Goalkeeper Christian Walton has admitted Town “weren’t at the races” in their 2-0 FA Cup second round replay defeat at Barrow, which was screened live on ITV4 last night.
The Blues’ woeful recent record in the world’s oldest knockout competition, which they won in 1978, continued as the League Two strugglers, who had won just four of their previous 15 games, fully deserved to progress to the third round, where they will meet Barnsley at Oakwell.
Interim boss John McGreal made eight changes from the side that had battled from behind to claim a 1-1 draw at Wigan on Saturday — but Walton refused to look for excuses to explain one of the worst performances by a Town team in a long time.
The on-loan Brighton keeper said: "It was a difficult game. You can make as many excuses as you want — the pitch, conditions, travel, whatever you want — but at the end of the day you have to turn up for a game of football and you have to be at it right from the first whistle. We weren’t at the races so we got beaten by the better team on the night.”
Asked about the problem in the first half, when Town seemed stuck in first gear and conceded twice in the space of nine minutes to give themselves a mountain to climb, Walton added; "We lost second balls, weren’t challenging, weren’t up for the fight and when that’s the case it’s a long old evening.
"In the second half we got the ball forward and gave it a bit of a go but it’s easy to do that at 2-0 down. We obviously need to do better.”
Walton insisted Town wanted to stay in the competition, adding: "Of course we did. I’ve had good runs before at previous clubs and it’s a pity it wasn’t to be tonight. It’s obviously a nice feeling to get a good cup run and play against the bigger teams.
"It gets you on TV and the FA Cup is steeped in tradition so you want to be involved in it for as long as possible.”
One can only guess at what might have been said afterwards in the Holker Street away dressing room and Walton was asked if the players had their say in any discussion that took place. He responded: "I think it’s down to not saying too much at this point.
"Everyone knows what’s going wrong and what they need to do better. There’s no point in getting personal. Whatever happens within football clubs or teams, I think you just have to make sure you do your job and work hard for your team and your teammates.
"I don’t think there are any excuses behind it or secrets behind it; it’s literally attitude and application towards the game.”
Town took the decision to sack manager Paul Cook after the 0-0 draw with Barrow at Portman Road 12 days ago and the club has yet to make an official announcement as to whether or not his successor will lead the team in Saturday’s clash with high-flying Sunderland at a packed Portman Road.
Bookmakers are quoting around 60 possible successors to Cook but Town chief executive Mark Ashton, who is leading the search for the club’s tenth manager — or head coach — in the last 20 years, is not giving much away as he meets and interviews those he considers to be the leading candidates.
When asked if it was unsettling for a squad when one manager departs, another comes in to take interim charge and there is no end of speculation about the identity of the next permanent incumbent, Walton replied: "It’s my first experience of it and it’s not easy.
"Obviously, the manager that got sacked was someone I knew really well after working for him for a few seasons and was a really good man who had helped my career.
"So it was obviously sad to see Paul and all his staff leave. It’s a tough time for everyone and I think you need to look at where the club stands in the division. We, the players, need to take our responsibility.
"Managers do tend to take the brunt of everything in the modern game and the managers are now changing rapidly.
"When the form isn’t right it’s the managers that people turn on and unfortunately that’s the game but I think both individually and collectively we need to take responsibility. It’s obviously an unsettling time but I think it’s now about making sure we are focused for Saturday.”
Does Walton look at the names of managers who are rumoured to be coming to Portman Road? "Personally, I’ve not looked much,” he added. "I’m not on Twitter, which is where I think the rumours start and then tend to escalate on that platform. So, no, I haven’t seen much going on.”