WHAT goes around, comes around.After winning so well at Leeds, despite not being the better side, Ipswich were made to pay last night for failing to find the net.

By Derek Davis

WHAT goes around, comes around.

After winning so well at Leeds, despite not being the better side, Ipswich were made to pay last night for failing to find the net.

The gap was not as big but Town did not deserve to lose the first half but were clearly second best in the last 45 minutes, as Burnley, who had won only once before this season, grew and grew.

Town played much the better football early on but Burnley were more interested in trying to score than looking good.

That meant Lewis Price was kept busy, while Brian Jensen, in for the injured Danny Coyne, had a relatively easy night.

After getting hold of the game in the first half with some impressive sharp passing, the Blues were stunned by a James O'Connor goal in the 33rd minute.

The Blues' first good chance fell to Sam Parkin, who was deadly on Saturday but failed to find the target.

Kevin Horlock played a lovely one-two with Dean Bowditch and the midfielder played a sublime ball into Parkin's path but his angled shot rippled the side-netting.

There was some more excellent passing from skipper Jim Magilton, who sprayed the ball wide for Sito, who showed great control before playing a pass in for Owen Garvan, who went over in box but did not win a penalty.

Referee Mike Pike, a Cumbrian copper, was equally unimpressed when Graham Branch brought Sito down from behind outside the box and refused Town a free-kick.

Bowditch, who was given a warm reception from the home crowd following his loan spell at Turf Moor earlier this year, was looking lively.

He had a 20-yard shot deflected for corner, which Jason De Vos headed goalwards but Jensen saved. The 19-year-old then had another shot blocked, and this time Richard Naylor headed wide from the flag kick.

But just as the 300 or so hardy Blues fans were enjoying themselves, came the reversal of what happened at Leeds on Saturday.

Burnley sucker-punched Town after the purple patch and the impressive James O'Connor used a decoy run by Ade Akinbiyi to fire in a 25-yard shot which took a big deflection off De Vos and looped over the stranded Price

Town then had to survive another mini onslaught, with James O'Connor again the danger man.

The Clarets had started brightly, with Akinbiyi twice testing Price but also wasted a chance when he was clearly offside, yet the flag stayed down, and he was probably so surprised his shot was weak and Price pounced on it.

When Kevin Horlock hit a left-foot pass over the top, and Bowditch timed his run better, he was flagged offside. Akinbiyi's shot took deflection off Naylor but Price reacted well.

It was harsh on Town to go in a goal down at the break after the side, unchanged for a third game in row, had played so well.

The home side, who started the night second from bottom, were clearly buoyed in the second half and regular watchers described their performance as their bets of the season by a long way.

Spicer, Akinbiyi and James O'Connor all caused the Blues defence some worries, while De Vos did enough to put former Stoke striker Akinbiyi off and his shot clipped the outside of a post.

Sito gifted Akinbiyi a chance but fortunately he snatched at it and missed by a distance.

Burnley's second, 18 minutes from time, came from a 30-yard free-kick from Garreth O'Connor, whose low drive evaded the wall and a despairing Price dive.

It was a quality free-kick but Town will not be happy about any aspect of it.

Currie's left foot 20-yard effort then lacked power and Owen Garvan went wide with right foot 22-yard effort

With an hour gone, Royle decided it was time for a change, with 17-year-old Danny Haynes getting a second outing for the Blues and he almost created a goal straight away but, after a defensive melee, Parkin poked wide.

But it was to be a rare foray forward, as Town seemed to run out of ideas and any sort of attacking threat.

A rampant Burnley made it three when Chris McCann headed in his first senior goal from a Garreth O'Connor cross.

Garvan stood out for Town on a disappointing night and it won't be long before he is tempted away, well January anyway!

Jay McEveley, who had a three-game loan spell at Turf Moor before getting injured in the League Cup at Liverpool last year, was given a better reception than any other Blackburn player could expect by Burnley fans, and did well.

But other than that, no Town player covered himself in glory last night. Still, that could all change again on Saturday.