Bad defending cost Town dear at Blundell Park as Grimsby beat the Blues 2-1. The Mariners went ahead via a first half goal from Kevin Donovan after neat work down the left wing from Lee Ashcroft.

Grimsby matched Town for much of the game soaking Ipswich pressure whilst allowing the visitors a lot of possession. Town found breaking down the solid Grimsby defence difficult, but in the 54th minute Jim Magilton hit a freekick sweetly from just outside the area to level the scores.

However a terrible blunder by the usually reliable John McGreal gifted the points to the Lincolnshire side. The former Tranmere man played a pass back to Richard Wright, but merely allowed Jack Lester to play in Lee Ashcroft who hit home.

Ipswich continued to put pressure on the Mariners, but couldn't break the well-organised defence down.

A poor result for Town once more against bogey side Grimsby. George Burley will be less than pleased at losing a game because of a dreadful defensive lapse for the second time in just a few weeks.

Equally worrying was Town's lack of creation and penetration up front against one the less fancied sides in the Division. Two weeks until Town's next game, perhaps time for George Burley and his coaches to work on quite a few things...

R Wright 7 Little chance on goals

Stockwell 6 Not up to last week's high standard

Thetis 6 The odd error (Wilnis 74)

McGreal 5 Dreadful blunder

Venus 6 Not at his best

Clapham 7 Some good crosses

Holland 6 Quiet

Magilton 7 Getting better, good goal

Scowcroft 6 Couldn't trap a bag of cement

Johnson 7 Kept plugging away, little luck

Naylor 6 Frustrating afternoon

Photo: Action Images

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