Town eventually ran out 1-0 winners in Luxembourg after making heavy weather of their UEFA Cup qualifying round first leg against part-timers Avenir Beggen. A last gasp Marcus Stewart goal, perhaps the only moment of quality in a dire game, gave the Blues a lead to take into the home leg.

George Burley made a lot of changes to the side which beat Walsall with such ease on Saturday. Matt Richards came in for his debut at left-back while Marcus Stewart and Alun Armstrong were recalled in attack. Richards, at 17, became the youngest player ever to start a European game for Town.

In midfield Tommy Miller and Jermaine Wright, subs on Saturday, started with Jamie Clapham and Darren Bent wide on the left and right respectively. Mark Venus returned to centre-half alongside Thomas Gaardsøe and Andy Marshall was in goal.

The game started pretty much as it was to continue; the home side defending in vast numbers and Town attempting to break them down. Worryingly, in a season where this sort of thing is likely to happen a lot, this was not done at all effectively.

The first half saw just three serious efforts Darren Bent headed over on 15, Thomas Gaardsøe did the same on 26, but a minute later brought a fine save from Beggen keeper Kevin Hartert with another header which the Luxembourger tipped over the bar. By this time Town had switched to 4-3-3 with Darren Bent joining the attack.

Town's failings were only eclipsed by those of referee Alexiev and his linesmen Messrs Petrov and Stoilov. Alexiev looked like a Sunday league referee with innumerable baffling decisions and a total unwillingness to show even the most obvious yellow cards.

Beggen number eight Christophe Calvaruso could have received five yellow cards in the first half for various deliberate handballs and kicking the ball away incidents. In addition, Alexiev refused a to allow treatment when Fabian Wilnis had been rather cynically cut down and missed an obvious penalty on 33.

Alun Armstrong had tried to take the ball past Calvaruso (who else?) and was clearly tripped. Only a few yards away, Alexiev waved play on.

If Alexiev wasn't bad enough his linesman at the Beggen end was consistently perverse with his decisions. If a player was onside he invariably flagged, if off then he failed to see it. Is the qualifying round precisely that for referees as well?

As the first half had been so awful it was hardly a surprise that George Burley made changes at half-time. On came Matt Holland to cup-tie himself, and Jim Magilton, both taking over in the centre of the midfield. Off came Jermaine Wright and Alun Armstrong and Town went back to 4-4-2.

The second half was little better, although the Blues did create a few more clearcut chances. Marcus Stewart missed a golden opportunity on 47 when a long Venus ball fell to him about six yards out. With a goal looking certain Stewart managed to hit keeper Hartert.

Thomas Gaardsøe hit an effort which deflected wide a few minutes later while Darren Bent hit the side netting from a tight angle on the right. Jamie Clapham shot over after Matt Holland had chested down to him just inside the area.

There were calls for penalties at each end, one more dubious than the other. The Beggen number 18 fell rather too dramatically as Mark Venus challenged while at the other end Hartert appeared to dive at Stewart rather than the ball when the striker was through, he Beggen man injuring himself in the process.

Most of the game, though, consisted of poor build-up play, balls lumped too far over the top or passes badly misplaced.

Ulrich Le Pen replaced Jamie Clapham on 67, but seemed to add little to the malaise and Town fans were becoming increasingly frustrated at their side's lack of guile against a team most observers suggested they ought to hammer.

Finally, as fans were contemplating getting back to the City centre and the rather more entertaining pleasures of the street bars, from nowhere Jim Magilton and Marcus Stewart conjured a goal. The Northern Irishman saw Stewart making a run and chipped over an inch perfect pass which Stewart volleyed into the net.

Despite all the possession it was a goal Town hardly deserved and you have to feel sorry for the Beggen players who had defended so stoutly only to have a famous draw denied them at the last.

As for Town, this was a dismal performance with the late goal just about avoiding a massive embarrassment. The biggest concern was that the Blues failed once more to break down a side defending in numbers, as they have now for more years than we care to remember. How many teams will come to Portman Road this season with that approach? If promotion is to be achieved then we must learn to break sides down.

Despite the overall lack of quality in the game, debutant Matt Richards didn't have a bad match, getting forward well and putting in a couple of promising crosses. Other than him the only men to come out with any credit at all were Magilton and Stewart for the goal and Andy Marshall for being impeccable on all five occasions he touched the ball.

Team: Marshall, Wilnis, Richards, Venus, Gaardsøe, Clapham (Le Pen 67), T Miller, Wright (Holland 46), D Bent, Armstrong (Magilton 46), Stewart. Att: 2,971.

Photo: Action Images

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