A goal in either half from Ben Wiles and Shane Ferguson saw Rotherham to a comfortable 2-0 victory over the Blues, extending the Millers’ unbeaten run to 15 games and taking them to the top of League One. Wiles opened the scoring on 24 with a shot from the edge of the box with Ferguson adding the second a minute before the hour with the Blues never looking like getting back into the match.

Conor Chaplin came into the Town side for Sone Aluko, who was absent from the 18, but in the number 10 role with Bersant Celina on the right, while Fraser started on the left with Kyle Edwards on the bench.

Matt Penney was back on the bench having been left out of the squad for the last three league games.

For Rotherham, 12-goal top scorer Michael Smith returned from a one-match ban, while midfielder Ollie Rathbone didn’t make the trip having been ill.

The Millers were forced into a late change with keeper Josh Vickers dropping out and sub Viktor Johansson starting.

After the teams taking a knee had been warmly applauded, the game got under way with neither side threatening in a high tempo opening.

Rotherham forced the first save of the game in the 12th minute when Jamie Lindsay hit a curling effort from the edge of the box and Christian Walton did well to get across to his left to tip away for a corner.

Town were seeing a lot of the ball but with the Millers very quickly on to the man in possession they didn’t create a chance until the 21st minute when Janoi Donacien’s header into the box from Macauley Bonne’s left-sided cross was half-cleared to Fraser, who scuffed his shot wide.

Four minutes later, the visitors took the lead. Wiles was allowed to bring the ball to the edge of the area unchallenged from deep before hitting a shot to Walton’s left and into the net. It looked stoppable and the keeper’s reaction suggested he felt he ought to have done better.

It was a poor goal to concede from a Town perspective and handed the impetus to the South Yorkshiremen, who immediately went looking for a second, Lee Evans making an important block on the left of the box and Fraser eventually clearing after the Blues had made heavy weather of getting it out of their area.

A minute later, a clever Town move down the left ended with Bonne losing his footing as he looked to cut Chaplin’s pass into the six-yard box.

In the 31st minute, Freddie Ladapo shot across the face of Walton’s goal from the right from Smith’s pass.

The Blues were having long spells with the ball but without being able to break through the visitors’ determined defence.

The Millers were looking far more dangerous on the break and on 38 skipper Richard Wood headed Ferguson’s free-kick across the face of goal but with Rarmani Edmonds-Green and Ladapo unable to reach it at the far post, fortunately for the Blues.

On 40 Lindsay was shown the first yellow card of the game for stopping Town from taking a quick free-kick, then four minutes later Michael Ihiekwe joined him in the book for dissent, which he continued as he walked away from referee Ward who called him back but decided not to issue any further sanction.

The niggly Rotherham fouls in the closing stages of the half meant the game had little flow, although the Blues won a late corner but which ultimately came to nothing.

The scoreline at the break was a fair reflection of the opening period with the Blues having been unable to lay a glove on the well-organised Millers, who had looked much more of a threat when breaking, although Town will feel they played a big part in Wiles’s goal.

Town had seen plenty of the ball but had been hesitant in playing the final ball into the box or taking a shot with their spells in possession all too often seeing them make their way towards the edge of the area then away again as they struggled to find an opening.

Rotherham really should have doubled their lead three minutes after the restart when Smith tried to head down to Ladapo from Ferguson’s left-wing cross when he should have nodded at goal and failed to find his team-mate by some distance.

Town weren’t too far away from levelling in the 50th minute when Evans curled a free-kick just over from 25 yards after Fraser had been fouled by Lindsay.

After a shaky moment when Blues defenders and Ladapo both failed to get anything on one-time Town trialist Chiedozie Ogbene’s cross from the right, the ball eventually reaching Walton, Town worked their way into the box on the left of the Rotherham area before Chaplin’s low cross was cleared.

Town found some space in the Millers’ half for the first time in the 58th minute but Fraser was unable to find Bonne with his through ball, much to the frustration of the home support.

And a minute later, the visitors doubled their lead. Ogbene worked his way past Clements on the right, Ladapo's effort was blocked but Ferguson was able to slam into the roof of the net at the far post to claim his first goal for the Millers.

Town had a mountain to climb at 2-0 against a side against whom they were yet to manage a shot on target and it was no surprise when manager Paul Cook made changes in the 63rd minute with Edwards and Penney taking over from Evans and Clements.

Town continued to huff and puff without looking particularly dangerous, while Rotherham came very close to netting a third when Smith headed Ferguson’s left-wing cross over from close range following a long spell in possession.

The Blues swapped Chaplin for Joe Pigott in the 73rd minute with a Rotherham third looking more likely than Town pulling one back.

Penney did well to work his way in from the left on 74 but failed to beat the first man with his low cross. Moments later, a Town corner from the right came to nothing.

Edwards did well to beat Ogbene as the game moved towards its final 10 minutes but failed to find Celina with his cutback. Moments later, the Millers swapped Irish international Ogbene and Ferguson for Mickel Miller and Wes Harding.

On 87 Dan Barlaser was cautioned for time-wasting then Edmundson joined him in the book presumably for scuffling ahead of the free-kick.

In injury time, Pigott looped a header at goal which Johansson claimed under his bar to sarcastic cheers from the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

Morsy scuffed a decent opportunity wide before the final whistle was greeted by muted boos from a frustrated home support.

Town had been comfortably beaten by a well-drilled Rotherham side who prevented the Blues from managing a shot on target until injury time at one end while carving out enough chances to win the game, more than 2-0 had Smith taken his opportunity.

While the Blues ought to have had the Sunderland game won before the Black Cats’ two late goals, Rotherham showed that they’re a level above most of the rest of the sides towards the top of the division

They never allowed Town a sniff and once they had established their lead, where the points were going was in little doubt.

A chastening lesson for the Blues, who are down to 13th ahead of Sunday’s home game against bottom club Crewe Alexandra.

Town: Walton, Donacien, Nsiala, Edmundson, Clements (Penney 63), Morsy (c), Evans (Edwards 63), Chaplin (Pigott 73), Celina, Fraser, Bonne. Unused: Hladky, Burgess, Vincent-Young, Harper.

Rotherham: Johansson, Barlaser, Wood (c), Wiles, Ladapo (Sadlier 86), Ogbene (Miller 81), Lindsay, Ferguson (Harding 81), Ihiekwe, Edmonds-Green, Smith. Unused: Vickers, Sadlier, Grigg, Kayode, Odoffin. Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey). Att: 18,221 (Rotherham: 267).

Photo: Matchday Images

ChrisR added 22:00 - Nov 23 Worse league position now then the last two seasons under Lambert . Desperately poor , could not hold the ball in midfield , just looked weak and disorganised compared to Rotherham . One point from 3 vital games just shows exactly where we are ...mid table at best !
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herfie added 22:00 - Nov 23 Pay whatever it takes to get Paul Warne in! Paul Cook totally out of his depth.
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JCBLUE added 22:01 - Nov 23 3 BIG games, we outplay Oxford & Sunderland and come away with a single point, poor tonight, not good enough. Massive task now to get back into playoff contention, COYB, must do better!!
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DifferentGravy added 22:01 - Nov 23 Manager has to take responsibility. Whatever formation/tactics a team starts with.....both are flexible and can be changed(and changed back at any time). If the set up isnt working......and especially if the opposition are on top.....you need to change things........not wait until you are 2-0 down, with only 17 mins to go and the game is gone. Some more recent games have been really encouraging (Plymouth/Wycombe/Portsmouth.....and yes we were unlucky at Sunderland. But if the manager cannot galvanize this group of players using a variation of tactics (when required) and earlier substitutions......we will finish mid table. Is that really what Cook was employed to do? If thats the case we should have stuck with the also one dimensional Lambert......coz he would have ensured mediocracy as well

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BobbyPetta11 added 22:02 - Nov 23 Send Bonne back & sign Cole Stockton. Send Cook back & sign Warnock he would give us some bite.
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chepstowblue added 22:02 - Nov 23 Comfortably beaten by the team who set the benchmark at this level, and another reality check as to how far behind the better teams we still are. On the evidence of this it seems incredible to think that every department of the side needs strengthening on top of what we've already done in the transfer market. We are now requiring a run of form, the like of which I'm not sure we're capable of. I imagine Portsmouth fans were thinking the same a few weeks back, and now we are eating their dust. So I guess hope remains.....but only by the proverbial thread.

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Orraman added 22:03 - Nov 23 Since the day Cook over from Lambert this club has steadily got worse. It's been a continuous, slow drift further and further down the league. We know Lambert was far from perfect but when he was sacked we were on a good spell and sitting 7th or 8th with play off prospects. How long is it going to take Mark Ashton and Co to realise that this stubborn, one trick pony is taking us no where and steadily wasting all the marvellous investment that has been pumped into this club in the past year. We have returned to great crowds but how long will they stay or like tonight before the end will they start to drift away?

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bluerico added 22:03 - Nov 23 Different team from last season but still too many lightweights who get bullied by physical teams. Cook's record is one of the worst of any Ipswich manager and does not look like changing based on recent results. We need improvement quickly or another season will be over..
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ringwoodblue added 22:06 - Nov 23 DaGremloid - spot on, you have expressed exactly how I feel so I have nothing further to say.
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Help added 22:07 - Nov 23 Boring and ineffectual
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blueboy1981 added 22:08 - Nov 23 As much as I want Cook to succeed - I now have serious doubts about his ability without Richardson beside him. And that isn't going to happen - so do we stick, and hope for the best, or twist, and change before we lose more ground, and throw this season away ?? The players should be capable, but are they ?? The ‘one trick pony' tactics and formation has to be seriously questioned - for the umpteenth time - NO Plan B. It's either Plan A - or Fail, and opposing teams have had little, if any, problem in sussing that … !!!

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fizzyblue added 22:08 - Nov 23 Very very predictable and unbalanced. Played 3 numbers 10's who just ran into each other and couldnt penetrate due to lack of wingers. It's obvious cook is trying to keep everyone happy either that or it's just a case “oh they are good players I'll just stick in on the pitch and hope we put class them”. Half the team didn't turn up and just went through the motions, evans being one of them who I'm becoming increasingly Frustrated with. I would give El Mizouno or when fit Carroll a run of games and drop evans. Not sure I would have started clements, though he did get in some good positions in the first half. He definately has potential but I don't think tonight was his game. Injuries haven't helped us but dare I say it, just a tweak in formation I.e 4-4-2 and we could have caused them more probs. Not confident in finishing in the top 6 unless we manage to keep Burns and Aluko fit. Disappointed by the result, rigid tactics and reluctance to change formation in the event of injuries.

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Foreverdon_Blue added 22:08 - Nov 23 4 points from 5 games with teams in the top 6 means no chance of promotion! Paul Cook needs to go now as it is bloody obvious things are not going to improve under him!
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ThaiBlue added 22:09 - Nov 23 Bet Rotherham have harder days training than playing our nunch of flops.a terrible display from town,really cook needs to go now.well done to donacien again always tries his best.
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aas1010 added 22:14 - Nov 23 Same ole same ole
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masetheace added 22:15 - Nov 23 So thats another season over , or do we have another clear out in January ? Start with the manager , find a defensive coach , and pray that next season is better
0

bluesince76 added 22:18 - Nov 23 Cook simply has to go if we want out of this awful league has done nothing to convince me he is capable of this .
5

warwickblue added 22:21 - Nov 23 So disappointing.Out-fought, out-run, out-played and out-classed in every aspect this evening and Rotherham hardly had to get out of second gear. We looked absolutely devoid of any ideas beyond knocking it in circles or booting it somewhere near Bonne, to flick on to their deepest defender. Cook is certainly not getting the best from this talented squad.
9

Help added 22:22 - Nov 23 Evans has to be dropped what does he bring to the game other than poor passes and nothing else. Can you imagine what we would be like if Edmundson was injured. It would be more than 2 goals a game. Got to look at the formation 4 games without a goal. Not enough through midfield, to many long balls to a double marked Bonne. Not fast or clinical enough to beat the opposition, to pedestrian. Inept performance from both players and manager

9

Wishing4arightback added 22:23 - Nov 23 Mr Cook, are you the right man? No plan B, 3 number 10s playing and all going central and no width. Bonne just trying to win bits in the air when he was scoring it was wide players crossing low for him. Really poor management with Clements, skinned once and hauled off. There were worse than him on the pitch. Match was crying out for 4 4 2, but no...... Be flexible like all good managers or say goodbye.

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carlgibbs13 added 22:24 - Nov 23 I am afraid that I am now in agreement, and I think Cook needs to go. Immediately. This season has been awful, and the time to gel has long passed. He is obviously not up to the challenge. With this team of players, we should be in Rotherhams position. The last few games, we have gone backwards.
10

Suffolkboy added 22:25 - Nov 23 PC you've had your way ,got rid of 20 or so playing staff,benefited from new owners and great background impetus ,BUT continue sadly to fail ! Who else do we, or can we look to in order to produce better individual performances, or better and more confident co-ordinated Team performances ? There are just so many areas and reasons for discontent,and too many physical and technical failings or weaknesses ,all of which come under your areas of responsibility . No doubt we shall hear from you with a mixture of acceptance, political diatribe and empathy with our wonderful supporters ; all that would be quite reflective of your hopeful smoke and mirrors projection . Very very sadly we see NO concrete evidence you know how to coach, nor that your coaches have enough nouse or input to effect improvements ; and can you ,or he, tell us exactly whatPeter Reid is bringing to the set up ( or is he the shoulder for each to cry upon ?) . This is dreadful by any measurement you might want to present ! PC ,your credentials are looking exceedingly thin ! COYB

11

fifeblue added 22:26 - Nov 23 Now 4 blanks from the last 5 games plus a fortunate Cup win against Oldham. I do believe that the squad is brimming with very good players but the system isn't working. You cannot play tippy-tappy possession football in this league and expect to get out of it northwards.
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bringonbrazil added 22:27 - Nov 23 Beaten by better tactics, more power and a team with a plan. We were tactically woeful. Fraser and Penny utterly useless. Lets hear from the owners soon please re January plans.
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DaGremloid added 22:27 - Nov 23 Anyway at least we're still in a couple of cup competitions! We haven't been able to say that for a long time!
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