A wonder-strike from Jamie Clapham gave Ipswich their first league points since Boxing Day.

But the single goal victory only hides the painful truth that on these sort of performances Town are not Premiership material.

Port Vale were ravaged by injury and suspension and while they played their hearts out for new manager Brian Horton they were no great shakes.

Ipswich controlled the game for the most part but failed to add to their tally.

Superb goalkeeping from Paul Musselwhite in the visitors goal was one reason, the other was few telling crosses and dodgy finishing.

Musselwhite felt confident enough to show some ball juggling skills with his head outside the area.

For a while now Ipswich have been inconsistent or plain poor, the loss against Grimsby was probably the low point, but funnily enough the loss at Sunderland was about as well as they have played in while.

And while they gained their first three points of the year thanks to Clapham's superb 40th strike they never looked convincing.

The former Tottenham defender was making his 50th league appearance for Ipswich, since joining initially on loan and then for a bargain £300,000 one year ago.

He celebrated by cutting inside and letting fly from 30 yards right footed in to the keeper's top left hand corner.

Clapham had got forward a lot in the first half and Town's pressure earned them seven corners but Musselwhite quickly sussed where they were going and, apart from an early scare from Manuel Thetis the Vale keeper plucked the crosses out with ease.

The best other chance came from a Jim Magilton free kick which was curling goalwards before Musselwhite tipped it away.

Thetis got clear and shot wide but was offside anyway. Magilton was the anchor of the Town attack playing Blues out of trouble and setting up some openings.

But Matt Holland was below par, Kieron Dyer lacked all the qualities that has made him an England hot potato and the midfield lacked its usual bite.

Up front, David Johnson continues to struggle and on loan strike Marlon Harewood from Nottingham Forest offered no more than Richard Naylor can do on a bad day.

Fabian Wilnis was a shining light with his skilful defending and appetite to get forward but his final ball was not up to the mark and crossing virtually non-existent.

He tried a cross shot late in the second half after a sparkling run that deserved better reward.

In the second half a Magilton free kick fell to Holland but he miscued his shot.

Dyer was given a great chance to make it two when Holland won the ball in midfield and slipped it to Harewood who in turn set Dyer loose but Musselwhite was out quickly to save for a corner.

The resulting flag kick was met by a Tony Mowbray header and Musselwhite saved on the line at the second attempt.

Dyer was then denied a penalty after going down under a Tony Gardner challenge but referee Mike Pierce waved the appeal away from long distance.

Pierce saw fit to book six players in a game that never had an ounce of malice in it. Thetis and Harewood for Ipswich were particularly harshly dealt with.

Frenchman Thetis reached the dirty dozen of cautions for an innocuous challenge and Harewood was cautioned for catching Musselwhite and even the Vale keeper complained the card was unnecessary.

Thetis is already expected to visit Lancaster gate for a disciplinary hearing and while he was raw and rough when he first came to England he has settled down enormously and recent bookings have not always been justified.

Ipswich boxer David Starie was introduced to the crowd before the game and it is about time the footballers showed the same amount of punch as the British and Commonwealth title holder or the Premiership dream could be an early count out.

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