Wigan stretched their winning run to eight games in all competitions after coming from behind to beat the Blues 3-1 at Portman Road. Tommy Smith put Town in front in the 19th minute, but goals from James McClean and Leon Barnett saw the Latics go in ahead at the break with McClean adding his second and Wigan's third in 77th minute.

Loanee Jonny Williams was handed his full Town debut with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake dropping to the bench in an otherwise unchanged side.

Williams started behind Daryl Murphy in a 4-4-1-1 formation, while former Blues loanee Ryan Tunnicliffe was in the Latics XI.

Smith blocked an early Martyn Waghorn shot after the on-loan Leicester man had cut in from the right but otherwise there was little action of note in either penalty area in the opening five minutes.

The Blues threatened for the first time in the sixth minute after Emmerson Boyce had fouled Stephen Hunt on the Town left. The Irishman whipped over the freekick and Paul Anderson sent a looping header onto the roof of Ali Al-Habsi’s net.

Jordi Gomez shot wide from distance for the Latics in the 15th minute, however, it had been the Blues doing most of the pressing, although without having created an opportunity. One or two debatable freekick decisions hadn’t endeared referee David Coote to the home crowd.

On 17 Paul Anderson, now on the left with Hunt on the right, crossed low and Murphy hit a shot on the turn which had Al-Habsi scrambling across to his left to paw the ball wide.

Two minutes later, the Blues went in front. Anderson was fouled just outside the area to the right and Hunt laid the ball to Cresswell, whose shot was blocked.

It ran to Cole Skuse, whose effort was also blocked but Wigan were unable to clear and the former Bristol City man eventually nodded the ball back into the danger area and Smith hooked home his fourth goal of the season from eight yards.

But the lead would last only three minutes. Boyce fed Marc-Antoine Fortune down the Wigan right and the former West Brom man cut the ball back to James McClean, who had pulled off his marker and slammed the ball past Dean Gerken from 10 yards.

Leon Barnett did well to head Williams’s cross out ahead of Murphy on 26 Town having broken quickly after a spell of Wigan possession in the Blues’ half.

Soon after McClean had been booked for a 37th minute foul on Williams, the Blues had a great chance to go back in front. Cresswell cut the ball across from the left, Anderson laid it back to Luke Hyam 10 yards out but the midfielder smashed the ball deep into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand when he ought to at least have hit the target.

Three minutes before half-time, the visitors went ahead. Skuse fouled McClean on the Wigan left and Gomez curled the ball to the edge of the Town six-yard box from where Leon Barnett powered home a free header which Gerken couldn’t stop.

Neither side threatened to add to the goals in the remaining minutes with Town probably feeling they really oughtn’t to have been behind at the break.

Having gone in front, McClean was given far too much space in the penalty area for the first goal, while the Blues’ defending from the freekick which led to the second was even more questionable with Barnett and a number of his team-mates having escaped their markers and the ball in an area where Gerken could have claimed.

Hyam will feel he should have put his team back in front via his chance just prior to Wigan’s second goal.

Town threatened to equalise soon after the restart when Williams hassled Boyce into giving the ball away inside the Latics’ area. His shot from a tight angle deflected to Hunt, whose low cross found Murphy, but the striker was unable to divert the ball goalwards.

The Blues continued to push to get back on terms and on 53 Murphy tried to burst between Ivan Ramis and Barnett but the former Norwich centre-half stabbed the ball out of play.

From the corner, the Latics broke in numbers with Cresswell left three on one. Fortunately, James McArthur underhit his pass to Fortune and the Blues’ left-back intercepted.

On 57 Hunt and Ramis were both booked, the Blues winger for inadvertently catching the defender with an arm and the grounded Wigan man for swinging his arm at the Irishman as he remonstrated with him for his exaggerated reaction to the aerial challenge. The Sir Bobby Robson Stand were calling for a red for Ramis, which some referees might well have issued.

Paul Green replaced Skuse two minutes into the final half hour, then the visitors switched one-time Town target Nick Powell for Waghorn.

Green was booked within five minutes for a foul on Gomez. From the freekick, Barnett was just unable to get a touch at the far post having again escaped the Town backline. Paul Taylor replaced Anderson for the final 19 minutes, then soon afterwards Rob Kiernan replaced Barnett, the Wigan defender having suffered a knock.

The Latics increased their lead in the 77th minute after Green was hassled into surrendering possession to Gomez just inside the Town half. The Spaniard found Fortune on the right and the striker sent over a low cross and McClean tapped home his second of the afternoon at the far post.

Having gone 3-1 behind, Town switched Williams for Ebanks-Blake. Moments later, Green’s 25-yard effort was deflected wide, then after the resultant corner had been half-cleared and sent back into the box, Ebanks-Blake took the ball down on his chest but his shot ricocheted wide off a defender. Soon after, Taylor hit a low shot from the left which Al-Habsi saved.

Christophe Berra failed to get a touch on a dangerous Cresswell freekick from the left as the Blues continued to push, albeit not overly convincingly. Wigan remained a greater threat on the break.

Town once again gifted the visitors an opportunity in the 89th minute, Hyam surrendering possession to Powell, who rather fortunately for the Blues screwed his shot well wide.

In injury time Taylor and Murphy both saw efforts blocked but a Town comeback never seriously looked in prospect once they had conceded the third Wigan goal.

Overall, the Blues could have no complaints about the result. As at Leicester recently, they were beaten by a better side but one they had given a significant helping hand by gifting them their goals.

Manager Mick McCarthy is likely to have been less than impressed by his side’s defending for all three Latics goals.

Town pushed for an equaliser in the early stages of the half but probably ought to have conceded prior to McClean’s second with Wigan spurning decent opportunities, particularly their three on one break after a Town corner.

The scoreline and results elsewhere see the Blues stay in ninth in the table, but now six points from sixth with a trip to Brighton up next week.

Ipswich: Gerken, Chambers (c), Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Skuse (Green 62), Hyam, Anderson (Taylor 71), Hunt, Williams (Ebanks-Blake 78), Murphy. Unused: Loach, Mings, Tabb, Richardson.

Wigan: Al Habsi, Boyce, Perch, Ramis, Barnett (Kiernan 74), McArthur, Tunnicliffe, Gomez, Waghorn (Powell 64), McClean (Crainey 82), Fortune. Unused: Carson, McEachran, McManaman, Maynard. Referee David Coote (Nottinghamshire). Att: 16,047 (Wigan: 381)

Photo: Action Images

Walk_the_Wark added 23:58 - Mar 15 Same old saturday, same old posts. I've had enough. Won't be back on here till we get a new manager. Sooooo tired of the c**p management, and all the same comments week in week out. It really is a joke. See you all when we've got something to discuss/ get excited about again.
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Steelmonkey added 00:03 - Mar 16 What an instant reply to us going 1-0 up, cut through our bedrock defence, Wigan have team of players who are a robust unit, very hard to knock off the ball, unlike our lightweight outfit. Really like the look of Williams, not sure if that's his best position to play. Disappointing line up in attack, but the result was expected, very little quality in our side. Does anyone know what those two scouts that followed MM here from Wolves are doing these days.

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BrettenhamBlue added 00:18 - Mar 16 Agree that season is over, but let's be thankful that we are nowhere near the relegation mire like we usually are. Well done to all at ITFC. Completely outclassed in this game. Wigan will be huge favourites for winning the play-offs
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essexboy added 07:37 - Mar 16 Yes,I agree 100%with blue boy and Andrew.Mr.Evans is not to blame for the situation we are in.His hands are tied with these Stupid FFP rules and he won't break them,even if certain clubs in this league are.A lot of these clubs if not promoted will get heavy fines.Now down to the team,although MM has done a great job with limited funds(nothing) I still think his tactics and team selection is wrong.Why play Chambers at RB when it is clearly not his right position,he is getting pulled out of position and is just not fast enough.Teams have now noticed and play to his weakness.We have two capable RB'S in Elliott and Richardson.Both of our keepers are not great but for me Loach is better and I cannot understand just why he was dropped after one mistake.Gerken makes them game after game but still keeps his place.WHY.! We need two wide players in midfield and for that I think Cresswell should play on the feet with Mings at LB.Taylor on the right,but that will never happen as MM certainly does not like him.WHY.,Having said that we need a player with vision in midfield,and with that in mind I would like to see David Mc play there next season.MUrphy and SEB up front,That's if we decide to keep SEB.I have been supporting TOWN for over 50 years are I have been through both the good and bad times,but lets not dwell on that as over the years everything changes.I do however wonder if Mr.Evans does feel happy with MM.We will soon see as his contract comes to an end next season.Well I've had my Sunday rant.COYB.

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 07:44 - Mar 16 Was unimpressed by our home support, but it's also a fact that had we been in Wigan's position, we would have taken a LOT more than 381 to an important away match. I'm over for Derby and Forest and am hoping the home crowd can show a bit more passion.
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Elizabeth added 08:12 - Mar 16 Marc 007.... I think teams are more than capable of playing two/ three games a week! Confidence is obviously sky high at Wigan .. Sorry no excuse , as I said we simply don't have enough quality OR the players we have are not playing in correct positions! Oh and Murphy up front on his own, how negative!! Why are Skuse and Hyam always first on the team sheet. WE NEED A CREATIVE AND FORWARD THINKING midfielder........SO FRUSTRATING !!!

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Millsey added 08:37 - Mar 16 Andrewpc you are an abject loser. Go and whinge on the narwich site. You obviously never go to a game so wind your neck in.
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righty added 09:05 - Mar 16 Millsey your the one who is the loser I haven't missed a game this season and it absolute rubbish negative tactics and very average players so you should wind your neck IN
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essexboy added 09:19 - Mar 16 righty,who do you blame for this then.The owner,or MM.?
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righty added 10:53 - Mar 16 essexboy I blame both but mainly Evans for failing to bring the right person into the club, I would love to have someone who cares about the club not people purely here for the money. I know people on here do not agree with me but the last 3 managers have no heart for the club and a club like ITFC should have someone who really cares. There are a few who would do this , Burley,Holland and Mills would be excellent for the role.

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JWM added 11:31 - Mar 16 righty are you having a laugh.. No seriously you are aren't you? Burley hasn't had a job in football for 5 years and just because he did well here 15 years ago it doesn't mean that he will replicate that this time! I love George he is a Town legend but he is yesterday's man. And Holland has no experience and can barely string 2 words together as a TV presenter! Mills is an excellent pundit but his time has also gone. Please stop looking through those blue tinted glasses and thinking that yesterday's heroes are the answer because they are sadly not!

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essexboy added 11:39 - Mar 16 JWM,I agree entirely with what you have said in all your posts on this subject,but I can also see where righty is coming from,although none of those mentioned I'm would not now be capable of doing the job due to the time lapse.(all three legends of course).MM has now got us into a good solid position and we can only look forwards to next season,and with hope a money injection from the owner.COYB.

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warktheline added 12:16 - Mar 16 Hi Phil, any chance of you putting the following subject out for next week, invite all Town fans to share their top memories on Town games, past and present. It will cheer us all up a touch and highlight to young and old, what a proud club we are, and will continue to be.
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JWM added 12:27 - Mar 16 I seem to remember that when MM took over at Wolves they were in a dreadful mess even worse than he found here but in Two seasons of hard graft he fashioned a team that got promoted as Champions! I just don't get all this constant negativity! It is moaning for moaning sake as far as I'm concerned. Mick has steadied the ship after just six months and he is now beginning to rebuild this once great club like he did at Wolves. The problem is that it takes time and even more so when you don't have any money to spend on quality players. I know this is an alien concept to some of you but patience and belief are the key to all of this. There is absolutely no point in throwing the baby out with the bath water by getting rid of yet another manager in the vain hoe that the new manager will be a vast improvement! Success is never guaranteed especially in football and the message has to be to get behind what Mick and TC are doing even through gritted teeth because there is no realistic alternatives. This is the reality of the situation and much depends on how much backing Evans will give Mick in the Summer. We all recognise that this team is devoid of quality we see it every week but it is not something that can be rectified over night and it also needs substantial investment in order to attract the players we desperately need! Why is this so hard for some to comprehend? We are all so used to having instant gratification but in football it doesn't work like that.

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HackneyBlue added 12:43 - Mar 16 When Green made that Sunday morning error it was only going to end up in one place,any team that makes that mistake against us the last place the ball ends up is in the oppositions net.This is the difference,no pace ,no forward thinking no intentions.This was the big win game and we started on the front foot but after their goal there was only one winner and it looked too easy for Wigan. I still find it frustrating when Cresswell continues to find touch far too often and when under no pressure,a Mr G Harbey had that disease-ha ho

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roytheboy added 16:50 - Mar 16 We have a great little player in Paul Taylor, for goodness sake Mick, swallow your pride and play him from the start, perhaps you are afraid that he will prove you wrong.
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blueboy1981 added 18:44 - Mar 16 JWM ......... agree with much of your last post - BUT there can be no excuse for MM continuously playing players out of position, making strange (to say the least) substitutions , and generally thus potentially not getting the best from the squad that he has at his disposal. He is so NEGATIVE - and that's a word you do not like !!! - Yes ?? The starting format and policy cannot continue to be 'to protect the point we start with' - because invarably it doesn't work - as was evident again yeaterday. We set out to negate Wigan - NOT to win the game. This is not good enough at home.

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blueboy1981 added 18:47 - Mar 16 warktheline .......... GREAT idea. Would fully support it.
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JWM added 19:00 - Mar 16 Blueboy I will partially agree with you but surely when you have a group of players that are limited the first thing you have to do is make them hard to beat! I really don't believe that Mick would adopt a negative philosophy if he had a group of decent quality players at his disposal. Yes Micks tactics can be rightly open to question at times but so can any managers! At present he is setting them up to play to their strengths and until Evans loosens the purse strings a little we shall have to put up with this! But let's please not continuously slate the manager as I genuinely believe that his hands are tied. We have just lost our most talented player for the rest of the season and we have no way of replacing him. It is scandalous that a club as big as us is in this sorry state but this isn't Mick's faiult, blame the clowns who spunked away all the money in the first place!

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brittaniaman added 19:59 - Mar 16 JAS1972 About 10yrs. Ago I believe it was a certain Mr. Jewell who was in charge of Wigan at the time (am I right) and got them up to the premier at our expense ???? how times have changed !!!
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blueboy1981 added 20:03 - Mar 16 JWM ....... Again agree with some of your post - BUT if the quality is limited in terms of individuals (which I agree with) then by playing that said player OUT of position - you diminish the quality even more - because every player has their best position. I believe Evans, for all the opinions we have of him, will be looking for MM to correct these issues before agreeing to 'splash more cash' on players. And thus glean more potential from the current squad. I would indeed be cautious after, as you say, having 'money spunked away' by previous incumbents of the Manager's Office. Who wouldn't ?? Not saying we don't need money spent to move forward - but this squad of players has somewhat more to offer. It's there for all to see. Limited Quality ? - then don't play square pegs in round holes - this we continue to do to our detriment. Again

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blueboy1981 added 20:05 - Mar 16 ...... and again.
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JWM added 21:11 - Mar 16 Blueboy take one example. Berra is the best Centre Back indeed defender that we have and is one of only 2 players that we have who would walk straight into any other teams starting line up. Mick got him here for nothing but the big problem is that in order to accommodate Berra he has had to move Chambers over to Right Back. The answer is that we should bring in a recognised right back but then where does that leave Chambers? It is a difficult dilemma and just highlights the problems that Mick is grappling with. Square pegs and all that! I certainly wouldn't be without Berra so what do we do about Chambers?

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Cloddyseedbed added 21:31 - Mar 16 JWM. In a previous post I stated that we had made a problem by signing Berra when in fact we needed a right back. I agree this has caused a problem as Chambers/Smith and Berra are all very good as central defenders! If Chambers is the one to make way for a recognised right back I will feel very sorry for him.
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blueboy1981 added 18:57 - Mar 17 JWM........... not an easy one to sort now for sure - not too sure what MM's thinking was when he brought in Berra (I'm not surprised he has impressed) - when we have for so long been in desperate need of a pukka right full back. Can only assume he overlooked the fact that however hard he tried in this position Chambers will never be one to fit the overlap / attacking fullback role totally. And we need just that - woefully weak down the right for so long now - and it makes it so easy for teams to play against us - because we offer no threat down that side at all. Guess we have to leave this dilemma to the Manager - that's why he get's paid as well as he obviously does !!. Problem is - Attack will always be a second option for MM in all his thinking. Hope one day he proves me wrong - I really do.

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