Boss Jim Magilton admitted defensive frailties and a failure to take chances cost his side as the Blues fell to a 4-1 defeat at Barnsley. The Town manager is looking for his players to react to the bad result when Charlton are at Portman Road on Saturday.

Magilton said: "We started the game brightly, scored a good goal and looked as though we would go and get something from the game.

"But we gifted them a way back into the game and they are riding a crest of a wave at the moment.

"I thought Jon Macken impeded our keeper for the second goal and the penalty was harsh, Shumi got a lot of the ball, but it was a long way back from 3-1 and some of our heads dropped from there.

"At 2-1 down, we had the chances to have got back in the game. Alan and Pablo have both hit the woodwork and we played well. We had enough opportunities to have got something from the game. Not taking them and defensive failings have cost us again.

"Our biggest fear now is that we let the season slip away and we are making things hard for ourselves but that always seems to be the Ipswich way.

"We have some very disappointed bodies in our dressing room but we have to pick ourselves up because we need a reaction against Charlton at the weekend."

Barnsley assistant manager Ryan Kidd was understandably pleased with the result: "To be honest I am absolutely delighted for the lads. We are delighted with their application especially after what was a massive weekend for all of them. The effort they put in tonight was first class.

"You are never sure what you are going to get after a result like that but we did very well out there. I cannot commend them highly enough.

"We had two or three chances in the first half and probably should have been well clear.

"Ipswich are a good side who will probably be in the play-offs come the end of the season. We defended magnificently at times and put our bodies on the line again.

"We have a squad of players here who can all come in and do a good job. We have proved that here today."

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