Town ended their 2005/06 Portman Road campaign with a deserved 2-0 victory over Derby County. Skipper Jim Magilton said his goodbyes as second half goals from Nicky Forster and Darren Currie gave the Blues their first win in nine matches.

Magilton, playing his final game for Town at Portman Road, was given a warm reception as the teams were read out prior to kick-off. The Northern Irishman returned to the midfield alongside Owen Garvan, while Danny Haynes partnered Nicky Forster up front.

The game followed a minute's silence for ex-Town boss John Lyall who died earlier in the week. The North Stand paid their own tribute, singing “Johnny Lyall's blue and white army” periodically throughout the half.

After Nicky Forster had seen an early shot blocked, there was a scare for the Blues when Michael McIndoe crossed from the left and Shane Supple failed to gather cleanly. Fortunately, as the ball ran across the six-yard box, Owen Garvan cleared.

Chances were rare in the opening 15 minutes which was played almost entirely inside the Derby half of the field. On 18 Darren Currie took a dip but sent the ball over the bar.

A minute later, Derby's Giles Barnes was close to getting his head on McIndoe's cross from the left. But it was still mainly Town but they failed to make much of a series of corners.

Shane Supple was off his line quickly in the 27th minute to challenge Morten Bisgaard after the Dane was threaded through one-on-one by Inigo Idiakez. The Irish youngster was strong in the tackle and the danger was averted.

On 28 Jim Magilton, whose name had been sung at various points during the half, hit a shot wide from a position on the left of the penalty area. Supple saved from Bisgaard, then Idiakez was yellow-carded for a foul on Forster on halfway.

Newly-crowned Town Player of the Year Fabian Wilnis blocked a shot from Barnes, prior to Derby's Tommy Smith missing a good opportunity as the Town defence was caught cold and he was allowed to run in from the right. With McIndoe unmarked six yards out, Smith chose to shoot and sent the ball wide of Supple's right post.

The Rams had much more of the game in the final 15 minutes of the half, Barnes heading a Smith cross over in the 33rd minute. Moments later, Idiakez hit a sidefoot volley over the bar.

Smith missed a golden opportunity to put his side in front in the 41st minute, a number of Town defenders contriving to lose possession in a dangerous area and the former Watford man played in one-on-one with Supple. The Derby striker beat the advancing keeper but sent the ball the wrong side of the post. Soon after, Fabian Wilnis limped off, Sito taking over at right-back.

Nicky Forster's clever chip was saved by Derby keeper Lee Camp in the 42nd minute, before Idiakez curled in one of his trademark freekicks but just too high.

Despite the greater share of the possession the Blues were lucky to go in on terms at the break, Smith having missed two excellent opportunities. Town had once again failed to create too many opportunities of note.

Jim Magilton failed to return after the break, Jaime Peters taking over on the right of midfield. Magilton had been offered the chance to take his leave five minutes into the second half but decided to let Peters have the full 45.

The skipper's Town appearance total now stands at 314, coincidentally exactly the same number made by Matt Holland in his time at Portman Road. Holland played his final game against Derby, something else Magilton will repeat if he fails to play a role in next season's final game at Plymouth next Sunday.

Within two minutes of the restart Town were in front. Jay McEveley, playing the last home game of his loan spell, Darren Currie and Owen Garvan exchanged passes on the left, the Irishman played a ball along the 18-yard to Nicky Forster who took one touch before stabbing a quick-fire effort into the top right-hand corner of Lee Camp's net, taking the ex-Reading man to the top of the Town scoring charts with six.

On 48 Jay McEveley, putting in one of the best displays of his spell with Town, crossed from the left and Camp saved Danny Haynes's header. The striker injured his head in the incident and required treatment before carrying on.

Nicky Forster felt he should have been awarded a penalty in the 51st minute when Miles Addison appeared to push him as the pair went for a freekick played into the box, but referee Lee Probert saw no offence. A minute later, Haynes, still feeling the effects of his earlier collision, was replaced by Jimmy Juan.

Forster headed a Richards cross wide, then at the other end Bisgaard shot across the face of goal on Derby's first foray forward since the break.

Town doubled their lead in the 66th minute when the ball was cleared to Darren Currie 25 yards out, the midfielder flicking the ball up and hitting a volley into the net past keeper Camp who really should have done far better.

The impressive and pacy Peters crossed for Forster in the 70th minute but the on-fire striker headed straight at Camp. Portman Road was by now in party mood with a Mexican Wave circuiting the stands and songs for ex-Town stars coming from the North Stand, Gus Uhlenbeek even getting name check.

Town continued to dominate, looking much more like the side which showed so much promise in the weeks after Christmas. Forster twice went close to another goal as the game moved into its final quarter, heading a Currie cross over and then chasing a long Supple kick but shooting wide.

Idiakez hit a freekick into a Town wall, before Forster had the ball in the net again but Currie, who had played the ball across the six-yard box to the frontman, had been offside when Sito's shot had deflected to him. In injury time Forster hit a final effort wide on the turn.

After the final whistle the Town players returned to pay tribute to Jim Magilton along with the crowd, the 36-year-old taking the cheers of Portman Road for the final time — at least until he returns as part of the Boys of 2000 in Richard Naylor's testimonial in September — on a lap of honour.

A much better performance from the Blues after the break, having given Derby ample chance to get themselves in front in the first half with Shane Supple once again in good form.

Nicky Forster will be disappointed that the season is so close to an end given his good form of late and had the chances to add to his season's total. Currie's strike was a clever piece of skill but owed much to some under par goalkeeping from Camp.

Sub Jaime Peters, often a forgotten man this season, showed his worth down the right, perhaps hinting of displays to come next year, while Matt Richards was impressive in the centre of midfield.

Town: Supple, Wilnis (Sito 41), McEveley, De Vos, Naylor, Magilton (Peters 46), Garvan, Richards, Currie, Haynes (Juan 52). Unused: Price, Skard. Att: 24,067.

Photo: Action Images

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