Nigel Clough reckons lady luck isn't on Burton Albion's side after he watched Ipswich Town steal three points from the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday afternoon, but insisted he can see the positives from what was a marked improvement on recent weeks despite their 2-1 defeat to Mick McCarthy's side.

The Brewers put on a dominant display for the majority of the match - ending their five-game wait for a goal in the process - but as has been the case for too often during their seven-match winless streak, they didn't take their chances - with strikers Marvin Sordell and Lloyd Dyer unable to put Ipswich to the sword.

There's certainly something to be said for Burton not getting what they 'deserved' from the match, but once again they failed to take their opportunities against a poor Ipswich outfit - and that is what will hurt the most.

Even when they did manage to finally break the deadlock - from Ben Turner's second-half header - they were unable to put the game to bed and allowed the Tractor Boys to creep back into the match and complete the ultimate smash-and-grab.

And that's not been said about the Brewers before - as they watched their record of having never been on the losing side once they've opened the scoring in the Championship go up in smoke.

Clough reckons that for all the chances they created, a combination of missing someone clinical in the box to finish those off and the ball not dropping for the Brewers in the box did for Albion.

And that feeling was compounded even further when Martyn Waghorn equalised when the ball did precisely that, dropping to the feet of the former Rangers marksman who made no mistake before Bersant Celina's excellent curling free-kick in the 89th minute broke the hearts of the Pirelli faithful.

"Yeah, with the situations in the first-half," Clough said when asked about missing a clinical striker to finish off some of the chances that were created.

Connor Ripley can do nothing to keep out Bersant Celina's late free-kick winner for Ipswich Town

"It wasn't just chances, it was situations leading to chances.

"We had great situations today in the first-half, but didn't make chances out of them.

"But then we got the goal.

"There is an element of it not dropping for us in the penalty area, without a doubt.

"And you look at their first goal, the cross has gone in, it's half-cleared and it's just dropped straight into Waghorn's path.

"We'd like one to drop for us like that."

However, despite all that, Clough still insists there is something to take from the game with a number of individuals putting on good showings and some staking a claim for a more regular role in the side.

The likes of Lloyd Dyer and Matty Lund - in and out of the starting XI this term - impressed and were among the positives Clough can take from the defeat, with Tuesday night's Pirelli showdown with Barnsley now looking absolutely crucial.

Lloyd Dyer looks to get past Ipswich Town's Luke Chambers

"I thought we were very good all over the pitch today," Clough added.

"I thought Lloyd Dyer showed his versatility up front - he caused problems with his pace.

"We've actually scored a goal, and from a set play as well. We've been working on those.

"And Ben Turner should be getting more goals.

"But unfortunately Stephen Warnock makes a mistake in the 89th minute and we lose the game."