THERE was a depressingly familiar feel to another fruitless evening at Portman Road, as Wanderers went home empty-handed and with only themselves to blame.

Despite playing some decent football, Neil Lennon’s side got back on board the team bus last night knowing they wasted enough chances to win three games, let alone one.

In the end, yet another late goal – this time a volley from Jay Tabb – consigned them to yet another away defeat.

All the positives they might have taken with a point faded away, and we head towards a local derby at the DW Stadium this Saturday feeling that little more anxious than we might have done.

Lennon had spoken about making alterations, with one eye on the weekend’s game at Wigan, prompting much debate among the fans.

He made five in all, Dorian Dervite, Rochinha, Giles Coke, Liam Trotter and Craig Davies replacing the suspended Neil Danns, plus Adam Le Fondre, Liam Feeney, Barry Bannan and Paddy McCarthy.

Even after making all those precautionary changes, Lennon would be dealt a blow minutes before kick-off as, for the second week running, he was forced to re-submit his teamsheet.

This time Le Fondre was pulled off the bench prior to kick off, replaced by rookie striker Kaiyne Woolery, his involvement in the weekend’s derby with Wigan now very much in question.

Lennon had been debating why his side had won just three times out of 14 attempts away from home since he took charge but they have rarely looked as convincing as they did in the opening 45 minutes against Ipswich.

The football at times was breathtaking, played mostly through their young debutant Rochinha, and not befitting a side that was supposedly under-strength.

Coke stung the palms of Town keeper Bartosz Bialkowski with one early effort as both sides sussed each other out.

For all their good work in the first half, however, Wanderers always looked capable of committing hara-kiri, as nearly proved the case 15 minutes in when Tim Ream was caught on the ball by Freddie Sears after trying to turn away from danger 35 yards from goal.

As had so often been the case of late, Ben Amos was alert to the danger, racing off his line to block Sears’ shot with his legs.

One life lost, Wanderers recovered their poise. A poor kick from Bialkowski presented a half-chance for Rochinha 40 yards out, the youngster opting to dribble rather than blast for goal, while Trotter and Davies both fired wide from inside the penalty box.

Just when the home fans started to get a little restless, Wanderers again gifted an opportunity to their hosts.

This time it was Coke’s poor pass which allowed Tyrone Mings to gallop into space. It looked like the full-back might go all the way but after laying the ball off, he then diverted Sears’ low cross just wide.

Seconds later Wanderers got another let-off as Tommy Smith somehow failed to guide the ball over the line from close range after finding himself unmarked in front of goal.

Neither side seemed capable of taking advantage of all these chances, and so it proved as the pendulum swung Wanderers’ way once again before the interval.

Vela had a good chance at the far post but opted to pull the ball back for Gudjohnsen – his shot deflected just wide of the post.

Had the next chance gone in, we might have been talking about it in the same sort of context as Frank Worthington’s legendary strike back in 1979.

Gudjohnsen and Rochinha exchanged volleys in the centre circle before the Benfica man went on an exhaustive run, bursting past two challenges. Unselfishly he laid the ball off to Davies, who played the perfect return pass. Rochinha’s low shot beat Bialkowski but rolled agonisingly wide of the post, more’s the pity because it really was a thing of beauty.

Ream’s task a few minutes later was much more simple. Ipswich failed to clear a corner leaving the American only needing to make a clean contact with the ball four yards out – but he swiped at his shot, allowing a Town defender to clear the danger.

It was impossible to predict a winner but Ipswich were definitely getting closer.

Cole Skuse had a hat-trick of chances, one effort landing on the roof of the net, another striking the base of the post, and a follow-up saved soundly by a sprawling Amos.

Lennon sent Barry Bannan on for Gudjohnsen to steady the ship and it looked like it had worked.

Ipswich had started to run out of ideas and might have got a lucky break when Smith appeared to wrestle Davies to the ground inside the area, only for the Whites’ penalty appeals to be waved away by referee Fred Graham.

Lennon brought off the tiring Rochinha for Rob Hall but no sooner had he done so, Ipswich were celebrating the winning goal.

Again, Wanderers coughed up possession after being out-muscled in midfield, but this time they should have dealt better with the ball into the box which bounced up off Ream and sat invitingly for Jay Tabb to volley past Amos.

Even then, the Whites had a chance to salvage a point. Ream crossed for Davies with a minute left on the clock but somehow the striker headed off target from six yards. It was the story of the night.