FT: Derby County 3-2 Ipswich Town

Town Lined up in a 4-4-2 formation against their former manager George Burley with teenager Dean Bowditch coming in for the out of sorts Finnish international striker Shefki Kuqi and Scott Barron taking Scott Mitchell's place on the bench.

Burley's men had the better of the first period with perhaps their first real chance being on 13rd minutes from a free kick from Spanish midfielder Idiakez who almost beat Kelvin Davis with a swerving shot that the Town goalkeeper only just managed to get to.

Town rarely threatened Lee Camp in the Derby goal and it was little suprise when the home side took the lead on 36 minutes following Reich's header from the impressive Bisgaards cross.

The goal seemed to spring Town to life and almost straight after the restart they were back on level terms after Kevin Horlock tested the Derby defence with a free kick that was not cleanly cleared but Westlake and Bowditch's follow up attempts could only find bodies inside the hosts penalty area.

However soon after Town were to get back on level terms via means of a penalty after Nathan Doyle brought down Ian Westlake in the box and Tommy Miller converted the penalty without any problem whatsoever.

Just two minutes later, Town's first half turnaround was complete with Doyle again involved. The youngsters backpass to goalkeeper Camp was too short, and he only suceeded in finding blues striker Dean Bowditch who slotted the ball between the Rams keepers legs to send Town into the interval 2-1 up.

Town had without shadow of a doubt been the poorer side in the first half, and few could argue that if anyone deserved to be leaving at the half way stage, it was George Burley's team who had look far more dangerous throughout.

After the restart, Doyle, who was having a nightmare match at the back for Derby, added to his woes by picking up the first caution of the match following a foul on recent England Under 21 callup Ian Westlake.

Just before the hour mark Derby were back on level terms. Canadian International Jason De Vos brought down Tommy Smith on the edge of his sides penalty box with Idiakez dispatching the resulting free kick to the top corner of Kelvin Davis' goal to the delight of the home fans.

Following the goal Town boss Joe Royle decided it was time to make two changes in order to shake his team up, with Dean Bowditch and Matt Richards making way for Spaniard Pablo Counago and Dutchman Fabian Wilnis.

Just 6 minutes after scoring the goal to draw the scores level, Derby took the lead. Drissa Diallo, playing at right back, failed to properly clear a Derby cross which fell to Marco Reich who made no mistake in firing a shot past Kelvin Davis and into the net to complete a six minute turnaround.

As the match drew to a close Town, who had failed to offer any attacking threat throughout the match apart from their two goals despite introducing an extra forward in Shefki Kuqi, were not able to create a single chance.

A poor peformance from Town following on from the midweek draw against Nottingham Forest, and the absence of Jim Magilton looks now to be very much troubling Royle's men, who simply are struggling to create anything in midfield.

But it wasn't only the midfield that was below par. Town boss Joe Royle will be concerned that he seems unable to get a strike pairing together that works well, and the fact that Town still do not look secure at the back despite the signing of Jason De Vos.

It's back to Portman Road next Saturday against Cardiff, and Town boss Joe Royle will no doubt be searching the loan market in an attempt to try to bring some players in on short term deals to improve the many areas in which his squad seems to be lacking based on this afternoons peformance.