lower leagues inside out in regards to players, let's face it, we aren't ever going to buy big,thus let's concentrate on these leagues and youth!

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grubbyoik added 16:59 - Feb 1 To be a successful football club you need leaders from the top of the club to the bottom.. From the owner who leads from the front and outlines his vision of how the club will be run.. the type of football he wants his club to play and then he hires a manager to put in place his vision. The manager then structures the club from u8 up to 1st team on how they will play and the type of player needed to achieve this. He hires the relevant staff and adds the relevant players to complement style of football.. The style of football should not change if the owner chooses a different manager as he should find a manager to complement this system. That was the Ipswich way till Evans took charge.. He does not have a vision on how this club should be run.. and allows managers cart blanc on running the club how they see fit and the style of football they choose... hence the reason Keane failed, Jewel failed and now Mcarthy is failing. I would put Burley in tempry charge till the end of the season. He will get us out of this rut.. and improve the football and bring the crowds back.. In the meantime somebody needs to sit down with Evans and explain to him how to structure this once great club. We are Ipswich.. we used to play football..

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happybeingblue added 17:25 - Feb 1 mick needs to go in the summer as the tide has turned and i feel theres no way back, no one wants to go and watch this awful rubbish anymore, and why doesnt evans put the club up for sale as he clearly has no real desire to go forward. woeful is the only word to describe it, time to take those stupid stars off the shirt as well, only world cup winners should grace those, it was a sales gimmick from about 10 yrs ago ,everything is just plain wrong at present with itfc

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grumpyoldman added 17:48 - Feb 1 The stars should stay it is a reminder of how far this club has fallen
2

runningout added 18:07 - Feb 1 What?
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Delilah77 added 18:59 - Feb 1 Perhaps they should use all these so called millions they had to use in the window to pay Him off so at least we may have a chance of survival.
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Bergholtblue added 19:13 - Feb 1 On this day in the year 2000 we bought Marcus Stewart for £2.5 million. Now look at us!!
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PSGBlue added 19:15 - Feb 1 10 points clear of relegation, but we looked like a bottom three team. Totally embarrassing performance, the team were beaten at 1-0! I put more effort in driving back to Sleaford after the game, getting to bed at one. Following the Lincoln disaster, Huddersfield and last night, Mick must resign for the good of the club. Relegation will be a real possibility in five games time. Song for Saturday "Sacked in the morning, we want you sacked in the morning..."

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brittaniaman added 19:31 - Feb 1 All I can add to these Articles above is THANK GOODNESS NUGENT WAS NOT PLAYING !!!!!
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blueboy1981 added 20:14 - Feb 1 I reckon Evans only plan and interest is to run the Club into oblivion, buy the Ground off Suffolk Council, and develop the site. Many true words spoken in jest .......... !!! Who Knows .... ???
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blueboy1981 added 20:36 - Feb 1 ...... where is there any indication of any other remote interest .... ?? - even after last nights most recent debacle.
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blueboy1981 added 20:36 - Feb 1 ...... where is there any indication of any other remote interest .... ?? - even after last nights most recent debacle.
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Swn98 added 20:52 - Feb 1 Well blueboy1981, we don't very often agree I said the same thing a couple of weeks ago on the forum definitely not beyond the realms of possibility.
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TimmyH added 20:56 - Feb 1 Yeah agree...warktheline, someone young and ambitious McCarthy's time has come and gone, sadly the owner doesn't see it that way (probably not wanting to pay McCarthy off due to what he's done for the club in the past both on and off the pitch i.e. £££ for what MM has bought and thenold off for profit). At this level how many managers have started the first season or so reasonably well then to see a downturn in results and then to start improving once more?...I should think very few, (if anyone can name such an an instance I'll stand corrected) - I can't see MM doing this, he's totally lost on ideas, and I think the January transfer window proves this with the random faces he's got in maybe other than Taylor.

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heathen66 added 21:59 - Feb 1 Well I have just come out of a dark room where I have been hiding since getting home from the game last night. Forced myself to watch the 'highlights' but as barrystedmunds suggests I am unsure that as a town fan you would call these highlights. I really am unsure where to start apart from all goals were due to us ball watching and not picking up any movement Berra, Knudsen and Skuse being the prime candidates, all in the side for their defensive qualities...apparently !!! The only players that showed any fight for the game were Bialkowski, Lawrence and Bru. Ward did ok in patches and Moore looks as though he has something to offer. However Bru will be dropped for Diagouraga and Spence will be dropped for Taylor. Ward may keep his place if Lawrence is not fit, apart from that all of the senior players will start on Saturday. The transfer window has brought us 7 squad players and no one to challenge the starting 11 with the possible exception of Diagouraga (every other week) and Taylor. Now that is a lot of money in wages that could have been saved / invested !!!

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Cloddyseedbed added 22:09 - Feb 1 Just watched the highlights (horror show) confirmed what I felt last night and have for months, left back, we haven't got one! AWOL.
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