Two teams, one boat. Both Ipswich and City had records of played three, lost three going into this game, knowing that the played four, lost four boat wasn’t big enough for both of them. Luck had to change for at least one of these sides at Portman Road and in the end they both boarded the spacious vessel named played four, drawn one, lost three. The point moved both sides up two places in the table, meaning the Tigers were no longer anchored in the relegation zone.

T’was a sun soaked day in Suffolk, and following a minutes silence for a former Ipswich director and a huddle by the home side (how passé, how very 2004) it was our black and amber clad heroes who kicked off the game. They lined up thus… Myhill; Dawson (Capt.), Turner, Collins, Ricketts; Barmby, Marney, Livermore, France; Fagan and Parkin.

The Tigers started the brighter of the two sides, the Beast and Fagan exchanged passes before the latter stretched play by giving the ball to France on the right touchline, his cross found Barmby but as he controlled the ball under pressure it became trapped underfoot and he couldn’t get a shot in.

The home side’s first chance came when Turner controlled a punted Ipswich clearance, he was a little too casual and instead of getting rid he tried to turn with the ball and was dispossessed, attempting to atone for his error Turner slid in and glided past the man who put in a cross that was wastefully headed over by a 50p headed forward.

At the other end Fagan was relishing Parkinson’s order for City to press high up the pitch and he was flitting from wing to wing in search of the ball and waspishly harassing defenders into slicing the ball out for City throws. He even tried a few amusing stepovers, looking like Ronaldo in slow motion. Marney intercepted a goal kick and bombed forward, beating one man but just putting the ball too far in front of himself and it was desperately hacked away by a blueshirted defender.

Cheered by this extended spell of City pressure, the 800 or so travelling Tiger Nationals requested and got a wave from Parky and made a fair bit of noise in contrast to the locals who were extending the minute’s silence well into the first half. Portman Road was the first ground in the country to go all seater and the reduction in crowd noise that comes with the change of supporter demographic appears to have taken hold here more than at most grounds.

The ‘Tractor Boys’ fans really are a quiet bunch, when Ipswich tamely lost to City 2-0 at the KC last season the travelling fans just looked on in silence and today those in the home stands watched in similar soundlessness as the former UEFA Cup winners played second fiddle to City on their own turf.

This wasn’t a game to set the pulse racing though, unlike last year’s high octane encounter here this had the feel of a pre-season friendly. Neither side was prepared to risk another defeat and as a consequence there wasn’t much enterprising spirit on display.

Ipswich couldn’t establish any rhythm thanks to David Livermore, who sitting between the defence and the rest of midfield was doing an effective job breaking things up, he was like a blonde floppy haired Owen Hargreaves. Barnsley took great glee in flooding the zone between our defence and midfield in the second half against them but Ipswich were prevented from doing that by the ex-Millwall man. Turner and Ricketts are forming an understanding of each other and were working well in tandem today. When Ipswich did break it was coming not on their side but on our left, Barmby wasn’t tracking back leaving Dawson exposed at times but he got on with the job in his usual efficient, unspectacular manner.

A Livermore error gifted Ipswich a good chance however, his backwards pass fell short and set Nicky Forster on a run down our left flank, he pulled the ball back but Peters blazed over. At the other end Marney was fouled and elected to take the free kick himself but it caused the Ipswich netman no trouble.

City had a glorious chance to take the lead when France, looking far more comfortable back on the right wing, centred for Barmby who though stretching, really should have put his shot on target, instead it went over the bar. Still, this was promising stuff. Craig Fagan tried a chipped shot from some 40 yards out, match report convention demands a shot of this type be labelled ‘audacious’.

City broke forward again, the Beast had a feeble shot at goal but got a second bite of the cherry and his follow up across the keeper troubled Lewis Price enough for him to concede a corner. Ipswich had a few attempts on goal just before the break, Ricketts failed to mark his man tightly enough and a shot was blazed over before Forster too put a shot above the crossbar after stepping over Collins sliding challenge. He claimed a penalty with little conviction and ref Dermot Gallagher, a man who appeared to permanently have his arms outstretched in a ‘play on’ gesture didn’t even bother this time.

So, goalless at the break with City having shaded this half without ever really looking dangerous in front of goal. Neither side was prepared to really go for it up front, stifled by the fear that a counter attack could result in a fourth straight loss. Two sides lacking in confidence don’t make for a particularly entertaining game of football but those in the away end weren’t moaning, this game had been played largely in Ipswich’s half.

Whereas City enjoyed more possession in the first half, the second 45 saw Ipswich have more of the ball, but similarly do little with it. Livermore continued to scurry about in search of the ball when the home side had it, forcing them to pass across the pitch rather than forwards as he scampered from man to man like an ever hopeful dog attempting to disrupt a game of Frisbee.

Nicky Forster looked to advance on goal but laughably tripped over the ball and then saw yellow as he dragged back Sam Collins. City’s fans ended the library like hush with a prolonged rendition of ‘Parkinson’s black and amber army’ as our defence admirably held the blue shirted attackers at bay, on one occasion forming like Voltron to halt an advance into the box.

Boaz Myhill was a bored spectator for much of this game and tried to liven things up with some crap kicking, on one occasion giving it straight to an Ipswich striker who shot over. Craig Fagan was proving an irritant for both the ref and Ipswich, he went in the book for a rash lunge on a defender and moments later turned a defender inside out before having a cross blocked. Corner? No thought Gallagher. Twatkins.

City’s best move of the game came when the Beast chested a long ball down and drifted towards the right before rolling the ball to France on the wing, he squared into the box for Marney who struck a low shot though not that powerful forced a parry before the keeper clutched the size 5 to his chest. Alan Lee fired a shot into the side netting at the other end.

Nick Barmby made way for Darryl Duffy, Barmby hadn’t been very effective going forward and the space behind him on our left was where all Ipswich’s drives had started from. They tried several times to go down their right flank but the imperious Andy Dawson foiled them each time.

Welsh came on to replace Marney and the game fizzled out to its inevitable conclusion. Parkinson brought the players over to the fans to show appreciation for their support, it wasn’t the all guns blazing performance we’d like to have seen but after three straight defeats it was a step in the right direction.

For now we remain in the same boat as Ipswich, but at least we're not listing like Sunderland. Whether the coming weeks and months will be plain sailing is yet to be seen, next up in the league is Coventry, who lie just three points above us in the table, but there is the distraction of a Carling Cup game against Tranmere before then. (LM)