Town manager Paul Jewell felt his side never recovered from conceding Ben Marshall’s freekick moments before half-time during their 2-1 home defeat to Leicester City. Jason Scotland had put the Blues in front four minutes before Marshall’s injury time goal with David Nugent netting the winner for the Foxes in the second half.

Jewell said: “In the first half we played well, we were in the ascendancy and were the far superior team — lots of crosses, lots of shots.

“Then to go in at half-time after the manner that they equalised was a right kick in the teeth and in the second half we didn’t seem to recover from it. We were laboured, we got stretched and we went out with a whimper really.”

The Blues boss wasn’t quite sure how Marshall’s freekick made it beyond the wall but thought keeper Arran Lee-Barrett ought to have saved it however it did so: “It took a deflection, I’m not sure whether it went through the wall or by the side of it.

“If it went through the wall, it’s disappointing and if it did so the keeper should save it, it’s a long way out.

“It was a cheap freekick we gave away. As I say, that kicked us right in the teeth. It was almost the last kick of the first half.

“It’s the worst time to concede a goal. It gave them a lift because I thought we were decent in the first half. Second half they came out, made a couple of changes and picked up the tempo.”

Jewell admitted that it wasn’t the first time his team had faded after the break in recent matches: “In the first half against Watford and against Derby were excellent and today was excellent.

“But in all those second halves we haven’t performed, but you’re never going to be on top of a game for 90 minutes.”

The Liverpudlian made four changes to his starting line-up which he says was to give a few players rest with games having come thick and fast recently: “We’ve kept the same team for quite a while. I know they kept their same team from Saturday, but I thought the lads needed a bit of a breather, one or two have been a bit jaded of late. So I made a few changes, it didn’t work but after 45 minutes we were looking good.”

Jewell was pleased with debutant Ryan Stevenson: “He was absolutely knackered, that’s the only reason we brought him off.

“I thought he showed great tenacity and great endeavour but that’s his first game since December and he had to come off as he was in danger of pulling something.”

The Blues boss says Leicester are a decent side who he expects to reach the Premier League before too long: “They’re a good team. If they don’t go up this season, I feel they’re certainties to go up next year with the squad they’ve got - not just the team, the squad. They’ll think they’ve got a chance of getting there this season.”

Jewell is well aware of David Nugent’s record against the Blues: “You always fear when the crowd boo him because players like that thrive on it. He was always going to score.”

Foxes boss Nigel Pearson was pleased with his team’s display which leaves them three points from the play-offs: “We’re still hanging in there. It was a great result for us. We certainly played a lot better than we did on Saturday.”

Pearson made two changes at the break as he thought his side seemed jaded in the first half: “I just felt that we didn’t really look to have the energy levels that we needed, so it was a case of making a couple of changes to inject some fresh legs into the team.

“I thought Paul Gallagher had an immediate effect in terms of what he brings to the team quality-wise.

"I thought it was a good second half for us and I never felt we were in any danger. I thought we could have won it more convincingly.”

Sub Andy King was booked for a dive, a decision his manager thought referee Tony Bates got wrong: “Not particularly happy about the booking of King but you’ve got deal with decisions like that during a game.

“The player couldn’t understand what the referee was talking about. We felt that there were a number of incidents which were a bit odd, but that’s life. We didn’t let it affect us.”

Pearson said he wasn’t aware of Nugent’s record at Portman Road and against Town: “I never look at stuff like that.”

Photo: Action Images

jas0999 added 20:10 - Apr 9 p.s. people who think this is about one result are deluded. This is about a SEASON - look at the Championship table - it makes dim reading and sums up the poor job PJ has done. he is STILL making the same mistakes I am afraid.
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manualthetisfanclub added 20:11 - Apr 9 Must just say thought Jason Scotland played well today,showed determination and quality,deserved his goal,as for the rest well pointless going through the motions sprang to mind!would rather have pj playing people who will be here next season and who gives a toss,so the likes of lead boots and bowyer can jog on!what really has hyam and drury done to get ''rested'',would have played them every time!this team needs some decent strengthening in all the key areas, right through the spine,keeper,rb,cb x 2,winger and striker(all young and hungry with points to prove,another Jon Walters will do!)interesting summer possibly

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Gazelle added 20:14 - Apr 9 BuryBlue fyi last year the EADT reported ME's wealth as £625 million, the 124th richest person in the country. Maybe there is a little there for a new player or four. Man City might be ready to offload someone i hear.
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riley26 added 20:15 - Apr 9 "but you're never going to be on top of a game for 90 minutes"... Well that's kind of what we need to be aiming to do, sounds defeatist to me!
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bluelady added 20:32 - Apr 9 Jas you are wrong people don't love PJ not in the obsessive way you loved Keane. Backers like me feel he is making progress all beit slower than we would like. I've said I give him to christmas and I stick by that. I like the attacking football we play when on form, first half today and Saturday, I don't like the very poor lack lustre second half showings that needs to be addressed. Saying he isn't the man is fine, giving a good example of who is free in our budget and wants go come here would make your argument credible.

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whittonite added 20:35 - Apr 9 looking at all the posts,i think i have the solution,get a team of robots!!!they wouldnt mess up, be able to dominate games for 90 mins,save money cos once you got one all you have to do is keep the warranty up...today we lost but hey thats footy...thats why i go we have a team that looks full of goals but at the moment are not clinical enough to capitalise,also our midfield need to boss the park a bit more,but apart from that (and a bit lacking in pace)we're not a bad side.who knows we might just find our niche...

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Garv added 20:36 - Apr 9 Jas you'll be happy to know I'm quite angry about today. People wanted changes and that's what they got. http://www.twtd.co.uk/mb.php?m=v&t=203076
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Langdon_Blue added 20:36 - Apr 9 Hurray! Town have finally lost a home game, our resident whingers have had to wait since 2nd January for this day...that's a long time but I see they are enjoying the occasion. I do hope we beat Millwall at home in a few weeks, as that was a bad away day earlier in the season, but if we don't it doesn't matter...as focus should really be about building on our progress for next season now.COYB!!

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Langdon_Blue added 20:47 - Apr 9 @Bluelady - agree with you 100%. We aren't the finished article but even PJ admits that. Everyone should be hoping that the progress since 2012, coupled with the fact that Jewll has the experience of gaining promotion to the Premier League, might just be worth being patient for!!
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bluetown added 20:57 - Apr 9 There is not enough quality in depth in the squad, how long has this been evident. I don`t think there will be money in the summer for the quality we need. Clegg has been re-negotiating reduced contracts, they have even cut back on money spent on food for the players. Jewell has not been able to entice players here, (pearce, ward,st ledger etc,) he has had 15mths and still we do not have a no 1, keeper or adequate cover to keep the defence on their toes. The midfield has a loanee, ageing has beens and possibly one off to pastures new. If Jewel is to be given the funds for additions lets hope its early enough to bed them into the side. Whatever happens lets get behind the team,

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TimmyH added 21:09 - Apr 9 I really feel PJ should be making his mind up by now what our midfield should be (to a degree) or by and large for the start of next season and more or less stick with it, he seems week on week out to be playing a different midfield. A month or so ago we were making good progress with the a change to Drury, Martin, Hyam and either Leadboots/JET. Once again he still tinkers with Bowyer (god knows why surely enough 90 minute games would have proved his legs have gone) at best Bowyer is a bench player and whether that is worth giving him another year is debatable. PJ also occasionally leaves out players you expect to play - Drury for one or totally giving up on Hyam and is he really not fit? he seemed ok for numerous games before being left out altogether, what is happening there? PJ should be gelling the midfield and if it means both Leadboots and Bowyer goes then it shouldn't be too much of a problem as neither has been that prominent this season. Drury, Hyam, Martin, Stevenson, Bullard, Carson, possibly Edwards and a new midfielder (in the summer). If Leadboots does get a new contract he'll soon be sussed out if he resorts back to the form he largely has been this season (and that is poor). So that is a gamble. Defence/GK: Still needs to be sorted, permanent Goalie, 1 Right back, 1 Centre back. Best move is to move Carlos into right midfield (where he is proven) or even onto the bench (he would be effective like this). Strikers: Chopra has had a strange season, very on and off (his off pitch problems haven't helped), JET needs to be more consistent and start scoring goals, and I feel Murphy needs to be signed up as he adds strength to the frontlinel and also Scotland who has showed better committment than quite a few others so he should be retained. So STOP tinkering all the time with a fairly proven midfield Mr PJ, you know who the players are at the moment who should not be starting games. Work on the defence in the summer please, hard work on the training field for the strikers and maybe one addition to the midfield (if both Leadboots and Bowyer go) which I expect to happen. The Defence/GK could look quite different by the start of August. 1xmidfielder 1xGK 1xRB 1xCB - that's how I read it.

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h32 added 21:10 - Apr 9 Obviously as expected, the people who will always be satisfied as long as a ball is kicked at Portman Road continually surface. And undeniably ther are some. They hide behind talk of progress etc; etc; - what they really are is people with either little, or limited, ambition or expectancy for/from the Club. Each to their own as they say - but the Fact is: Real Progress is not being made.

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runaround added 21:11 - Apr 9 Regarding Perason's comment on the yellow card, I cannot see what his beef about it is, it was an obvious dive and quite correctly a yellow card, in fact they were lucky not to have a few more cards issued
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poggie added 21:20 - Apr 9 If Leadbitter has already signed for Boro, as stated on here earlier, why on earth did he start today? And yet he was one of our best players?!That sums up more than anything how many problems we have ... the players who will definitely be here next season did not show the desire / commitment / passion needed ... a lot of work to be done in the close season ... again!!! Leicester weren't even that good! I took my daugher today ... this is her third game ...she previously saw us beat Bristol City 6-0 a few seasons back, then a draw against Middlesbrough (of all teams) couple of games ago, and now she has the loss to complete the set. i just hope i can convince her to come again ... coz she is potentially one of the supporters of the future!!

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bluelady added 21:42 - Apr 9 Poggie where does it say he has already signed for Boro? last i said PJ said he wanted to keep him here, surely dropping him wont encourage him to stay? As for your daughter, if she is going to be a supporter of the future she surely has to experience the good the bad and the ugly.. wins losses and draws! My 11 yr old son when he was five and after a particularly bad game through his hat on the floor, jumped on it and said i dont like football! he hasnt missed a game since. Sadly we are no longer up there among the big boys, we wont win every game but what we need to do to keep fans is to ensure our players put in a shift each game, second half today too many just gave up. Edwards is not a natural right back but he at last fights for the cause and was one of the only players today who didnt give up ......

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TimmyH added 21:42 - Apr 9 PJ: "Some players fatigued" - really?? maybe in the defence you could understand this as they have been playing week in week out for the last month or so but the midfield? Stevenson (bit part player) Carson (first start for yonks), Bowyer (doesn't start regularly, although we know he's past it) and Scotland (doesn't start regaularly). Make you wonder if PJ's fitness tea/ethics are up to the job? More 'tired' excuses.

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TimmyH added 21:45 - Apr 9 'fitness team' - that should read, if it exists.
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CornardBlue added 21:52 - Apr 9 Disappoined that we lost today but there was two teams on the pitch and i thought Leicester were one of the best teams to come to Portman road this season. They have what we have lacked all season an organized defence two good centre backs and a good keeper. The first half we had a lot of the ball but only Jason Scotland (who had a great game) caused them any problems. For next season we must get some height in our team, from all the corners we had in the game not one header was won by any Town player.

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Warkys_Tash added 21:52 - Apr 9 JAS099 does moan but he does have some fair points at times too. PJ, now has had a season and a half in control and I still can't work out where he is trying to go with this club. Carson gets half a game, when clearly he should have stayed on the pitch - he wasn't the worst - as he needs a run in the team - I would have rather seen Murphy come off for JET. Bowyer took alot of stick from the phone in and on here but he did set-up our goal. However, i am not saying he is the future - far from it. If we want to do anything next year and the club want to put bums on seats then the single biggest thing they can do? Go and get Jordan Rhodes from Huddesfield and thats just for starters. But is PJ the man to take us forward? I for one am not convinced..nothing I have seen in the past two seasons have convinced me he knows what he is doing.. and how many games have we been ahead only to not turn up in the second half? FURIOUS. Like many others I have until Friday to decide if I want to renew my season ticket. Maybe I will wait until after the summer to see who Town sign up..another season of below mid-table medocrity & that poor showing from Delaney & Co.. I don't think I can suffer..

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Warkys_Tash added 21:55 - Apr 9 ..And if in the summer, Marcus Evans really does dip in his pocket (and sign Balotelli) then maybe it will be worth the full price of a season ticket?
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ClassyCranson added 22:10 - Apr 9 When you follow probably the worst manager in the history of the football club you should be noticeably better. PJ is better but not noticeably. Why was a Boro player playing for us today?
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 22:12 - Apr 9 h32 your arrogance is quite unbelievable
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tomisamos added 22:25 - Apr 9 Agreed with Dozzells Bobblehat. I think perhaps playing Bowyer today Jewell worked out how much he needs him next season, I'd suggest not a lot. Murphy wasn't giving us any width. When he came off Martin gave Cresswell a proper outlet. I don't love Jewell, I just can't understand changing him. Every one of these 24 teams thinks they ought to get promoted, we need to stop believing promotion is our god-given right because we got there once and because ME gave us some money over five years ago. This is a brutal and tough league and if we keep chopping and changing we'll ever get out of here! Jewell has got some of our players playing really well and had we started the season better and rooted out some of the crap a bit earlier such as Priskin we could be in the play offs! Give Jewell one more year. In the grander scheme of things it won't harm us, whilst a short term fix could. As for all the players we should be playing from the youngsters. Who?! Hyam is okay, but Drury and Leadbitter have been good and scoring. Bowyer and Stevenson got a chance today, possibly not taken. JET has forced himself in. Carson showed today he isn't good enough. Martin has forced his way in, as has Smith. Jewell is probably playing his best team and has done since West Ham, when he found it. If he keeps it with a couple of alterations, we may even look like a force! If not what have we really lost? ME seems pretty useless at picking new managers anyway! People need to get their heads out of the short term.

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ipswich134 added 22:39 - Apr 9 Come on its end of the season ..... We don't kill ourselves over this , lets be realistic everyone makes mistakes. Dont say they don't . Alex Fergueson also does make mistake and it took him 7 years ? To achieve anything.PJ is not perfect but if he learns and make progress we must let him stay and then we can progress. Jas- sucess is not overnight , it never will be. What is right for one day could be wrong for another so it's never the same for tatics , players etc. That is the real world ....

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poggie added 22:58 - Apr 9 Bluelady ... it appeared on facebook just before i left for the game this afternoon. I'm not sure if it was this site or the itfc official page but definitely stated that the deal was done and dusted ... and that he was to join them in the summer. Weirdly, now it has gone! Even my comment has disappeared!! Not bothered either way, but as it was posted as an official announcement, it seems a bit odd!! I am well aware of where we are and what our expectations are ... i've supported this club for over 20 years ... and been a season ticket holder for almost 15. I have seen the good, bad and ugly ... but i started with the good! And i believe that makes a difference. But my point is that the football we are currently observing is not gonna be enough to encourage youngsters to follow the club. I dont' live in in Ipswich and have never done so, and find it hard to find positives to keep her interested. She's seven years old, and whereas i had the pleasure of being introduced to a team doing fairly well despite having lost most of their good players and highly successful manager (Robson) in the early-mid 80s, i don't have the words to keep her interested. And watching football these days is far from cheap!! I so wanted her to share my enthusisam, but she doesn't ... and i for one (after displays like this one), can understand why!!

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