By Howard Bloom

The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat against Southampton at Portman Road on Saturday afternoon.

Town began the match on the front foot, with the first real effort arriving after 10 minutes when Julio Enciso won the ball from Lesley Ugochukwu before curling an effort into Aaron Ramsdale’s gloves from the edge of the box.

Despite the pressure from Town it was the visitors who went ahead with their first shot when Mateus Fernandes’ deflected cross from the right fell kindly for Joe Aribo who volleyed into the back of the net.

The Blues came close to an equaliser soon after as Omari Hutchinson’s dinked delivery was nodded down at the back post for Liam Delap, whose first time effort under pressure went just over the crossbar.

Town levelled the score on the half hour mark, though, as Nathan Broadhead played Delap through on goal who skipped away from the challenge of Jan Bednarek and coolly slotted the ball underneath Ramsdale.

It was almost a second for the Blues just minutes later when Delap returned the favour by slipping Broadhead through, however Ramsdale closed down the angle and was able to save the chipped effort.

Kieran McKenna’s side pushed for another goal as the first half came to a close, with Hutchinson’s dangerous delivery dealt with and Broadhead unable to get a shot away from inside the six-yard box.

Town began the second period positively and went close on 58 minutes when Jens Cajuste’s long throw was headed on by Greaves to Enciso, but the No. 9 couldn’t put his first-time effort on target.

Delap caused more issues for the Southampton defence when he shrugged off a challenge on the right before finding space inside the area to send an angled shot at goal, although Ramsdale was able to make the save.

Town enjoyed more of the ball in the final 30 minutes but it was the Saints who found a winner late on from a counter attack. Kamaldeen Sulemana cut inside from the left and had his low strike towards the near post saved, with Paul Onuachu on hand to send the rebound in from a few yards out. 

Town: Muric, Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis (J. Clarke 88'), Morsy (C), Cajuste (Taylor 77’), Hutchinson, Enciso (Hirst 88'), Broadhead (Philogene 62’), Delap. Subs (not used): Slicker, Johnson, Godfrey, Townsend, Phillips.

Goal: Delap (30’).

Southampton: Ramsdale, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis (Stephens 46’ (Smallbone 56’)), Aribo, Bree, Fernandes, Ugochukwu (Lallana 81’) Gronbaek (Sulemana 69’), Onuachu, Welington (Sugawara 81’), Bednarek (C). Subs (not used): McCarthy, Armstong, Dibling, Bella-Kotchap.

Goals: (Aribo 21’), Onuachu (87’).

Attendance: 29,902 (2,961).