Town dropped to 17th, only five points from the relegation zone after Cardiff City came from behind to beat them 3-1 at the Cardiff City Stadium. Skipper Luke Chambers headed the Blues into a 23rd minute lead but Kenneth Zohore equalised for Cardiff on 36, then put the home side in front five minutes after the break before Joe Bennett added the third in the 63rd minute with Town never looking like they would get back in it.

Grant Ward and Tommy Smith returned to the Town starting line-up with Myles Kenlock dropping to the bench and Emyr Huws unavailable against his parent club and also having a hamstring injury.

Smith came in on the left of the central defensive three with Jonas Knudsen moving out to left wing-back. Ward joined Cole Skuse and Toumani Diagouraga in central midfield.

For Cardiff, Peter Whittingham returned in midfield with Joe Ralls missing out through injury. Former England striker Rickie Lambert was back on the bench after a long-term back injury, while ex-Town keeper Brian Murphy was also among the subs.

In breezy conditions and swirling fine rain, the Bluebirds were first to threaten in the fourth minute after Skuse had fouled Junior Hoilett not far outside area. Whittingham curled the freekick towards the bottom corner but Bartosz Bialkowski did well to save down to his left.

The home side continued to have the better of the opening spell and a minute later Zohore hit a shot on the turn from the edge of the box just over.

Town, wearing all white, should have taken the lead in the ninth minute after a swift counter-attack following a Cardiff freekick.

David McGoldrick picked up a half-cleared ball just outside the area and brought it forward before feeding Tom Lawrence to his right.

The on-loan Leicester man, back in his native Wales, took it on into the area before cutting across to the far post to the unmarked Ward, who shot against Bluebirds keeper Allan McGregor from not far outside the six-yard box. Either side of the Scotland international and Town would have been in front.

After a slow start the Blues had got on top and as the game approached the 20-minute mark they were beginning to dominate possession with Lawrence and McGoldrick involved more than they were at Barnsley last week. On 21 the Irish international shot over from distance.

And in the 23rd minute the Blues went in front. Skuse played the ball down the right for Spence, who did well to reach it before being fouled by Sol Bamba, who was memorably red-carded in this season’s Portman Road fixture between the clubs.

Lawrence sent in the freekick from the right and Chambers headed back across goal and into the net for his fourth goal of the season.

In the 29th minute Christophe Berra clipped Kadeem Harris’s heels just before he broke into the area and Bialkowski sharply diverted Bennett’s freekick over from under his bar, then from the corner Bamba looped a header well over.

The home side were starting to get on top, however, and on 31 Zohore broke into the area on the right and shot straight at Bialkowski while under pressure from Chambers.

Two minutes later at the other end, Lawrence whipped in a wind-assisted freekick from the right and Diagouraga stooped and headed over.

But in the 36th minute the Bluebirds got back on terms. After Knudsen had fouled Craig Noone on the right, Whittingham played the freekick wide to Jazz Richards, who crossed into the box where it was nodded down by home skipper Sean Morrison and Zohore volleyed home his eighth goal in 10 games from close range giving Bialkowski no chance.

Zohore, who has now scored nine goals this season, will feel he should have netted another two minutes later but lashed wildly into the stand after Chambers’s poor defensive header had landed at his feet in the area.

Cardiff went closer to going in front in the 42nd minute when Aron Gunnarsson cut the ball back from the right and it reached Hoilett, who worked himself space and then hit a shot on the turn which struck the angle of post and bar.

After Whittingham had sent a freekick well over from distance, Icelandic midfielder Gunnarsson, who had a trial with the Blues as a schoolboy, hit an injury-time shot wide.

Having started slowly Town had got themselves on top during an entertaining half and deserved their goal when it came with Ward having gone close to opening the scoring earlier.

However, the Bluebirds then began to take charge and once they’d levelled - via a set-piece goal Mick McCarthy will no doubt have been disappointed to have conceded - looked the more likely scorers of the game’s third goal with Hoilett unlucky with his shot off the woodwork.

Lawrence had looked more like his January self and he and McGoldrick had both shown that they were capable of troubling the Cardiff defence without either having had a clear-cut opportunity.

Town switched Smith for Brett Pitman ahead of the second half and moved to 4-4-2 with Lawrence on the left and Ward on the right of midfield.

Cardiff started the second half the brighter, Zohore hooking a cross from the right wide off a Town defender and wide.

Town’s first opportunity came from another Lawrence freekick on the right. Berra nodded back across the face of goal but McGoldrick was unable to control at a tight angle as he looked to cut across.

And following the resultant 50th minute goalkick the Bluebirds took the lead. Zohore flicked a long ball from Morrison on to Hoilett, who backheeled into his path and with Chambers not having tracked his run and appealing for offside, the Cardiff top scorer hit his 10th goal of the season and ninth in 10 games into the net off Bialkowski.

Three minutes later Berra was booked for a foul on Hoilett as Cardiff continued to put the pressure on.

Town didn’t threaten until the 58th minute when McGoldrick twisted and turned inside the area before trying a chip which failed to test McGregor. A minute later, Hoilett hit a shot across the face of goal from the Cardiff right.

But a third Bluebirds goal wasn’t too long in coming. In the 63rd minute Harris brought the ball in from the left past Skuse along the byline and cut it back to Bennett, who picked his spot to claim his first goal for the Welsh side.

Town, who had failed to settle into their 4-4-2 system after the break, looked to have no way back. On 68 Pitman was yellow-carded for a foul on Gunnarsson.

Noone curled over from distance in the 75th minute, then for the Blues McGoldrick burst into the area on the left and cut back to Pitman, who looked to turn goalwards but found Bamba, who had been outstanding at the back for the Bluebirds, in his way.

With 11 minutes remaining Town made a double change with McGoldrick and Diagouraga making way for Freddie Sears and debutant Danny Rowe.

Zohore shot tamely through to Bialkowski in the 82nd minute with the Bluebirds looking more likely to add a fourth than Town were to pull a goal back. A minute later the Dane was subbed to a standing ovation by home supporters, Anthony Pilkington taking over.

Cardiff should have made it 4-1 in the 85th minute when sub Pilkington found Hoilett in space in the Town area but the ex-QPR man shot weakly straight at Bialkowski.

Town had what looked a not unreasonable shout for a penalty in the 88th minute when Spence crossed from the right and Pitman turned the ball against Morrison’s arm. If he saw it referee James Linington may have deemed it ball to hand.

The Blues continued to press for a goal in four minutes of injury time, Pitman having added more of a penalty are threat, but were unable to force McGregor into further action before the final whistle.

Town never got going after the half-time change of system - with Lawrence notably quieter having moved wide - and then Cardiff’s second goal which was a shocker from a Blues perspective.

Cardiff prodded and probed and deserved the third goal when it came and might even have won more convincingly had Hoilett taken his chance.

The result ends Town’s streak of consecutive draws at six as well as their eight-match unbeaten run.

The Blues have now won just once in their last 13 in all competitions and only twice 2017 and have taken only 13 points from their last 42.

With only five points separating them from the bottom three they face a nervous last eight games of the season. The Blues look to be one of seven sides battling to avoid the final relegation spot with Rotherham and Wigan already looking to be down.

After the two-week international break, Town face Birmingham, who are one place behind the Blues on goal difference alone, and then the Latics in what now appear to be crucial back-to-back home games.

Cardiff City: McGregor, Bennett, Morrison (c), Richards, Whittingham, Noone (Halford 79), Bamba, Gunnarsson, Harris (John 90), Zohore (Pilkington 83), Hoilett. Unused: Murphy, Ecuele Manga, Lambert, Meite.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Berra, T Smith (Pitman 46), Spence, Skuse, Diagouraga (Rowe 79), Ward, Knudsen, Lawrence, McGoldrick (Sears 79). Unused: Gerken, Digby, Kenlock, Bru. Referee: James Linington (Newport, Isle of Wight). Att: 15,182.

Photo: TWTD

OsmansCleanSheet added 18:05 - Mar 18 Unbelievable decisions again from McCarthy. Changing the system at half time and putting Lawrence on the left and Ward on the right! Not the best position for either, in fact Ward has been poor when played on the right earlier in the season. And having 2 defensive midfielders in the centre when playing 4-4-2, what planet is he on! And if that wasn't bad enough he leaves it until 10 minutes from the end to make further substitutions, when we were 3-1 down from the 63rd minute. Clueless!

18

dirtydingusmagee added 18:10 - Mar 18 bye Swn98 enjoy your holiday ,relax and prepare yourself for LEAGUE 1 football next season.
5

TimmyH added 18:11 - Mar 18 @MGNottsblue - yeah but there have been a few that have spring boarded quickly up to the Premiership under momentum - Norwich, Southampton, Man City but as you have mentioned a few big clubs that have struggled to get out, I do have to say we do have an owner that can't be trusted and could possibly sell some of our bigger assets which wouldn't help. So to a degree it's mainly about ME's actions and decision making (and let's be honest he hasn't made too many good ones in his 10 years here) , MM isn't going anywhere quickly and could see out his contract (god forbid) if so a completely wasted 2017/18 season.

5

tallguy6767 added 18:13 - Mar 18 How bad does it have to get to get rid of this joker ! Wouldn't happen at any other club in the country! Embarrassing to be a town fan at the moment not one ounce of positivity to be had from the total shambles going on from top to bottom and to think it could get a whole lot worse before it gets better but surely that has to start with a Mccarthy sacking tonight. All you mick lovers need to wake up !

17

ArnieM added 18:13 - Mar 18 The simple fact is the CLUB is in free fall. 1. The manager appears tired of the fight against the odds with an owner failing to back him. 2. The team ( once again) is full of loanees who know that in just 8 games time , they can walk away without a car in the world. 3. A great many senior players are clearly leaving at the end of the season - that's defence ( crap though it is), gone. 4. We have no striker with physical presence.....nor are likely to get one with Evans' financial strategy. Overall, the team now has very much a feel of treading water as the end of our Championship chapter appears to be drawing to close. Most payers out there today won't be here next season. Will the Club?

10

Westy added 18:14 - Mar 18 Anyone who thinks relegation so as to rebuild would be a good thing needs help. Rebuild to get back into the Championship where we already are ? Under no circumstances would relegation be a good thing. Big Clubs have been relegated and languished there for years.
5

surgery added 18:14 - Mar 18 Are we clueless thinking that he is clueless because the self made multi millionaire who employs him obviously doesn't think that he is? Or, is that person clueless when it comes to football?
3

Dissboyitfc added 18:14 - Mar 18 swn98.. you going to Spain is not of interest to anyone ! what is of interest is your views of the game where you think it went wrong and what McCarthy will do to save us! MM out now! Burley in until the end of the season, might be a good shout!
17

norfolkbluey added 18:16 - Mar 18 I do believe that MM thinks he is good enough for this club by the things he has said recently. Unfortunately it appears that ME believes it too. Our country cousins up the road have far more ambition by being far more positive and going for another manager sooner than later. Why the heck can't w as we are in a far worse situation with relegation a serious possibility. It could have been worse had those below us hung on to win. W must give a new manager a chance to build before the new season starts. Just look at clubs who have done just this and gone on to be successful. ME do it now. You can't take your money into the next world, spend now and get the fan's respect which you lost.

8

TimmyH added 18:17 - Mar 18 @Dissboyitfc agree with your post re: 'Mick out now' - sadly can't see it happening and wouldn't be at all surprised that he see's his contract out for 2017/18, I certainly don't want relegation (personally think Mick's got too much savvy from his other relegation battles for this to happen)...but if it did.
4

tractorboybig added 18:20 - Mar 18 what a class tactical move at half time???? Mcgoldrick might as well have stayed in England, he was absent so often one forgot he was there. I have said all along we were a relegation team and its heart breaking to see that come true.
5

town93 added 18:21 - Mar 18 I'm sick of reading at the headline that "town never looked like getting back into it" once they are behind. Why don't we push teams back and create oppotunities when behind like normal teams? Has to all stem from the mentality of the players being so defensive that when the time comes to attack no one knows what to do!!! Please something happen!
5

Tufty added 18:22 - Mar 18 Not sure it matters too much now that the appalling season ticket strategy or (exciting new season ticket packages) if you listen to IM have been released ~ won't be many fans to watch anyway.
4

brittaniaman added 18:22 - Mar 18 Dino still thinks he is a good manager (typical yorkshire git) with I am the one who can get you out of trouble !!! YEAH ! Just like you said at Sunderland and after that Wolves ? it is a funny (not ha ha) time to get rid of managers, but four clubs took that chance last week ?? will we be the fifth ??? probably not with the faceless Evans at the Helm !! Jim Magilton had us better placed in the League and we had just beaten Norwich YET HE GOT THE SACK BY A TEXT FROM Mr FACELESS ?? I wonder if he will get his Mobile out again,,?? do not hold your breath

15

IpswichT62OldBoy added 18:23 - Mar 18 Feels like the last days of Jewell
6

Lathers added 18:25 - Mar 18 Neil Warnock was right... McCarthy is just like Arsene Wenger... clueless and taking the club backwards at a rapid place. Still think we will be Ok with 2 more wins, but f**k me how much have we regressed in the past 18 months. Is relegation the only way we will get change at our once glorious club? ME.... either spend money or sell NOW and let someone else who wants to splash out, play Championship Manager for a few seasons...

7

Dissboyitfc added 18:25 - Mar 18 Change needs to happen and that starts with MM going. If we manage to stay up i fear that MM will be kept on. Evans, Sack MM now!
9

StochesStotasBlewe added 18:26 - Mar 18 At 2 1, i went upstairs & cleaned the ensuite bathroom, Mrs shouted up that Cardiff had got a 3rd as i was giving the toilet a good scrub. How apt, i thought, down the toilet is exactly where ITFC are heading. This week, i,ve been deliberating weather to renew my season ticket. Based on the sh#t served up week after week, Evans apparent lack of interest & the way a section of season ticket holders have been treated by the club with price hikes, it,s with a very heavy heart that it,s time to call it a day. Will see out the remaining games & pray we can get the necessary points needed.

10

blue75 added 18:26 - Mar 18 Just awesome McCarthy 4-4-2 hasn't worked all season a point at Cardiff, for us is good we look solid at 5-3-2(7-1-2) the only thing worse you could've done is play Douglas with Skuse again!!!! Why did he have to try to prove us he can change a game with different tactics we know it's too much for the relic!!! McCarthy Out!!!
8

dirtydingusmagee added 18:30 - Mar 18 The writing has been on the wall for months SURELY ITS IN BIG ENOUGH LETTERS NOW for those who think otherwise. EVANS AND McCARTHY are destroying ITFC. Time to rise up against them get them out , the wilderness beckons, sitting back doing nothing like Evans will be the end of the club. Evans [through mouthpiece Milne] claims he wants to achieve Prem status is a joke ,it will take a minor miracle to avoid league 1

10

Seasider added 18:31 - Mar 18 As soon as the team was announced,I thought we would struggle to win,because the Dino persists in playing to not lose by having these two defensive mids;neither of whom are particularly good to me.I was also disappointed that Kenlock,Emmanuel and Pitman all omitted. At half time however,Micks plan seemed to be working(ie to draw).Then he changes formation to his old preferred 4-4-2,team are outplayed,did Town have a shot on goal 2nd half ;Cardiff certainly did and scored two more with also hitting post.One win in 13 is relegation form,and are only 5 points away from the bottom three now. Where do Ipswich go from this fiasco,including the ticket debacle. Like many fans,even a majority now probably think that Mr McCarthy should go immediately, as ITFC have been dragged into the relegation battle. Evans should go cap in hand to George Burley and ask if he would kindly manage the club for the rest of the season with big Butch as his assistant.Change often gives a club a boost,certainly in the short term,and hopefully this would manage to keep the club in this league. As soon as possible approach the Cowley brothers from Lincoln. This would be a big step up for them,if they came;so it would probably be helpful if George then moved upstairs as Director of Football so that they could concentrate on the coaching side,as well as having an input into all the other aspects.George I am sure would be a good mentor. The Government has recently done a U turn on Insurance Contributions ;so why cant the Invisible Man do the same over the ticket fiasco,by not making the over 60's increase retrospective,just applying to next season.Also re-instating the £10 season ticket.Not sure if the matchday surcharge still applies.but that should go as well. Unless the above is done then there will be a huge decrease in attendances,especially if Town are in Div1,for the first time in my 55 years of support. Looking still further ahead Mr Evans should ask himself,is he up to the job of being owner and chairman of this once great club,which has seen a steady decline in his 10 year stewardship.I have my doubts and hope he would also. Mr Milne like his predecessor Captain Clegg,also seems a bit lost as CEO;so he should eat humble pie by trying to bring back Derek Bowden from Essex CCC,or Mr Sheepshanks from the FA,or hopefully both, so that he has competent and experienced people at the top. Yes this will cost a lot of money;but his present strategy is failing and the club is in danger of sinking further,like Coventry City and Blackpool unless something radical is done. In the longer term perhaps he should put out feelers to try and divest himself of this financial burden;hopefully to local people like Ed Sheeran and the previous backers of Ipswich Town plus all us small shareholders so that once again we can have a board representing not only representing the 12 1/2% but the rest of the club.Wouldn't expect him to sell all his holding as he would want to benefit when our club reached the promised land!This wont happen whilst this man has control I am afraid.

19

Bluetone added 18:33 - Mar 18 Thirty years ago when I was in my fifties we had a thick old and useless tree stump in our garden it was a really stubborn wooden stump. However It was eventually dug out and got rid of after much struggling. If we had one of these today I would call it McCarthy because like him it was neither useful nor ornamental.
21

DannyITFC added 18:35 - Mar 18 This is the lowest the club has been..... time for a wake up call. We are certainly in a relegation scrap and tbh I can see us slipping into the bottom through on the final day. Evans is a waste of space! He should have pulled the trigger before Xmas and sacked MM but clearly is too tight to pay him off. On top of this Evans shows no ambition practically giving MM no money for transfers. MM has run his cause, poor negative tactics...... relying on Tom Lawrence to keep us above water. Season tickets sales will undoubtably dramatically drop due to the crap football on show, lack of ambition then the audacity of raising the already pricey season tickets? Milne/Evans are taking the piss out of long loyal fans...... well that will backfire next season with these clowns in charge when attendances regularly drop below 10,000. I for one will not re-new along with thousands of others...... quite frankly for anyone that does buy a season ticket you are fools who are fuelling what's going on. The time for demonstrations and voting with our feet is now upon us. F**k off Evans and f**k off MM...... Between these two and Milne they have completely ruined players like Freddie Sears and sadly our club. Time for severe action.... starting with MM to be sacked and a new manager to be given serious funds this summer....... revise the season ticket prices too. #ITFC#NoAmbition

20

runaround added 18:37 - Mar 18 A very poor result but by the sound of it all we deserved. Heard Andy Legg say that changing to 442 was counterproductive & both fullbacks were poor yet once again Kenlock & Emmanuel didn't get a look in. It seems obvious to me that Mick's time here is over & sure he knows it too, yet he is waiting to be sacked to make sure he gets as much money as possible whilst Evans has given up trying to get club up & is concerned only with saving as much money as possible but is unwilling to sell or sack Mick. So we have this stand off which is seeing a rudderless leaderless club in a death spiral toward relegation. Those 2 will be alright as will some of the players but fans continue to suffer & less money will possibly lead to people at club losing their jobs. Our club is in a mess & it's awful to see. Make no mistake we are in real danger of relegation & I believe failure to get at least 4 points from next 2 home games we WILL go down. With a fortnight break now is time for club to act, MM must go & get a short term replacement to keep us up possibly Burley then in summer Evans needs to decide to either back a new man or if not willing to sell for the good of the club. I hold out little hope though & suspect he'll just up prices even more! What a sad state our club is in

13

blueboy1981 added 18:39 - Mar 18 ArnieM .......... tongue in cheek - have to say that some of us have been trying to tell some of you, for long enough. If you are a McCarthy fan - perhaps you can explain the complete hash up of his substitutions and tactics, brought about at half time today. The man hasn't a clue what he is doing - we had a very good first half today, and could have had an equal second half - with maybe a WIN at the end of it. Only ever going to be one winner after he changed our formation, as indeed Andy Legg quite rightly said on Radio Suffolk. I repeat - in the right Managers hands, the squad is capable, and there are Managers out there, capable of getting more from it than he has. Magilton and Burley for a start. The dedication isn't there at times from our players - for reasons of disillusionment. Evans or no Evans - we still have a thoroughly decent squad - and funds being made available to McCarthy would be a huge risk - available / unavailable funds were NOT the reason for our defeat today. Quite clearly - McCarthy WAS. GOD SAVE OUR CLUB.

19

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls