Town’s home game with table-propping Burton Albion ended in a drab 0-0 draw with the visitors having the better of the few chances. In the second half of a match watched by Portman Road’s lowest league crowd for almost 20 years, Blues keeper Bartosz Bialkowski saved from former Blue Darren Bent when through one-on-one and brilliantly in the final minute from Kyle McFadzean.

Bersant Celina replaced Freddie Sears on the left of the trio behind lone striker Joe Garner in an otherwise unchanged Town side. For Burton, former Blues loanee Stephen Bywater was in goal, while Bent was up front.

The visitors dominated possession in early stages played in heavy rain but in unthreatening areas and without creating a serious chance. On six on-loan West Ham midfielder Martin Samuelsen shot well wide from distance.

In the 12th minute Lloyd Dyer, who turned down a contract with Town after a successful trial two years ago, cut in from the left and hit a shot not too far over Bartosz Bialkowski’s cross bar.

On 25 Dyer was shown the game’s first yellow card for pulling back Ward as Town looked to break with the Blues still to get going.

The Brewers, who had lost their previous five games in all competitions, continued to see more of the ball as the game reached the half-hour mark with both keepers still untested. On 32 Hope Akpan shot over for the away team.

As half-time approached with Town still having made little impression, sections of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand began to make their criticisms of manager Mick McCarthy’s style of football clear.

Seconds before boos greeted the half-time whistle, a Celina cross from the left was nodded behind at the far post.

That reaction to a thoroughly dull first half came as little surprise with the Blues having failed to register a shot on or off target. On the rare occasions when Town had been in potentially dangerous positions a pass had always gone astray.

The bottom-of-the-table Brewers had seen most of the ball, albeit while looking similarly unthreatening.

Town needed to be much better after the break if they were to claim a second win in succession following last week’s victory at Sunderland.

The Blues began the second half on the front foot, Ward and Jordan Spence seeing early crosses in from the right cut out, then the former Spurs youngster saw a subsequent ball into the box deflected behind.

From Waghorn’s resultant corner from the right, Callum Connolly flicked on at the near post and the ball reached Celina beyond the far post from where he hit a shot on the turn which was blocked.

But it was the visitors and former Town striker Bent who should have scored in the 57th minute. The 34-year-old was threaded in behind Cameron Carter-Vickers but was unable to beat the advancing Bialkowski, who blocked.

The Blues had faded after their brighter start to the half and as the hour mark approached boos rang around the frustrated Portman Road crowd.

Manager McCarthy was evidently similarly less than impressed with proceedings and made a double substitution, debutant Mustapha Carayol and Stephen Gleeson taking over from Ward and Connolly.

Carayol, who joined on a deadline day free transfer after leaving Nottingham Forest, immediately made an impact, cutting in from the right before being felled just on the edge of the area to the right. The freekick was tapped to Waghorn, whose powerfully hit effort flew across the face with no Town player able to add a touch.

Bent made way in the 71st minute to warm applause from his old fans and Northern Ireland international Liam Boyce took over up front for the Brewers.

Sub Carayol wasn’t too far away from a spectacular debut goal in the 80th minute with a well-struck effort from the right which scraped the side-netting. The effort, Town’s closest of the afternoon, led to sarcastic cheers and a reprise of the earlier chants regarding McCarthy’s football.

Two minutes later, Carter-Vickers headed over from Waghorn’s right-sided corner, then on 85 Celina scuffed a weak effort through to Bywater, again to sarcastic cheers.

Burton almost won it in the final minute when Kyle McFadzean’s near-post header from Samuelsen’s corner on the right seemed destined for the roof of the net until Bialkowski pulled off a brilliant reaction save to turn it over the bar.

Soon after, the final whistle went to loud boos and further chants regarding manager McCarthy from the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

Town never looked like getting anything more than a goalless draw from the game, creating few chances - or more accurately half-chances - throughout.

The Blues were marginally better in spells in the second half than they had been in the first but Bywater was still never seriously tested.

Burton were closest to breaking the deadlock with Bialkowski, again the Blues’ man of the match, making a sharp save from Bent and then his stunning late reaction stop from McFadzean.

The crowd of 13,815 - 17 fewer than the season’s previous smallest home Championship crowd for the Reading match - is the lowest Portman Road crowd for a home game in the league since 13,212 attended the Blues' 1-0 victory over Swindon in October 1998.

A dismal draw from what was viewed as a must-win game sees the Blues stay 12th, eight points from the play-offs ahead of next Sunday’s East Anglian derby at Norwich City.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Carter-Vickers, Chambers (c), Skuse, Connolly (Gleeson 60), Ward (Carayol 60), Waghorn, Celina, Garner. Unused: M Crowe, Iorfa, Webster, Hyam, Sears.

Burton: Bywater, Brayford (c), Allen, McFadzean, Bent (Boyce 71), Akins, Dyer (Sordell 80), Naylor, Davenport, Samuelsen, Akpan. Unused: Campbell, McCrory, Buxton, Barker, Sbarra. Referee: David Webb (Lancashire). Att: 13,815 (Burton: 169).

Photo: TWTD

ITFCsince67 added 18:14 - Feb 10 Not one shot on target in the whole game😩
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ITFCsince67 added 18:15 - Feb 10 Or even off target?
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MicksZzzTactics added 18:16 - Feb 10 @BraveDave ??? Why wouldn't I be??? The very best £ 30+ & 2+ hours I've spend all year! Scout's Honor! As in COMPLETE *itfc*-value-and-entertainment-for-your-hard-earned-bitcoins!!! :-) :-)
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Pencilpete added 18:17 - Feb 10 If Big Mick comes out and says it was a good performance or Burton are a good team with quality players or any other of his B.S. I'm done ..... we were cr@p just have the decency to admit it ffs
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Bluetone added 18:17 - Feb 10 I think the Dino is still trying to work his ticket out just for a bit more compensation. 'Cos not even that dingbat of a manager could be poor enough to put that team out to play as badly as they did.
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TBT added 18:19 - Feb 10 For Carrow Road. Marcus Evans Marcus Evans You bald Chelsea b***ard Get out of our club
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massivemole added 18:19 - Feb 10 gemini, MM only trained the team all week, picked the team all week, motivated them all week, selected the tactics all week. Everyone is in it together hence the word "TEAM". Players not good enough ( well some on the ones on loan maybe, but they weren't here today to judge them.) MAnagement not good enough. In all walks of the life the manager is responsible. Football is an entertainment business, and at Portman road there is no entertainment. Thankyou and good night.

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dannyrr added 18:19 - Feb 10 I have.o idea how anyone could have enjoyed that abject performance Albion may be bottom of the league but on today's performance their supporters will be disappointed not to get 3 points from the game. We were completely outplayed by them they were first to the ball everytime we just looked like we didn't want to play. 20 minutes before a ball was in their box an 45 to have a shot. No doubt MM will be saying they are a good team in a false position in the league. He has no idea how to turn a game round Albion were happy to continue to press for a win right to the end. A very disappointing game which gives very little hope for next week's game against Norwich. Maybe because we haven't won the derby for so long there's no hope in the team. 😟😟😟

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therein61 added 18:20 - Feb 10 Where are all you down clickers after that inexcusable shambles set up by your great leader?
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jas0999 added 18:21 - Feb 10 Firstly, good for Burton: rock bottom, lost last five, conceding a hatful of goals - yet thoroughly deserving a clean sheet and at least the point. Thankfully for us, Bart stopped them from getting all three. They arguably deserved to win. This was clearly a pathetic performance. Woeful. Forget MM for a moment, the club is in a sorry mess. At what point does Evans not think ‘attendances are falling'; ‘the fans are booing the manager'; ‘this is utter rubbish'. The reality is he simply doesn't care. We get loads of spin after a rare win it's unreal. Yet there will be nothing from the club this week. 2 wins in 10. A manager winding up the fan. Yet he's going to stay! Well, I can assure the club that unless he's gone by season ticket renewal time or guaranteed to go, I won't be renewing. This is complete garbage and frankly the club should be ashamed. Evans needs to act. I've said it before, but this once proud club rich in tradition is dead under Marcus Evans and now Mick McCarthy. I'm done.

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BraveDave added 18:21 - Feb 10 Mickszzztactics - glad to hear. I always enjoy your interesting posts. I just worry that you're ok. Fair play to you for keeping going to watch our beloved team in spite of everything.
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wherescounago added 18:22 - Feb 10 I've been watching football for over 50 years and Burton are one of the few league sides I have never seen play, I was very tempted to go today and tick them off my list. I would have done this a couple of years ago but didn't renew my season ticket due to the dross we were producing. Having thought about it I took my two Labradors on a long walk in Tunstall Forest and had fish and chips in Aldeburgh. Seems like I made the right decision. Come on Ipswich win me back please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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warktheline added 18:23 - Feb 10 Why all the shock horror! Nowt new today! Mid table obscurity is the order of the day, right? Careful people what you wish for! swn and his gang of cronies will tell you all ABOUT IT!
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therein61 added 18:24 - Feb 10 Taxi for Mick Chambo and Scuse destination I couldn't give a damn!!!
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blue75 added 18:25 - Feb 10 I notice there's not much support from the majority of town fans for McCarthy didn't hear anyone sing his name today!! I did hear fans call him a way anchor and tell him his football is sh1t. Come on everyone who loves McCarthy stand up for your man!!! It's now time to make Evans know McCarthy's not good enough the only way that McCarthy won't be here next season is if the fans make some noise!!! Stay quiet and you can look forward to more of the same at Portman road every game!!!!

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johnno added 18:30 - Feb 10 Well if you thought that was anything apart from total dross you shouldn't be a supporter of ITFC. BART apart the rest are not fit to wear the shirt, congrats Evans / McCarthy look where you have taken us under 14k and dropping like a stone season tickets for next year forget it Renewals won't be worth sending out.Wake up Evans it's not working the machine is broken , if your not going to sell then change it Invest again don't let an idiot be in charge getting in all second rate nobody's who can't get into there former sides , let's see someone else in charge who can entertain us , the fans will Come back plus others from an area whose population is growing fast, we want our beloved club back how can this idiot be still here it just wouldn't happen anywhere else.

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Scuzzer added 18:31 - Feb 10 First off....no way was there 13,800 there today. Just remember Season Ticket Holders are included in those figures...so in reality I guess there must have been @10k at best. One thing...don't put too much blame on Mick. That was probably our best line up that we could put out...what else could Mick do. After the players cross the line it is up to them...and today they just didn't look to have the technical ability in them...no guile in midfield is the main let down....could not string three passes together. Midfield is the reason why we cant score a goal as they simply are not creating anything. I think that was the worst performance since the Wolves match down here last season...and I forked out £30 for the 'pleasure'....what a mug I am.

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MicksZzzTactics added 18:35 - Feb 10 @BraveDave Thanx. You might then be interested i my little 2 part "novella " from earlier today (bottom of the 'Mick denying any ongoing Barnsley' article) where I SERIOUSLY question those who constantly keeps on referring to the Anti-MM'ers as the "noisy MINORITY", meaning especially @Gcon for some ehmmm IRREFUTABLE PROOF of this pesky & condescending claim of theirs! PS: What's keeping the mind-boggling post-game Dino Analysis I wonder? is Mick STILL hiding in the loo ... or maybe he has finally been summoned to Marcus's Cayman Islands resort PRONTO??? :-) :-) lol

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Kirbmeister added 18:37 - Feb 10 midastouch - so less than 7 days wait for a hip replacement - and there's me thinking the NHS were in trouble!
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warktheline added 18:38 - Feb 10 @scuzzer, what else could Mick do? Are you kidding!
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bressinghamblue added 18:46 - Feb 10 We managed to pull off a coup getting Barnsley to part company with £750k for Moore. Any chance we can do the same with McCarthy? I wish!!
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blueboy1981 added 18:53 - Feb 10 Perhaps the 'happy clappers' will now clap him out of Portman Road, and as far away as possible. WHERE ARE THEY ? - by the way. Anyone heard anything of them today ? I wonder why ?
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Taricco_Fan added 18:57 - Feb 10 @scuzzer Mick only trains the team all week, signs players and picks the team and tactics for matchday. While the players must shoulder some of the blame, the buck stops with McCarthy. The question is: if our midfield is so poor, why send Flynn Downes out on loan? He's been a class act since breaking in to the first team.
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blueboy1981 added 19:06 - Feb 10 geminimustang ......... hasn't it dawned on you that that is why the Ground is empty you (whatever you are) - you, and a couple of others , will soon be able to sit in the dug out with McCarthy - no need for the Stands to be opened. I don't know what planet you are on, but it sure isn't this one - I suggest you WAKE UP. Or are you still waiting to be BORN ?
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blueboy1981 added 19:06 - Feb 10 geminimustang ......... hasn't it dawned on you that that is why the Ground is empty you (whatever you are) - you, and a couple of others , will soon be able to sit in the dug out with McCarthy - no need for the Stands to be opened. I don't know what planet you are on, but it sure isn't this one - I suggest you WAKE UP. Or are you still waiting to be BORN ?
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