Town boss Joe Royle said he was sick of bemoaning defensive errors week after week in the wake of his side's 2-2 draw at Derby County.

Royle says the Blues have little trouble scoring but are far less impressive at the other end of the field: "We can score goals from nowhere. But we haven't got a clean sheet in us, and I'm sick of having to say that.

"We need to work defensively; we've somehow got to find a back four who can keep a clean sheet for us.

"But we don't lack spirit. We were short of bodies today and at the moment we're playing systems to suit fit players.

"Darren Bent's not played since the end of September before today, and I was going to bring him off just before he scored because he looked exhausted."

"I thought 2-2 was fair enough in the end - but the game was an identikit picture of us.

"We were comfortable in the first half. But Fabian Wilnis, who was otherwise exceptional, gave away a foul for their first goal - and then big Georges Santos had a Condor moment when Danny Dichio ran through.

"In the first half we never really threatened them, despite playing three up. But in the second we got after the game, and I thought we had chances to win it.

"Shefki Kuqi had a couple of good opportunities, admittedly self-made - and I feel we've missed a real chance to get back into the top six."

Derby boss George Burley said his old side were a one of the better teams the Rams have come up against this season: "We were playing a quality side in Ipswich - and before the game we might have been saying a point would not be a bad result.

"But after the way we started in the first half, we're disappointed to have lost two points.

"We said at half-time we had to keep passing the ball. But we stopped doing that, and that allowed Ipswich to take control.

"At 2-0 up we tightened up, and that's where we lost it.

"But once it went 2-2 we picked up again and in the last 15 minutes we had two or three chances where we could have won it."

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