IPSWICH Town’s unbeaten home record came crashing to a halt tonight as the Blues paid a heavy price for more sloppy defending and slid to a 2-0 defeat against Middlesbrough.

Paul Hurst's side gift-wrapped two early goals and never looked capable of getting back in the contest, meaning they are still without a victory after 11 Championship games.

In the process, they dropped another place in the table to second from bottom.

These are dark times for Hurst’s team and while they huffed and puffed, they lacked quality and confidence – never able to lay a glove on a high-flying Boro side that started in third place in the Championship table.

A tough task became so much harder after conceding two preventable goals in the 12th and 16th minutes.

First, Mo Besic was inexplicably given time and space to drive at the home defence, charging from near the halfway line.

Where were Town’s two defensive midfielders, Cole Skuse and Trevoh Chalobah?

Admittedly, there was a touch of good fortune when his eventual shot fell kindly after a ricochet off Toto Nsiala.

But after finding himself in on goal, Besic steadied himself before coolly slotting past Dean Gerken.

Town so badly needed a positive response.

Instead, they conceded another calamitous goal after a dreadful pass from skipper Luke Chambers.

It went straight to Stewart Downing and the former England winger, barely believing his luck, cut inside before firing into the net with the aid of a deflection off Janoi Donacien.

There were the briefest of bright spots for confidence-sapped Town.

Grant Ward whipped in a cross that caused panic in the Boro box before Donacien’s cross from deep on the right was headed over by Jonas Knudsen.

But Town were unable to half the deficit before half-time and shell-shocked boss Paul Hurst made a double change at the break, replacing Jordan Graham and Kayden Jackson with Gwion Edwards and Freddie Sears.

Edwards was straight into the action, showing strength to keep the ball and find Donacien, whose cross from the right was nodded wide by Jon Nolan.

Straight after, Sears drove into the box but his rising shot was just too high.

It was a much better start to the second half from Town although it was Boro who went closest to adding a third when Daniel Ayala’s header from a free-kick was nodded off the line by Skuse.

The Blues’ best moment came after a jinking run from Edwards.

The winger was thwarted on the edge of the area but Chalobah’s low, first-time drive from outside the box was brilliantly turned round the post by Darren Gandolph.

It was the only save the keeper had to make in the whole game, which speaks volumes for Town’s performance.

However, they simply have to address these issues at the back before any progress can be made.

Next up for them is Saturday’s tricky trip to Swansea City.