Manager Kieran McKenna’s unbeaten home record with the Blues came to an end as under par Town were beaten 1-0 by Cambridge United. Dominic Thompson’s own goal in the 56th minute won the points for the U’s, although the Blues, whose play-off push now looks over, had a late goal disallowed for offside.
Tom Carroll came into the centre of midfield alongside skipper Sam Morsy with Tyreeq Bakinson dropping to the bench.
Conor Chaplin took over from Sone Aluko as one of the number 10s with the Nigerian international also among the subs, as was Idris El Mizouni.
Cambridge were unchanged from the team which beat AFC Wimbledon 1-0 last week with former Blue Paul Digby captaining, while Jack Lankester and former Norwich City forward Wes Hoolahan were on the bench.
After the two teams had taken a knee to applause, the Blues struck the first shot of the game in the second minute. After Wes Burns had made the most of a Cambridge slip, Chaplin played the ball back to Bersant Celina on the edge of the area but the Kosovan international’s effort failed to test Dimitar Mitov.
Two minutes later, with Town starting sloppily, Sam Smith curled a shot through to Christian Walton, registering an early shot on target, something Plymouth were unable to do in the entire 90 minutes last week.
The Blues continued their scrappy start with too many passes going astray and in the 16th minute Cambridge thought they’d gone ahead when Joe Ironside shot into the roof of the net from close range from Harvey Knibbs's flick from a right-wing Smith cross but from an offside position.
Three minutes later, the U’s won a free-kick in a dangerous position on the right after Cameron Burgess had fouled George Williams with Cambridge claiming in vain the offence was inside the area.
James Brophy played the ball to the unmarked Adam May on the edge of the box and his goalbound shot was blocked by Luke Woolfenden.
From the resultant corner Cambridge went close again, Walton reacting superbly to tip Williams’s close range header over the bar when it looked like the visitors were certain to go in front.
And Town couldn’t have complained if they had been behind with the U’s on top with the Blues having struggled to get going. However as the game passed the 25-minute mark Town began to take control and dominate possession in the manner which has become familiar since Kieran McKenna took charge.
On 31 Burgess wasn’t far away from scoring his first Town goal when a Chaplin cross from the left following a corner whipped across the area but just too far in front of him as the former Australia U23 international flung his head towards it.
A minute later, Celina headed into the ground straight at Mitov from a Chaplin cross from the right.
Town chances were starting to come regularly and in the 35th minute Morsy hit a snapshot from just inside the area which Mitov saved down to his left.
At the other end, Woolfenden used his strength to hold off Ironside and win the ball with the Cambridge striker breaking in on goal.
The game briefly boiled over in the 38th minute after a clash between Thompson and Williams. James Norwood shoved Williams, then Smith got involved and swung an arm towards the Town striker before retreating towards his team’s bench as referee Craig Hicks sought to restore order.
Norwood was booked and eventually Smith was called over and was also shown a yellow card and was somewhat fortunate that his involvement wasn’t considered more serious.
As the half moved into its penultimate minute, Norwood played a clever pass down the left and Chaplin struck a deflected effort through to Mitov.
Walton superbly caught a corner under pressure before Norwood blocked off Harrison Dunk right in front of the dugouts and was lucky not to be shown a second yellow card.
The scoreline remained level at the break with Cambridge having given the Blues a far tougher game that Plymouth a week ago and other sides nearer to the top of the division.
Town started uncharacteristically slowly with too many passes failing to find blue shirts and they couldn’t have complained had the U’s gone in front via their disallowed goal.
However, the Blues began to get their passing going in the final 20 minutes and created one or two decent chances but with the visitors defending resolutely and in numbers when out of possession.
Cambridge started the second half on the front foot and two minutes after the restart Walton was forced into another save, pushing Lloyd Jones’s header out for a corner to his right.
Town almost went in front in the 49th minute when Thompson found Chaplin inside the area on the left and his cross-shot flew across the area just too far in front of Norwood’s slide.
The Blues were taking charge and on 51 Burns struck a low 30-yard effort which flew not far wide of Mitov’s left post.
Town continued to see most of the ball and in the 54th minute Celina dug out a shot from not far outside the box which failed to trouble Mitov.
But two minutes later, the visitors went in front. Woolfenden fouled Knibbs just outside the area on the left, May sent in a free-kick which was touched on its way over and Thompson inadvertently bundled the ball into the net as he sought to stop Ironside reaching it. The goal was only the second conceded at Portman Road under McKenna.
Town set about looking for an equaliser, Celina finding Norwood on the left of the area from where the ex-Forest Green man looped towards the far corner, however, Mitov palmed it away.
On 64 the Blues made a double change with Aluko and Macauley Bonne replacing Carroll and Chaplin. Bonne joined Norwood up front with Aluko behind them and Celina and Morsy deeper roles.
Four minutes later, Woolfenden found Norwood on the left of the area from where the striker hit a powerful low shot which Mitov did well to block and the loose ball was cleared.
In the 70th minute Bonne headed a Donacien cross from the right over before Mitov was jeered by the fans behind the goal as he took his time over his goal-kick, the visitors having taken their time over restarts since the opening minutes. Three minutes later, Matt Penney took over from Thompson.
Donacien was booked for a foul on Knibbs on the left and following the free-kick Ironside shot wide on the turn.
Town were continuing to look for the equaliser but were largely huffing and puffing against a Cambridge side now happy enough to sit back in their own half.
Morsy forced Mitov into a save in the 78th minute with a shot from just outside the area, the keeper uncomfortably bundling into the air before it was cleared.
Dunk was booked for a foul on Burns in the 81st minute, then May joined him for a pull on the same player three minutes later and Woolfenden was shown a yellow card for a foul on Knibbs as Cambridge broke having given the ball away.
Town weren’t particularly looking like finding a goal with Cambridge remaining steadfast as they protected their lead, while referee Hicks waved away a couple of penalty appeals after the ball appeared to strike U's arms.
As the game moved into five additional minutes, Town thought they’d scored the leveller. Norwood flicked on a corner from the left, Aluko bundled goalwards, Mitov saved and it was eventually forced over the line by Burgess. Referee Hicks initially appeared set to give it until his linesman flagged.
Bonne protested and was booked and after consultation with his assistant Hicks eventually confirmed that the goal wouldn’t stand.
Town were unable to work another opportunity and the end of manager McKenna’s unbeaten home record was confirmed by the referee’s whistle which was met by boos aimed towards the official for the disallowed goal.
Things boiled over again following the whistle, Bonne and Jubril Okendina clashing with Smith also involved.
Town, unbeaten in 11 before today, had been under par all afternoon, were sloppy from the start and never really got on top of their game. Cambridge defended solidly but also had as many chances as the Blues and will be delighted to have maintained their 100 per cent league record at Portman Road.
The defeat, allied with late winners for Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday, almost certainly ends Town’s hopes of making the play-offs, the gap now six points with five games to go and the four sides above them all having played a game fewer. The Blues are next in action at Shrewsbury next Saturday.
Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Burgess, Burns, Carroll (Aluko 64), Morsy (c), Thompson (Penney 73), Chaplin (Bonne 64), Celina, Norwood. Unused: Hladky, Bakinson, El Mizouni, Pigott.
Cambridge: Mitov, Williams, Digby (c), Jones, Brophy (Sherring 90), Ironside, Smith, Dunk, Okedina, May, Knibbs. Unused: Mannion, Iredale, Hoolahan, Tolaj, Lankester, Worman. Referee: Craig Hicks (Surrey). Att: 26,515 (Cambridge: 2,009).