Sheffield Wednesday started their season with a disappointing 4-1 defeat at Ipswich Town on Saturday afternoon.
The season could not have started any worse as the Owls conceded a penalty in the first minute which was converted by Alan Lee. The home side were 2-0 up just after the ten-minute mark when Gary Roberts volleyed in and a third was scored by Lee in the 25th minute.
Pablo Counago put the final nail in Wednesday's coffin on the hour-mark as the Owls struggled through the opening day in disjointed fashion. Only a late Leon Clarke consolation strike gave the travelling support brief cheer.
New Owls signing, Francis Jeffers, made his debut up front alongside Marcus Tudgay. It was a start tinged with irony for the former Everton man as he lined up against the team who tried for much of the summer to recruit him at Portman Road. It would not be a debut he would live to have fond memories of.
Just 40 seconds were on the clock when Pablo Counago went down on the edge of the box under Lee Bullen's challenge. The referee did not hesitate in awarding a penalty, as the Owls skipper vehemently protested.
Ipswich favourite Alan Lee stepped up to power the spot kick beyond Lee Grant's dive giving the home side an early lead.
Wednesday looked to get back on track immediately as Jermaine Johnson troubled Ipswich in the corner but it was not until the seventh minute when the visitors forced their first corner, easily headed away by Alex Bruce unchallenged.
Things went from bad to worse for the Owls with little more than ten minutes on the clock. Big Alan Lee worked his way to the line and cut back a cross which Gary Roberts lashed home with a fierce volley at the far post to make it 2-0. Grant again had no chance.
While both sides were looking to play passing football, Ipswich were certainly troubling their opponents defence more effectively.
A fluid movement from Wednesday's box out to Jeffers looked to give the new striker a one-on-one with Town's new keeper Neil Alexander but the forward was just offside.
At the other end, Alan Lee was showing no ill effects of the car accident he had been in during the week leading into the season opener in Suffolk. Less than 25 minutes had elapsed when Lee set himself for an angled volley across goal which bounced in front of Grant and over the keeper into the net.
Wednesday were left with a mountain to climb and with Ipswich playing some attractive and effective football it would require a mammoth comeback from Brian Laws' men.
But the Owls remained positive in their quest to claw themselves back into the match.
Steve Watson played a good one-two in the box with Marcus Tudgay but was thwarted by Alexander. Tudgay then worked himself free in the box but flashed a shot across the face of goal from eight yards.
Grant did well to hold on to Counago's close range effort after Lee's original shot from a corner but Wednesday were soon up the other end.
Right back, Frank Simek charged up field and, with few options on, darted into the box himself. But, going to ground under Dan Harding's challenge, the American international was yellow carded for simulation.
Bruce had to be on hand again when he stopped Jeffers from converting Johnson's cross and Tudgay's late volley was easily held by Alexander as the Owls went in at half time trailing by three goals.
Laws made one change at the break, bringing midfielder Kenny Lunt on for Bullen as Watson switched to centre back.
Lunt was soon in the thick of the action providing a dangerous through-ball to Johnson then seeing yellow for a foul on Owen Garvan.
Grant was fortunate early in the second period when he spilled the ball with Counago ready to pounce. Luckily for the keeper, Richard Wood, wearing the captain's armband after Bullen's substitution, was on hand to shepherd the danger away.
But Grant was left helpless as Ipswich scored an easy fourth on the hour-mark. Peter Gilbert gave away possession going forward on the left and, as Town found Jonathan Walters on the right, Wood was dragged wide. Walters' centre for Counago was easily placed beyond the Owls keeper with the Spaniard totally unmarked.
With the Owls effectively dead and buried Johnson found Whelan in the box but the Irish midfielder's shot was held at the second attempt by Alexander.
Ipswich came close to a fifth when Garvan whipped in a cross to the far post which Lee steered just wide.
And the visitors were constantly frustrated as they tried to salvage some pride from the game and Leon Clarke's 89th minute consolation goal, following Tudgay's blocked effort, raised only a ripple of applause from the loyal Wednesday fans.
SWFC(4-4-2): Grant; Simek, Bullen (Lunt), Wood, Gilbert; Johnson (Small), Whelan, Watson, Brunt; Tudgay, Jeffers (Clarke).
Subs not used: Burch, Hinds.
Booked: Simek, Lunt
Goals: Clarke
Ipswich Town: Alexander, De Vos, Bruce, Garvan, Counago (Clarke), Miller (Legwinski), Lee (Haynes), Walters, Wright, Roberts, Harding.
Subs not used: Supple, Wilnis.
Goals: Lee 2 (1 pen), Roberts, Counago.
Referee: Mr R Beeby
Attendance: 23,099
