STILL fuming by the way Ipswich Town were beaten 2-0 by Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday, key defender Damien Delaney today vowed to help get the show back on the road against Portsmouth at Portman Road on Saturday.

The outcome of the weekend game will show whether or not the bubble has burst following the arrival of new manager Paul Jewell – whether the honeymoon is over.

Town did well for 77 minutes against the talented league leaders, but then conceded what Delaney describes as a shambolic goal to Clint Hill.

“I was left absolutely fuming,” said Delaney.

“We had good shape and were doing well, but then conceded a goal from a routine corner. It was non league defending.

“Marton Fulop came off his line and the ball came off me. It happened quickly and we needed to look at it again.

“But we have got to be better than that.

“As a team we’ve got to be better in those situations – it was shambolic defending.

“If Adel Taarabt had gone round two players and struck the ball into the top corner it would have been disappointing, but we could have took that.

“But to concede the way we did and lose the game it left me very angry as the first goal was always going to be decisive.”

Delaney had a tremendous game at the back alongside an equally strong and secure Gareth McAuley and he says that until Hill struck he was confident of extending to seven games a league unbeaten run.

“The worst case scenario looked as though it was going to be a draw,” added Delaney.

“We thought we could win and if we had got a result our confidence would have been increased even further.

“But the defeat showed that we still have a way to go to match teams like Rangers.

“Our team perhaps picks itself at the moment and we don’t have the depth.

“Rangers can pick any one of six forwards and they can all do a job, and manager Neil Warnock leaves out the central defenders that have taken his side to the top of the table and brings in two others in Clint Hill and Danny Shittu who did just as well.

“After we let them score we lost our shape and committed players forward and were caught out by a sucker punch second goal but it was no worse to lose 2-0 than 1-0.”

Delaney and McAuley with good support from Mark Kennedy were in a ‘They shall not pass’ mode at the back for Ipswich and Delaney confirmed the good working relationship he has with his central defensive team mate.

“I have a good understanding with Gareth and a good relationship on and off the field,” said ex-QPR player Delaney.

“We cover for each other and we were determined not be beaten.

“We have had time to recover and time to reflect and we must put Tuesday behind us.

“Portsmouth will be tough opponents on Saturday, but it gives us a chance to put things right.”

A good display against Pompey will prove that the recent good run under the new manager was not a fluke and keep the optimism going.