Cedric Kipre’s header has given the Blues a 1-0 half-time lead over bottom-of-the-table Sheffield Wednesday at Portman Road.

Town made two changes from the team which lost 3-1 at Leicester City last weekend with Sindre Walle Egeli, who missed the Foxes game due to illness, and Jens Cajuste coming into the side for Jack Clarke and Jack Taylor, who dropped to the bench. Sammie Szmodics was absent from the 20-man squad.

The Owls made one change from the team which lost 3-0 at home to Derby County last week with Liam Palmer coming in for Sean Fusire, who is at the Africa Cup of Nations along with Yan Valery. Former Town loan defender Dominic Iorfa started.

Town were first to threaten in the fifth minute, Jaden Philogene cutting back and crossing right-footed from the left and former Wednesday striker George Hirst, whose father David is an Owls legend, headed just over.

Soon after, the Scotland international took to the turf evidently having tweaked something and after treatment was replaced with Ivan Azon in the 10th minute but with the frontman having looked as if he was keen to continue.

With Town failing to impose themselves on the game, Wednesday came more into it and on the quarter-hour should have gone in front. Bailey Cadamarteri was given a free header from a corner on the left but planted his header well wide.

From the restart, the Blues played themselves into trouble, skipper Dara O’Shea taking too heavy a touch, Jamal Lowe robbing him and taking it into the left of the box. Christian Walton was quickly off his line to close the angle and the Jamaica international looped it over the keeper only for Kipre to nod off the line.

At the other end on 22, Azon headed wide under pressure from a Marcelino Nunez free-kick wide on the right after Darnell Furlong had been fouled by Charlie McNeill.

Two minutes later, Walton rolled the ball out to Leif Davis on the left just outside the area but the ball was stolen by Palmer, who sought to chip the keeper but lofted it over the bar.

It had been a slow and sloppy start from the Blues but in the 28th minute they put together a move which ought to have led to the opening goal.

Nunez played a clever pass into the right of the area for Cajuste, whose shot from an angle was saved by home keeper Pierce Charles. The ball looped into the air and Nunez headed the rebound wide.

Town began to get up a head of steam and went close again in the 32nd minute. Cajuste powered forward with the ball and fed Azon to his right. The Spaniard’s shot from the edge of the area deflected to Philogene on the left of the box, the ball looping up and the former England U21 international hit an overhead kick which looked to be going in but struck the inside of the post and ricocheted across goal.

Walle Egeli tried to cross back in and the ball was turned behind for a corner from which the Blues went in front.

Davis whipped the ball over and while Cajuste was wrestling with a defender on the line, Kipre headed his second goal of the season in off the underside of the bar.

Despite having gone in front, the Blues continued to huff and puff with no further serious threat before the whistle.

The lead was perhaps the only positive out of a disjointed and underwhelming first half. The Blues had come close early on through Hirst before the striker made way due to his injury.

Wednesday then had two very decent opportunities of their own with Town rarely causing much danger until Philogene hit the post and then Kipre headed the goal.

The Blues should certainly improve after the break and a second goal will almost certainly be enough to confirm a third home win on the bounce and third place in the division going into Christmas.

Town: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea (c), Kipre, Davis, Matusiwa, Cajuste, Walle Egeli, Nunez, Philogene, Hirst (Azon 10). Subs: Palmer, Johnson, Young, Greaves, Taylor, McAteer, J Clarke, Akpom.

Sheffield Wednesday: Charles, Palmer, Iorfa, Cooper, M Lowe, Amass, Ingelsson, Bannan (c), J Lowe, McNeill, Cadamarteri. Subs: Horvarth, Otegbayo, Emery, Johnson, Alao, Thornton, Shipston, Ugbo, Brown. Referee: David Webb (Lancashire).

Photo: Matchday Images