ALARM bells are starting to sound at Sunderland after a second flop in four days against newly-promoted opponents.

Peter Reid's men lost 4-2 at Manchester City last week and their performance at Ipswich on Saturday was equally uninspiring.

Indeed the score flatters a Sunderland side badly short of ideas in midfield and unable to pass the ball with any accuracy and conviction.

A second sub-standard display left the travelling fans strangely silent - and now they must fear the worse for a new campaign which began on a wave of omptimism after last season's seventh placing.

But things could have been a lot worse - Sunderland were very lucky to beat Arsenal at home in the opening game and could have been wallowing at the bottom of the table with no points to show for their disjointed efforts.

The display at Portman Road was close to rock bottom, one of the least inspiring since Sunderland returned to the Premiership and Reid will have to take drastic action to halt the slide and restore confidence both on and off the field.

Ipswich, encouraged by a noisy crowd which seems to sense a decent season ahead, were not a particularly good side, but they dominated the middle of the park and with better finishing could have made the margin of victory embarrassing.

As it was they won by the only goal of the game, scored by their exciting 19-year-old central defender, Titus Bramble.

Star Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips, still looking badly short of match fitness, lost possession midway inside the Ipswich half, didn't try to win the ball back, and Bramble took off on a surge upfield to collect a pass from striker Marcus Stewart and beat stand-in keeper Jurgen Macho in the 51st minute with great composure.

No-one could deny that Ipswich deserved their victory after dictating the pace of the game, largely through the midfield promptiung of Jermaine Wright and Jim Magilton and blotting out any threat from Phillips and his strike partner. Niall Quinn, who was clearly frustrated by the sparcity of service.

Phillips, who joins up with the England squad this week, had one outstanding chance, when he squeezed his way through on to a pass from Quinn, only to chip the ball high and wide with just goalkeeper Richard Wright to beat in the 40th minute.

Ipswich strikers David Johnson and Stewart werte far more threatening, despite the whole-hearted efforts of central defender Jody Craddock, who once again proved hinmself quick and perceptive.

Johnson in particular was a handful, having a goal disallowed for offside - a close call - and hitting the bar in a second half in which Town might have overwhelmed their unconvincing opponents, who had to thank Macho for two important saves.

While the Sunderland defence was shaky under pressure, the biggest disappointment was the midfield, where £2.5m newcomer Don Hutchison was again well below par.

With youngsters Paul Thirlwell and Darren Williams having their work cut out in defensive roles, Hutchison was the player Sunderland looked to for inspiration, but it did not materialise.

The Scottish international was unable to stamp his mark on the game and provide any decent ammunition for Quinn and Phillips, who had to rely on the stop-go supply of high punts out of defence.

Hutchison had a great chance to redeem himself and salvage a point when he was presented with a goodchance in second-half stoppage time, but scuffed his shot.

There were some rare flashes of aggression from winger Kevin Kilbane and fullback Michael Gray, but it was not enough to trouble a resolute home defence in which Bramble was inspirational.

l ''Clarkey for England'' has become a familiar refrain around Valley Parade from the Bradford fans and there is no reason why such words of hope cannot become reality.

Matt Clarke is again showing the kind of form worthy of an international call-up and was left holding the man-of-the match champagne for his display against Leicester.

A string of stunning saves from the first minute to the last ensured Bradford managed to take a point at home to an unbeaten Leicester side who are yet to concede a goal in the Premiership this season.

Who knows, if the City supporters continue to shout long and hard enough then their cries might be heard and a certain Kevin Keegan might just be listening