THE stark difference between the have and have-nots was cruelly apparent as Ipswich tumbled to a 2-0 defeat at Hull.Peter Taylor's Tigers had people capable of putting the ball in the net, while Ipswich were cruelly exposed as toothless.

By Derek Davis

THE stark difference between the have and have-nots was cruelly apparent as Ipswich tumbled to a 2-0 defeat at Hull.

Peter Taylor's Tigers had people capable of putting the ball in the net, while Ipswich were cruelly exposed as toothless.

There was nothing to separate the two teams at half-time as the Blues showed good form but once Nick Barmby netted it was Goodnight Vienna.

Craig Fagan made the point safe for City, who leapfrog Town and left them heading in the wrong direction.

The Blues lost Nicky Forster to an early injury and that offers the manager some mitigation but things can't be allowed to continue as they are.

If Ipswich keep doing what they are doing, they will carry on getting what they are getting.

It is one thing to be beaten by a side that have just come down from a season in the Premiership, quite another to lose against a mediocre side that have struggled since coming up from League One.

While Crystal Palace have millions of pounds worth of strikers, City's hit-men have come from the lower divisions - Fagan from Colchester United, Billy Paynter from Port Vale, while Barmby is in the twilight days of his illustrious career.

Ipswich had never won at Hull, in nine attempts at Boothferry Park and, after starting quite well, never looked like getting anything at the new stadium once the deadlock had been broken. It turned into a nightmare trip to east Yorkshire, with the team bus twice breaking down on the journey up on Tuesday night and taking six-and-a-half hours to make the trip.

That will earn little sympathy from the hardy 300 Blues fans who also made the trip but also had to endure a long, cold and miserable trip home.

The Blues played some decent football in the first half and utilised the big pitch but lacked penetration in the final third.

Forster was joined up front by Darren Currie playing as a striker, with Ian Westlake in an advanced attacking position wide right of a four-man midfield, which included skipper Jim Magilton in place of Owen Garvan from Monday's line-up.

Currie's long raking ball found Forster but again he wanted one touch too many.

Forster did good work to get to the deadball line but Myhill cut it out before it reached Currie, with Forster signalling to bench he was hurt.

Haynes replaced him five minutes later and the youngster did well to get to a clever Westlake ball but could not direct his shot on target.

Westlake went close in the second half with a 25-yard shot but it swerved wide and was later replaced by Matt Richards. The 21-year-old almost made an instant impression with a tantalising low cross along the face of goal, after Currie set him up, but there was no one there for the tap in.

Gavin Williams, who almost joined Hull from Yeovil, made a surging run through the middle but American keeper Boaz Myhill saved well.

The Tigers' opening goal came 12 minutes after the break as again Town looked fragile at the back. Former Colchester United striker Fagan found an unmarked Barmby and the one-time Joe Royle-signing guided the ball home from 14 yards.

Their second came from a terrific flowing move by City, starting with a telling ball wide by Delaney. Price picked out an all-alone Fagan for a simple finish.

Defensively, Town had already looked shaky at times, with Price allowed too much space to get in a series of crosses.

The winger scorned a good chance after Wilnis gave the ball away and Price sprinted on goal but lost control, allowing Supple to gather.

Hesitant defending almost cost Town as Andy Dawson crossed and Fagan nipped in but his effort blocked. Paynter then scooped shot over bar.

Naylor was forced to clear his lines as Price again crossed and a mix-up between Supple and De Vos almost gifted Fagan a chance and Hull claimed a penalty as the striker went over the keeper.

Supple saved from Fagan, who was unmarked and headed goalwards, and continued to deny Fagan another goal, turning one effort around a post.

The 18-year-old Irish keeper was well-positioned to take a Leon Cort shot. Supple was in for an injured Lewis Price and acquitted himself well in just his third senior start but was let down by those more experienced in front of him.

France was booked for a cynical foul on Westlake as he tried to break clear from the half-way line.