By Derek Davis, of the Eastern Daily Times

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THINGS are looking grim. While all Ipswich Town supporters will want to look on the positive side and believe, that in the 25 games remaining, George Burley will pull his side out of the slump and to Premiership safety, it will not happen if goals continue to be given away so cheaply.

Town gifted Bolton three points at Portman Road with sloppy defending from a corner then stood admiringly as Michael Ricketts showed why he is considered the new scoring sensation.

The misery of defeat was compounded by another long-term injury being added to the list. Ulrich Le Pen, a £1.5 million signing from Lorient on Tuesday, has a badly cut foot and is expected to be out for a month.

On Saturday, Marcus Stewart broke his jaw in two places after a training ground accident. With Finidi George still recovering from a fracture of the cheekbone and Alun Armstrong struck down by a mystery virus, Town have not had an injury crisis of this magnitude during Burely's six-year reign.

But that could not be used as an excuse for the terrible start to Sunday's game.

Two weeks earlier at Chelsea, Ipswich lost but gave a performance good enough to suggest they are capable of maintaining the Premiership status. The abject display in the first half at Portman Road yesterday would suggest staying in Division One would be a problem.

The second half was better in as much as Town had the more possession but could not do a great deal with it.

By then Gudni Bergsson had left Titus Bramble and Hermann Hreidarsson trailing in his wake to put Wanderers ahead from a Per Frandsen corner.

Keeper Matteo Sereni may have been voted player of the month ever since he got here from Sampdoria, but he will not be happy at failing to get down to the header, similar to the goal conceded at Old Trafford in September.

Hreidarsson will be unhappy that it was Bergsson who scored and then supplied a wonderful chip for Ricketts to run on to, control superbly by clipping the ball over Sereni, and then calmly head into an empty net.

The Icelanders met at Reykjavik airport last week and the Town player joked about their respective goal records for the season - up until that headed goal in front of the North Stand Bergsson had not scored in this campaign - while Hreidarsson has netted twice. For Ricketts it was his ninth in the Premiership in a total of 10 for the season.

Skipper Matt Holland continues to try and lead from the front and swept in a marvellous consolation goal from 18 yards. But, just like West Ham, as well taken as it was, the goal will count for nothing. It is made for him by the tenacity of Sixto Peralta, a beacon of hope in what has become a midfield of mediocrity. The Argentinian beat four men with more determination than skill, before the ball ran kindly for Holland.

Peralta might have scored the equaliser in the second half after Pablo Counago, making his first Premiership start, made a strong run along the edge of the 18-yard box before finding the on-loan Inter Milan midfielder who fired into the side netting. Counago, a summer free Bosman signing from Celta Vigo, had a shot tipped onto a post while Venus was not far off with a long-range dipping and swerving effort which went inches over.

Debut making Darren Bent, a 17-year-old filled with so much promise, never had a decent chance and although he worked well the ball never fell for him.

Hreidarsson showed a deft touch before finding an unusually subdued Reuser and the Dutchman's shot shaved an upright.

Ipswich have now gone 11 games without a Premiership win, the worst record in Burley tenure and the last time they went 10 games without a win they were relegated. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly where it is all going wrong.

Certainly giving away sloppy goals is not going to help, but an indication of two factions within the team came as early as the first minute. Sixto Peralta was screaming for the ball in space after Town had been awarded a free kick, a quick ball would have had Bolton stretched, but the ultra-safe Jim Magilton waved him away and went for the easy option, which resulted in nothing.

The Northern Ireland international was replaced at half-time by Jermaine Wright as Burley tried to change things around. But even the former Crewe man could not find a telling pass.

Peralta meanwhile had been moved wide left but drifted inside to try and get things going, he took men on, played probing balls and snapped around opponents heels. Sure, not everything came off, but he at least didn't look afraid to try things.

Bolton, who have now beaten Manchester United and Leicester City and drawn with Leeds United, all away from home, won a club record 14 away games last season playing a counter-attack type football.

They didn't have to be that clever at Portman Road and, once they had their noses in front, tightened up all round.

Ricketts hustled but Bramble bustled better to prevent any more clear chances and Sereni was content to deal with long shots from him and Ricardo Gardner.

Bolton were fortunate not to have two players sent off by the referee from Orpington, coincidentally the home town of a certain Barry Knight.

But Steve Bennett was more forgiving and when Paul Warhurst committed a second bookable offence with a foul on Peralta. The official chose instead just to admonish the midfielder,

Bolton Wanderers' manager Sam Allardyce saw the wisdom of replacing Warhurst moments later.

And shoving your hand in an opponents face can lead to straight red so it can only be assumed the referee missed Ricketts manhandling Reuser as both were spoken to for the tussle which followed.

Burley threw new man Le Pen on 12 minutes from time, his first contribution was to win a corner, his second to hit an overlong cross.

His injury came in the final minute when he followed through with a shot and caught the underside of Ricketts boot with the fragile top part of his own foot.

It is another blow Town could do without but is symptomatic of the season they are having after everything went so well last season.

Bolton Wanderers, like Fulham before them, have said they would love to "do an Ipswich" and finish high up the Premier League this season.

One feels George Burley would love to have the Ipswich of last season back in the Portman road dressing room.