Boss Roy Keane slammed his team’s second half performance as the Blues surrendered a 1-0 half-time lead to lose 3-1 at rock bottom Peterborough.

Keane said: "We live in the real world. We defend each other but when you have three thousand fans here to see you, you must be better.

"It is not good players that get you out of trouble, it is characters and in the last 25 minutes I never felt we were going to get back into it.

"I have defended the players this season as they have always given their all, but we died out in the second half and I need to put my finger on why tonight and we must do more.

"You can have 90% of the possession but if you don't score and don't defend set-pieces you will lose games.

"There is no hiding place. In any walk of life you have got to show some character and we had none."

The Blues boss felt a second first half goal would have settled the match in Town’s favour: "We got a foothold in the game but we didn't get that second goal that I think would have been enough to have won us the points.

"Their goal in the first minute of the second half changed the game. It was a crazy goal to give away. We had the kick-off, we didn't clear the ball, dived in for the challenge. I'm not sure it was a foul but you still have to defend the set-piece and we didn't do that.

"Their second goal was a good goal but the third was another set-piece and we have to be better than that.

"Credit to Peterborough, they took the game to us but our second half performance wasn't good enough. It was disappointing, frustrating - and a lot worse but you won't be able to print it!

"The last 20 minutes we lost that bit of spark and it looked as if we had played over the weekend and they had a few days off, not the other way round.

"I think we will be in the bottom three tomorrow night as other teams around us will pick up results.

"We had a fantastic following again but we let the fans down tonight and that's not acceptable. We have to make sure we bounce back on Saturday at Sheffield Wednesday."

Peterborough boss Jim Gannon made an important tactical change just after the half hour, taking off Craig Mackail-Smith, bringing on Reuben Reid and switching to a five-man midfield.

Gannon says he should have gone with that plan from the start: "I made a difficult decision to try and accommodate a certain player and I compromised my beliefs to get him in. I will never do that again.

"I was disappointed in myself as we looked poor in the first half an hour but I made the change and it was justified.

"Straight away Reuben gave us width and penetration and you could see signs from then that we would be more purposeful.

"We didn't show enough quality maybe but in the second half we had more tempo and certainly did enough.

"I just reminded them at the break about what we have been working on and we played my way after the break.

"I have learned a lot in my short time here and if we play like that for the majority of the remaining games then we will give ourselves a chance."

Photo: Action Images

ElvisMariner added 08:28 - Feb 17 The only positive I can draw from last night was the MAGNIFICENT support of the Town fans - what an atmosphere in the away end at London road.....Sadly the players were'nt inspired by it and most of them could'nt even be bothered to acknowledge us at the end of the game!!
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dirtydingusmagee added 08:34 - Feb 17 THAT just about summed the season up Keano,a bloody disaster.I have said all along, you are not the man for us.I [and others have been slagged off all season for saying so, nothing ,NOTHING,so far has shown we are wrong.WHEN will the blind faithfull concede they were wrong?...When,? more importantly,will Marcus Evans realise he was wrong. Keane may well have played for Alex Ferguson but please dont be fooled into thinking he picked up any managerial skills from the man . ROY KEANE ,YOU ARE FAILING, FAILING, FAILING ,PLEASE GO .

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MazzaCOYB added 08:36 - Feb 17 In the first half we should have been out of sight but we have to get used to the fact that when Ipswich Town dominate a game it does not mean we are going to win it. I dont think that any player/players stood out as awful last night but the whole of the second half was an absolute disgrace. I know their early goal didnt help but the performace was shocking. We had no hunger, desire or fight about us and Peterborough had all three. They came out and played like a side who wanted to do it for their fans and like a side scrapping for relegation, we did not. I am not sure if some of the players still feel we are 'too good to go down' but on that performance we are certainly not. I believe Peterborough will go down as they looked very poor at times last night, fair play they turned us over but I dont think it took much more then the desire to do that. I am pro Keane and I still will be untill the end of the season. But I have to say last night was an embarresment to us supporters who travelled up there and the players really need to sort that out as it is not acceptable. I feel very let down by Ipswich Town this morning and that is not a feeling I want to feel again this season but know that I inevitably will. ITFC death before dishonour. Keane, please sort this out.

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mistleyblue added 08:44 - Feb 17 Absolute disgrace ! We fell apart second half all down to Keane's pointless substitutions. We were in control and then he decides to change things for the worse. Not the first time, the players don't know what he wants ! Garvan was playing well and was taken off after winning three 50/50 challanges, the most his probably done all season ! I'm worried about the future of the team I've followed for 31 years now....

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roytheboy added 08:55 - Feb 17 Why do I always know in my heart that they are going to throw it away in the second half virtually every game, it is totally unacceptable and I would expect much better from players of their experience, I am becoming extremely dissillusioned with the team I support, it was an embarrassment !
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SomershamBlue added 09:03 - Feb 17 I have to go to a meeting in Naaarich today , with a load of canaries- think I'll call in sick....
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ITFC1985 added 09:12 - Feb 17 was last night the lowest point for town in the last 10 years?
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oldmantractor added 09:14 - Feb 17 every time i read an article on keane he is slagging someone off. Ireland, various ex man utd players who are now managers, he was even publically slagging off some poor lad in the youth team the other day for lacking fitness after glandular fever!!! i dont think this is a sign of a capable manager. as a player he was able to lead by example due to his exceptional quality, you need a bit more than that to lead as a manager...

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tommyblue added 09:14 - Feb 17 shocking...starting to worry about our club
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Marshalls_Mullet added 09:16 - Feb 17 Until recently I was in the camp that thought the signs were good that we were building the foundation of a good team that would perform next season. I can no longer see this. Keanes insistence on changing a winning XI is counter producitve and as such the team is not cohesive and doesnt seem to have a good understanding. ALB has played well in patches but he is out of his depth, NO FAITH in B Murphy... his CV is awful! Hope Plug comes back to form. Bring Burley back!!

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brockleyblueboy added 09:16 - Feb 17 IS anyone suprised that we lost that game? I am at a loss for this season. I have tried to stand up for keane and even berrated fans on here but this is one result too far. Everyone before the gma ethought we would walk it but hasn't that been typical of the season so far. Thought we would walk this league but we haven't. The only little ounce of hope I have left is that by some miracle we survive this season, get a serious dose of reality, and be able to push on for next. But something tells me that Keane won't be here next season, this is dreadful and we are in serious trouble and I just don't think we have the heart or the balls to do anything about it. However we beat Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and it is all change again, but something tells me we we will get a hiding on Saturday. Oh god, I am so so gutted.

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dirtydingusmagee added 09:17 - Feb 17 your team Keano, your tactics, no excuses . JUST GO !.
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PlymptonBlue added 09:17 - Feb 17 Like everyone else, devastated with this result our worst of the season?... There is no point in Keane going now as a new manager would not be able to turn things around quickly. At least if we go down i'll have some nice away trips next season: Plymouth, Exeter, Yeovil, Bristol Rovers, Swindon and Bournemouth!!
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moomoosereni added 09:18 - Feb 17 Support last night, once again was superb, and beyond what the team deserved overall. 1st half, no complaints in particular but should have had the game finished by half time. Colback looked like he was struggling with Reid hence why Roy changed it. Leadbitter was injured by the looks of things or had at least taken a knock. What I cant understand is why take garvan off if our only tactic after going 2 and 3-1 down is to play long balls up the line. Garvan is our best distibruter of these balls and he wasn't on the pitch. That goes without saying we shouldn't have even resorted to this in the first place. Usual town. 1-0 up, and scared of scoring more goals.

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Marshalls_Mullet added 09:23 - Feb 17 I dont subscirbe to the theory 'if we sack Keane now, no manager will come in and do better'. We have 15 or 16 games left, this is time for a new EXPERIENCED manager to make his mark. We have some good players, but need a decent manager to bring the best out of them. Most of Keanes signings (Lee Martin excepted) are capable of putting in good performances.
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muhrensleftfoot added 09:25 - Feb 17 Oh dear, Div 3 is looking closer.I saw my first ITFC game in 1967 & am still a season ticket holder. This must surely be the worst season in the 43 years I've been supporting the club. Can't remember us ever being in danger of Div 3 in all that time. Keep thinking Roy's finally turned it around for us, then we had the Preston away performance, & then this one happens. Roy talks the talk, sounds so sensible in his interviews & makes you think everything will be OK, but obviously it isn't. When you think what Joe Royle did with no cash and all his best players being sold, it make you wonder....

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GlenPennyfather added 09:28 - Feb 17 Even if Thatcher doesn't get a new contract at the end of the season, you can bet the new manager will bring him straight back into the fold - crying out for a left back
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SomershamBlue added 09:37 - Feb 17 Time for Warnock? Never thought that I'd say that!
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greenkingtone added 09:42 - Feb 17 The players did not thank the magnificent support last night because they were ashamed of themselves. I feel sick this morning.
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kirbs added 09:43 - Feb 17 An absolute embarassement! roy keane is a footballer, definately not a manager and I think we are going down if he is not sacked now! i dont know how people can say a new manager wont save us, there is 15 or so games left and Keane is not getting us out of this position and with a new manager in the players will want to show some heart like they did for keane at the end of last season and that will keep us up! KEANE OUT! BURLEY IN :D

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Marshalls_Mullet added 09:45 - Feb 17 Agreed kirbs, my thoughts exactly.
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SomershamBlue added 09:52 - Feb 17 I don't think that people are saying that a new manager (if there is to be one) won't save us - he might, or he might not. The question is who would choose the new manager - presumably ME - and he choose RK.....
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brittaniaman added 09:52 - Feb 17 I am sure that Thatcher might give us a bit of steel that we need, especially going to Sheffield on Sat.!!! He looked strong when he played for reserves at Bent lane,but he is probably short of match fitness.Sheffield have a new manager who seems to have pulled them round,so it will be a big fight for us MORE THAN EVER. I hope you slept last night Keano !! because I did not thinking, about where do we go from here. I will be happy if we finish 4th.bottom now.

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dubblue added 09:57 - Feb 17 Before we talk about getting rid of Keane we need a credible alternative and I don't think Burley is the man - he has not been successful at any of the clubs he's managed since he left town. As for Keane he was successful in his first season at Sunderland. I'm far from his biggest fan but I think at this stage he'll be there until the summer (if we are relegated - a distinct possibility but by no means probable), if we survive this season I would expect us to be in the top 6 by Christmas, if not then we should be on the look out for a new manager.

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brockleyblueboy added 10:00 - Feb 17 Some things in life are bad They can really make you mad Other things just make you swear and curse. When you're chewing on life's gristle Don't grumble, give a whistle And this'll help things turn out for the best... And...always look on the bright side of life... Always look on the light side of life... If life seems jolly rotten There's something you've forgotten And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing. When you're feeling in the dumps Don't be silly chumps Just purse your lips and whistle - that's the thing. And...always look on the bright side of life... Always look on the light side of life... For life is quite absurd And death's the final word You must always face the curtain with a bow. Forget about your sin - give the audience a grin Enjoy it - it's your last chance anyhow. So always look on the bright side of death Just before you draw your terminal breath Life's a piece of Poo When you look at it Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true. You'll see it's all a show Keep 'em laughing as you go Just remember that the last laugh is on you. And always look on the bright side of life... Always look on the right side of life... (Come on guys, cheer up!) Always look on the bright side of life... Always look on the bright side of life... (Worse things happen at sea, you know.) Always look on the bright side of life... (I mean - what have you got to lose?) (You know, you come from nothing - you're going back to nothing. What have you lost? Nothing!) Always look on the right side of life...

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