Last season the sun shone brightly on Fulham and Ipswich. Now both appear to have lost the art of dazzling. Yesterday, on Craven Cottage's soggy stage, the driving rain and leaden skies seemed to offer a perfect backdrop for a meeting between two teams in a state of depression.

Their recent record is identical: no win in their last seven league games. Both remain perilously close to the Premiership drop zone.

Fulham's woes were compounded by the fact that last season's runaway First Division champions should have finished the first half 2-0 up. Instead they ended it a player down after Luis Boa Morte, who had already missed a penalty, was shown a second yellow card just before the break for diving.

Some will see it as justice done, because Boa Morte was lucky to be on the pitch to see red. Television evidence suggests that he should have been sent off just past the half-hour mark when he appeared to either head-butt or punch Ipswich's Fabian Wilnis.

The referee, Mike Riley, only showed him a yellow card, but the FA will no doubt be viewing a video of his latest indiscretion today and considering whether it merits further punishment than a one-match ban.

The incident was in keeping with the flavour of the match. When managers try to arrest a worrying slump, the first ports of call usually to increase the workrate and commitment. The resulting collision saw brain come a poor second to brawn.

Ipswich pulled one goal back, but were too short of invention, the killer pass and the ability to hold on to the ball to claim the win.

But George Burley's problems were not helped by the loss of Finidi George with a broken cheekbone after just 15 minutes. He could be out for two months.

After a scrappy start, Ipswich were soon struggling to cope with Fulham's more imaginative approach play.

When the home side took the lead on 23 minutes it represented the first real chance of the afternoon. Wilnis was the double villain. First he gave away a silly free-kick on the left, then he misjudged John Collins' cross and presented the ball to Barry Hayles who scored from close range.

At the break Burley brought on Reuser and it paid quick dividends. On 55 minutes the Dutchman turned Marlet on the left and crossed into the Fulham area where Jermaine Wright poked the ball home.

FULHAM: Van der Sar, Finnan, Brevett, Melville, Goma, Clark (Davis 62), Marlet (Malbranque 63), Collins, Legwinski, Boa Morte, Hayles (Saha 68). Subs Not Used: Taylor, Knight. Sent Off: Boa Morte (45). Booked: Boa Morte, Legwinski. Goals: Hayles 23.

IPSWICH: Sereni, Wilnis (Reuser 45), Clapham, McGreal, Hreidarsson, Holland, Wright, Makin, Peralta (Magilton 72), Armstrong, George (Stewart 13). Subs Not Used: Branagan, Naylor. Booked: Peralta, Armstrong, Wilnis. Goals: Wright 55.

Referee: M Riley (Leeds).