Town boss Paul Jewell was again left shaking his head after more calamitous individual defensive errors handed Leeds a 3-1 win they hardly deserved at Elland Road. Jewell admitted that the mistakes against the West Yorkshiremen took things to a new level.

Jewell said: “I think we were in control of the game, then I don’t know what the goalkeepers were doing. You have to see it to believe it.

“For 70 minutes we were winning the game. We’ve restricted Leeds to very few chances, if any at all gilt-edged.

“One long ball and our goalkeeper decides he’s coming out for it and handles outside the box. With 10 men we were always going to be up against it but to give the goals away in the fashion that we did. I’ve said it so many times this season, but I think today is another level.

“We’re shooting ourselves in the feet time and time again,” he continued, clearly frustrated by more points having been thrown away after what had been a promising first half display.

“There was so much good about today, about the way we’ve played. We were good in all departments up until decision-making by Alex and Sonko that cost us the sending off.”

Meanwhile, stand-in skipper Sonko said sorry for his mistakes on Twitter: "I do want to apologise for today. My error cost us."

Jewell felt the goals were as bad as the red card: “The second goal is a long ball from the full-back that the goalkeeper should come and collect. The third one bounced on the edge of our box. They’ve scored three goals, and that’s why we are where we are.”

The Town boss is on the lookout for more defenders, having targeted Leicester’s Sean St Ledger and Portsmouth pair Jason Pearce and Joel Ward during the transfer window after a campaign blighted by similar capitulations by his backline: “It’s not just because of today it’s been because of the whole season.

“Having said that, I thought Tommy Smith did well and as a team we weren’t in danger for 70 minutes.

"Leeds were getting very frustrated. We passed the ball better than them, we created more opportunities, we looked in control of the match, we were controlling the tempo of the game. The gifts we gave them they haven’t had to work hard for. Again, it’s the same old thing.”

He says managers can’t legislate for the type of errors made all too regularly by his players: “As a manager, as a coach, there are certain things you can affect, but the decisions I’ve seen today, they’re just bad decisions which have cost us goals.

“I’ll always take responsibility as I pick the team but when people see the goals on TV they’ll scratch their heads.

“It wasn’t as if we were coming under severe pressure. It was just a long ball that our centre-half was going to deal with, he was going to head it back to Alex, and for some reason has decided to come charging out.

“It was windy out there, very windy and I guess even our goal was a mistake from their goalkeeper.”

Jewell says there have been no developments on transfers: “All the offers we’ve made have been rejected but we will be trying to bring in players, there’s no doubt about that.

“I don’t know about [improved bids] yet. We’ll have to sit down and speak about how far away we are from the other clubs’ valuations."

He says he doesn’t expect anything to happen regarding Sean St Ledger, who is back in Leicester’s plans, at least in the short-term, while there are no offers for any members of the current squad: “There are no enquiries for our players. We’ve made lots of enquiries and are pursuing other targets. It’s the same old boring lines I’ve got for you.”

Leeds boss Simon Grayson admitted his team had gained their victory largely by taking advantage of Town’s mistakes but felt the match was not dissimilar to the one between the teams at Portman Road earlier in the season: “That’s what can happen in football matches.

“We were poor in the first half, we never really got going. We would liked to have made a better start in terms of possession of the ball, closing them down and working them.

“We went a goal behind to a soft goal, it took a slight deflection but Andy Lonergan holds his hands up, he should have done better with it, and I think we were fortunate to be only one down at half-time.

“But in the second half we got to grips with things, changed it around a little bit, spoke to the players and gave them the belief that we could go and win the game, never mind draw it because we had to do a lot of things a lot better. We knew that we could still create opportunities and maybe win the game.

“The sending off obviously changed the game and it mirrored the game at Portman Road earlier in the season.

“For part of that game we were the best team, the sending off changed the game and Ipswich went and won the game.

"We’ve won the game off the back of the sending off and we’re delighted to have done that.”

Photo: Action Images

kipper added 20:53 - Jan 21 The big question is people what do you want to do about this ? There were protests organised for Magilton to go when things were nowhere near as bad as this. Any ideas ?
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Notts_tractor added 21:00 - Jan 21 I wish Jewell would come out and admit he made a huge mistake with Fulop. You build from the back - straightaway this went out of the window when we relied on a loanee at risk of immediate recall. We ended up trying three different GKs once Stockdale was recalled. What does that do for the defenders in front of the GK? Zero communication or understanding, and loads of goals conceded through defensive mix ups. God knows why Fulop was dropped, let alone allowed to go. As I recall, shortly after he was dropped ALB shipped five in the disaster against Nodge.

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Drew added 21:01 - Jan 21 Just seen the goals, awful, awful defending. Even Blue Square North/South teams defend as bad as that. And what is with the high line? That's just suicide!
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Norwichbeater added 21:04 - Jan 21 We are the laughing stock of the whole league. I am need to start betting on results. We were 1 nil up with 20 mins to go and i said to my 5 year old son that i would do some magic. I paused gillette soccer saturday for 15 mins(dont get angry i am a season ticket holder) and told my son that when i pressed fast forward i would guarantee that we would be losing again! fXXk me i fast forwarded and watched 1 1 then 2 1 then 3 1 we are a disgrace. The worst team in decline in the whole league in my opinion. Have u also noticed week in week out as we go a goal behind Norwich normally score. I have never thought we would get relegated in previous seasons but i am positive we are this year. We have been spiraling towards rock bootem for years. We are now there. It doesnt get worse than this. PJ Clegg go now. Will still be too late though.

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FornhamBlue added 21:06 - Jan 21 We have a centre back issue because Clegg didn't do a deal with McCauly and had no idea about the players we go after. Allegedly Evans spoke to St Ledger to re-assure him and The Clubs comitment to Jewell. How laughable is that? Somebody on here mentioned at the time it was probably the cleaner that spoke to St. ledger - I doubt it or we would probably have got him : ). Evans can do what he likes - he owns The Club, but if he doesn't want to be the face of it then he needs people who can do the job - Clegg can't. And while I think Jewell is fast running out of time - I have no confidence that we have the knowledge to find a better replacement.

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RetroBlue added 21:07 - Jan 21 thats the problem isnt it . Even if Clegg and Jewell do leave this coming week, its too late for any newcomer to do anything !
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suffolkpunchdrunk added 21:07 - Jan 21 Yet another game thrown. Anyone got the stats for how many points ITFC has lost in the last 20 mins of games this season? ITFC is standing on the edge of an abyss. ME - decision time, stick or twist?
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FornhamBlue added 21:09 - Jan 21 We have a centre back issue because Clegg didn't do a deal with McCauly and had no idea about the players we go after. Allegedly Evans spoke to St Ledger to re-assure him and The Clubs comitment to Jewell. How laughable is that? Somebody on here mentioned at the time it was probably the cleaner that spoke to St. ledger - I doubt it or we would probably have got him : ). Evans can do what he likes - he owns The Club, but if he doesn't want to be the face of it then he needs people who can do the job - Clegg can't. And while I think Jewell is fast running out of time - I have no confidence that we have the knowledge to find a better replacement.

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wherescounago added 21:09 - Jan 21 I see Magilton keeps getting mentioned, did he take the job in Australia because he could see Jewell getting sacked and feared that Evans and Clegg would want him back???
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newbsblue added 21:09 - Jan 21 I don't normally comment, but I avidly read what others on here say every day. Like many others, I like Paul Jewell but (and it is a big but), while he is right in saying that week after week, individual errors cost us, the fact that he has to say it week after week is down to him. If he feels that the club/owner isn't supporting him in the transfer market, he may as well come out and say it. What's the worst that could happen ... It costs him his job?? It seems that 2/3 of the team is playing ok (even well at times) but the other third of the team (regardless of personnel) lets us down week after week. What seems odd is that the same 1/3 was letting is down a year ago, through the summer, the transfer window, the winter, the transfer window etc. When PJ joined us, he talked of our soft underbelly. It seems that he has slit the underbelly open and the life is slowly oozing out of us .... They say that it is better to be a pessimist as you are rarely disappointed. I think we have all become pessimists lately, but, Mr Evans, Mr Clegg, Mr Jewell, that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. Please, please, please restore some pride in our club.

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Keaneish added 21:12 - Jan 21 Does anyone else think that given how shaky any of our back 4's have been this season, a really experienced keeper would be the answer? So far we've relied on Stockdale, McCarthy, ALB and only once Wright. While i think Wright has been shaky for a while, i'd like to see him between the sticks now that McCarthy is suspended.
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Taricco_Fan added 21:13 - Jan 21 Those that called for Magilton's head should hang their heads in shame about now. Yes, he had a few 'off the pitch' problems shall we say, but the team he had was so much better than we have now, built with a fraction of the resources available to Keane and Jewell, and played much better football. Given time and support he would have had us heading in the right direction and built a team around our academy hopefuls. He was 100% blue and understood the club.

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FornhamBlue added 21:17 - Jan 21 Well, frustratingly, Evans recent released statement tells us that "The Manager hurts more than anybody when we lose" - so that tells you how much he understands about being a fan! There is reference to Magilton on here, but I don't think many are saying we should have stuck with him - I think it needed a change. And for me that's the sticking point - I don't think that there are too many players who have left the club that I thought were the type of player to get us back to The premiership. Problem is we never replace with better than we let leave. That trait has run throughout ME's time at the helm - and that, for me, points the finger at Clegg who is responsible for doing the deals. Sad days.

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fanofblue added 21:22 - Jan 21 This nothing to do with the disaster at Elland Road but I have just watched Jordan Rhodes win the game for Huddersfield with another brilliant goal,it just makes my blood boil that such a talent was given away by the people in charge of our football club.
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The_Prisoner added 21:23 - Jan 21 I can't see Jewel keeping us up if he is allowed to continue. This season's results have been frankly appalling and any other club would have got rid by now. I implore you Marcus Evans to act now before it's too late. Nobody deliberately sets out to fail but Jewel looks like an increasingly beleaguered man at the moment and if he felt the strain keeping Wigan up year on year and then the Derby fiasco what must he be feeling like now with the disastrous results we've had to endure. Who to replace him? Well I think either Neil Warnock or Billy Davies would do a better job, both controversial volatile characters but I think either of them could sort out the mess our club finds itself in. I think if we get hammered by the Hammers then Jewel's position would become untenable surely? If he does stay then I hope he finds some decent defenders as soon as possible.

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walberswick added 21:25 - Jan 21 It'll be all right. We won't get relegated from the "firtst 70 min Championship" keague. Yes tell all the other teams we only count the first 70 mins and we're staying up. That'll work?
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fanofblue added 21:28 - Jan 21 This nothing to do with the disaster at Elland Road but I have just watched Jordan Rhodes win the game for Huddersfield with another brilliant goal,it just makes my blood boil that such a talent was given away by the people in charge of our football club.
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blrmy added 21:42 - Jan 21 Might as well start saying it now... WARNOCK OUT!!!
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village_blue added 21:43 - Jan 21 At least PJ won't have to make the obivious choice of dropping McCarthy for the West Ham match as he will be suspended. Now let's terminate Sonko's contract and get in a decent centre half if we can.Wonder if ME now regrets sacking Magiltom when we were within touching distance of the play offs.
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walberswick added 21:46 - Jan 21 Yeah, Warnock.You won't have a clue either. Get rid.
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Keaneish added 21:46 - Jan 21 Spot on Fornhamblue. For the next 9 days before the window closes, I think this site is going to get more hits than its ever known in anticipation of the players who have to come in and save us. If its anything less than 3 permanent defensive signings, it's goodbye championship status and goodbye Jewell. Even if clubs accept an offer, it's a tough ask trying to persuade any defender to join a relegation battle. 3 points on the board today would have been healthier and on the back of the result against blackpool something to point to as a mini revival but McCarthy, Sonko, ALB and Smith have pretty much fooked it!

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itfc_since_birth added 21:56 - Jan 21 What was wrong with ALB? Better than I have seen lately and badly treated. Carson out of favour -why!?
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billlm added 21:56 - Jan 21 get rid of the goalie and if jewell has the backing for real then m e needs to spend a lot of money this week or sell up the owner can not dither now otherwise we will go down other teams around us beat us and we just cant turn up for the big name games
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Sugito added 21:56 - Jan 21 I think that we should end McCarthy's loan period right now, he has lost us now eight points in three games. I know that ALB ain't much better, but at least he's our own player. When it comes to defence, we need at least one CB and one RB asap. Otherwise it's gonna be a deja-vu in West Ham game, when Jewell will play Smith and Delaney in the middle, which won't work, cause neither one of them can play on the right side. I also wonder, how long is Jewell willing to stick to 4-4-2(ish) formation, while last year he used 4-3-3, which worked quite well during spring. It would also give Bullard or Bowyer much more freedom in the middle of the pitch.

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itfc_since_birth added 21:57 - Jan 21 ALB tries at least and has made some spectacular saves - give him a run !
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