Blues boss Paul Jewell felt his side deserved to have beaten bogey side Watford after the Hornets came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory at Portman Road. The loss means Town’s winless streak against the visitors stretches to 14 games and their run of defeats is up to seven.

Jewell said: “We should have had three points. On Tuesday we were abject, but today you could see the determination — we just didn’t have any luck.

“I’m not one for blaming luck, I never have been, but for their first goal [John] Eustace goes to lay it back, it sticks under his foot, the little ricochet goes their way and they go on to get a penalty.

“We should have dealt with their second goal, but we’ve had balls flash across their box, we’ve had shots saved, we’ve done everything but score another goal.

“I’m hugely disappointed to lose seven games in a row, but effort-wise I can’t question the players today.”

Jewell said there were few arguments from his players about the penalty: “There were no complaints from our side.

“I didn’t have a great view from where we were, but Sonko didn’t complain. You’re not the first person to ask me that, someone else said it didn’t look a penalty but the lads didn’t complain.”

Jewell admitted his 21st-placed side are now in a relegation battle: “No doubt about it, we are. After 19 games we’re fourth bottom of the league, so of course we’re in a relegation battle.

“But I just saw that two weeks ago Burnley were fourth bottom, now they’re 10th, so it can change quickly, but it’s seven games on the bounce now and I’m aware of that more than anybody.

“It was a day to stand up and be counted," he added."There was no hiding place for any of us. The only thing that went against us today was the result.

“Maybe I see it wrong, but I think I’m an honest enough manager to know when we’ve been outplayed and been bad and today I think we were dead unlucky.”

Watford manager Sean Dyche was pleased to grab the three points: “With Ipswich’s unfortunate run you don’t want to be the team they turn over because that run will end at some point.

“We knew it would be a tough game and we knew we’d have to go all the way through the game whatever the ref played minutes-wise, and we didn’t.

“It wasn’t always silky from us, it wasn’t always our best performance but the desire of the players and the work ethic of the players was fantastic, I thought.”

Photo: Action Images

bluearmy4life added 10:00 - Dec 4 Bruce is a top manager in my eyes. I can just about live with his ex-Norwich connections. If brucey still had Bent And Gyan he would still be in a job. Bruce would bring youth into the team as well although that would take time as we have too many pensioners in are side.
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alfromcol added 10:28 - Dec 4 SB very much hope not No reason to sack PJ yet, have faith, plenty of time yet. He must be given until at least the end of January.
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portmanteau added 11:39 - Dec 4 all is not lost ..yet. if we had won the last 7 we would now be 2nd on 41 pts. never going to happen of course but if we had won only 3 of those 7 we would be at the door of the playoffs. at this stage of the season the gap between top 6 and last 3 is still bridgeable by a few wins but not usually after christmas when the points gap widens. will need a miracle of course but please not in the shape of bruce. have we not learned anything from the keane/jewell appointments? the players put in a shift yesterday by most accounts but it won't cut any ice with barnsley. are we being too hard on our players anyway?maybe we should just accept that the older hands are no longer good enough even for this league. you can take a horse to water....

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WhoisJimmyJuan added 12:37 - Dec 4 Infiniteregress: There we are as one. The next (if Jewell goes) manager must be very carefully considered. The last two appear to have been appointed on reputation only. And it should go hand-in-hand with an overall review of strategy of things like transfer dealing and the youth and scouting set ups. Infiniteregress was a Star Trek Voyager episode wasn't it?
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jas0999 added 19:45 - Dec 4 To all who seem to think we were brillaint - you do realise we were playing Watford AND lost - plus we have lost our last SEVEN? By reading a few posts on here - anyone would think we held Man City ... and are top 6 in the league. Get a grip - we are in a REEGATION fight - how on earth can people be pleased about this????? JEWELL OUT and NOW
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Tractastic added 20:10 - Dec 4 Ok yes the players were applauded off yesterday because the players clearly 'put a shift in' and as ITFC fans we desperately want the team to do well and we historically have incredible patience.No true fan likes booing at the end of matches unless it is out of pure frustration.However we lost to a really poor team and 'putting a shift in' means nothing if the tactics,organisation and team selection are short of the mark.Were the crowd applauding PJ.I don't think so.!! I agree with Jas0999. As Ipswich fans are we really happy with this?

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choprawontcome added 07:34 - Dec 5 So this is the state of our beloved Ipswich Town FC,sounds to me like many of you accept we are simply 2nd best in every game now. We need changes from the top down,the club is in no better position than we were in when we slipped out of the Premier League nearly ten years ago,its simple, we have money but a clueless owner/funder with a hopeless chief exec who if he was working for me,he would have exited the same time keane went,why is it like in most Businesses the 'Upper' Management always seem to have a cloak of protection around them?,and it doesnt help anyone,clueless board equals clueless football club & decisions based upon that. For gods sake lets rebuild our academy now and get some quality youngsters coming through again,Id have Sheepshanks & Burley back any day,the players dont give a hoot,attendances slipping shockingly,its only going one way until changes are made further up,cant see it improving at all until then.

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LFCITFC added 09:26 - Dec 5 much better performance, a solid 4-4-2. 1 peice of bad defending cost us the game, but with that was a lot of fortune, a rebound fell straight to their number 9, goal. With us it was falling to Sonko and Collins. What was good on Saturday, there was a decent atmosphere!! WOW, 1st time this year.
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buryblue77 added 13:02 - Dec 5 What I don'y understand is that many on here are saying give PJ until end of January. what good will that do? Likeable guy that he is, and I wished he would have been a success. If we carry on this poor run and he brings in a couple of new players in the next window and if it still doesn't work out then we bring a new manager in, he will not have a chance to bring any of his own players in and the damage could already be done! If we are to get rid it must be done very soon, If he's not gone soon then he must go if there's another defeat, or if say there's no real improvement in next 5 games.

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Garv added 15:54 - Dec 5 Jas0999 its called being positive, and recognising the improved performance! While we're on this run no game will be easy which is what you seem to think just because we are playing a poor Watford. Confidence is so low we would struggle against most league one teams right now. Why can't you be encouraged by the better performance?
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h32 added 17:49 - Dec 5 Choprawontcome - agree with you - far too many people prepared to accept 2nd best and failure for this Club to ever regain past glory days with this regime. And, yes, the 'glass is half empty' and the level reducing - that's reality for those who choose to be in the real world.
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