Town exited the Capital One Cup at the first round stage as Izale McLeod’s extra-time goal saw League One Crawley to a 1-0 win at the Broadfield Stadium. Debutant sub Teddy Bishop (pictured) went closest for the Blues, who really ought to have had the game won within the 90 minutes, when he hit the bar.

Town handed the expected debuts to 17-year-old Matt Clarke, keeper Bartosz Bialkowski and winger Alex Henshall, while Jack Marriott and Kevin Bru made their first Blues starts.

In a side featuring eight changes from the team which started against Fulham, there was also a rare start for transfer-listed Paul Taylor.

Clarke lined-up at left-back with Elliott Hewitt at right-back and skipper Luke Chambers and Christophe Berra at the heart of the defence.

In central midfield, Bru partnered Anthony Wordsworth with Henshall on the left and Taylor on the right. Marriott was up front with Frank Nouble.

On five Taylor ran into trouble having done well to beat his man midway inside the Crawley half, then Lanre Oyebanjo shot well over from distance for the home side.

Izale McLeod shot just wide for the Red Devils, who lined-up with five men in midfield, then on 12 Nouble snatched at a Chambers long ball which the Crawley defence had failed to deal with and his shot looped well over.

Two minutes later, Bru picked up his first yellow card in English football for a foul on Conor Henderson, who was on trial with the Blues last summer. On 17 Henshall joined him for a trip on Bobson Bawling.

Berra headed wide from a Hewitt long throw on the right with the opening 20 minutes having been an even affair.

Town should have gone in front in the 21st minute when Wordsworth played a superb pass into the path of Nouble from midway inside the Crawley half towards the left after Clarke had brought the ball out of defence, but the Blues striker diverted the ball wide from 10 yards when he seemed certain to open his account for the season.

On 25 Gwion Edwards saw a shot deflect into the Town side-netting from a tight angle, then home skipper Joe Walsh just failed to get his head to Henderson’s freekick from the left after a foul by Wordsworth.

As the half moved towards its final five minutes with the Blues increasingly on top, Taylor skipped into the area on the right before hitting a shot which was blocked.

In injury time McLeod was somewhat harshly booked for handling Taylor’s freekick while in the wall. The Blues striker curled the resultant second freekick well wide.

The scores remained level at the break after an evenly balanced half. Both sides had had half-chances in the main with Town the game’s once significant opportunity, which Nouble spurned.

Debutant teenager Clarke had looked comfortable at left-back with Henshall a threat when running at the Crawley defence, albeit without creating a chance so far, while Bialkowski had, like his Red Devils counterpart Brian Jensen, had been largely untroubled.

Winger Henshall hit the second half’s first effort well over, then Taylor failed to latch on to Clarke’s chipped cross from the left after the academy second-year scholar had exchanged passes with Nouble, who moments later hit a low shot which Jensen claimed low to his left.

Town continued their bright start to the second half, Taylor using his pace as the Blues broke following a Crawley attack but his pass to Nouble was too weak.

Taylor curled a shot just wide from 20 yards in the 57th minute having been found by Bru, who had put in a neat and tidy display in central midfield.

Town went within inches of going in front just before the hour when Bru played in Hewitt on the right and the Wales U21 international sent across a low ball which Nouble, Clarke and Henshall all just failed to reach.

The Blues were looking more and more threatening and a minute later again went close. Jensen was unable to hold on to Taylor’s powerful shot from the edge of the box, Nouble reached the loose ball first and found Hewitt, who couldn’t get in a clean shot and Crawley cleared their lines.

Marriott, who had had little opportunity to show his prowess in front of goal, was swapped for Balint Bajner on 63, then moments later Bialkowski was forced to tip away Edwards’s cross from the right which otherwise might have sneaked under his bar.

On 66 Taylor hit another powerful effort from distance, this time the ball deflecting wide off Oyebanjo. Five minutes later, the former Posh man, who had been Town’s best player since the break, hit a 25-yard freekick into the Reds wall.

Walsh appeared to pull Bajner back as the Hungarian broke into the area in the 74th minute but neither referee Andy Haines or his assistant saw it. A minute later Jimmy Smith was booked for a foul on Wordsworth.

On 77 midfielder Teddy Bishop was handed his debut, the 18-year-old first-year pro taking over from the impressive Bru in central midfield.

A minute later McLeod missed a rare opportunity for the home side when Berra’s clearance fell to him not far outside the area with Bialkowski out of his ground, the former Derby man blazing over.

Darren McQueen, the 19-year-old striker signed from Spurs in the summer, came on to make his debut in the 79th minute, taking over from Taylor.

Jensen saved from Bajner on 81, Edwards picking up a booking for a foul on Henshall in the build-up. Moments later, Ryan Dickson’s cross from the left found Edwards, who scraped the ball well wide.

With a minute of normal time remaining debutant sub Bishop came within a whisker of winning it in normal time. The midfielder unleashed a superb 30-yard strike, which beat Jensen, cannoned off the underside of the bar and out to Nouble, whose first touch took the ball away from him and out of play.

Seconds later, as the fourth official’s board signalled four additional minutes, Clarke was booked for a foul.

As the end of the 90 minutes drew close, Bialkowski got down to his left to save from McLeod at one end and then, after Henshall had brought the ball forward, Bajner saw an effort blocked.

Before either side could threaten again referee Haines blew his whistle to signal 30 minutes of extra time.

Town had been much the better side after the break and had gone close to going in front on a number of occasions with Taylor the main danger, but with Bishop going closest with his late effort.

Chances were rarer in the opening 15 minutes of additional time, although Bialkowski was forced to come off his line quickly to clear ahead of McLeod. On 11 Hewitt was booked for pulling back a Crawley player.

Soon after, Smith sent a dangerous freekick from the left across the face of Bialkowski’s goal.

Neither side threatened again before the referee blew for half-time in extra time with Crawley having had the better of the first additional period.

And the home side remained on top during the second half of extra-time and in the 110th minute they went in front. After Town failed to clear a Crawley corner on the left, the ball ricocheted around before finding its way into the path of McLeod, who hooked home from close range.

The Blues never seriously looked like getting back on terms in the remaining 10 minutes, McQueen’s high and wide effort the nearest they came, and their Capital One Cup campaign was ended by a side from a lower division for the ninth time in 12 seasons.

Town really ought to have had the game won within the 90, Nouble missing his first half chance and several players - most notably Bishop - coming close in the second in which the Blues were very much on top.

The home side were the better team in extra-time and looked the more likely victors before McLeod netted the game’s scruffy winner.

Crawley: Jensen, Oyebanjo, Bradley, Leacock, Walsh (c), Edwards, Henderson (O’Connor 93), Smith, Bawling (Dickson 63), Young (Banya 55), McLeod. Unused: Essam, Rose, Richefond, Isaacs.

Town: Bialkowski, Hewitt, Chambers (c), Berra, Clarke, Bru (Bishop 77), Wordsworth, Taylor (McQueen 88), Henshall, Nouble, Marriott (Bajner 63). Unused: Gerken, Wyatt, Lawrence, Hyam. Referee: Andy Haines (Tyne and Wear). Att: 3,043 (Town: 823).

Photo: Action Images

ManofSteel added 23:41 - Aug 12 How embarrassing.
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unknown100 added 00:20 - Aug 13 Good, concentrate on the league, suprised with the result though... Thought first game of the season and a big chance to impress but obviously that's why they aren't in the first team
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runaround added 00:34 - Aug 13 A fully expected result. Since reaching the semi finals 4 seasons ago the club seem to have treated this competition as a nuisance & the noises coming out prior to this were about not risking players with a slight knock giving youngsters a chance etc. If we get good results in next few league games the decision will be vindicated but it doesn't always work out that way especially with ITFC. I just feel clubs attitude to league cup is wrong & feel sorry for those who went & the young lads who I'm sure tried their hardest tonight & it leaves a sour taste

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ITFCRealist added 00:36 - Aug 13 Back and ashamed of our club. Put Taylor on the wing? He was by far the best player on the pitch yet he is pushed put wide. Put Nouble up front? My granddaughter would have played better. Sign Iron Bru? Conference standard at best. Our manager is a joke. a pathetic joke. Why did I waste my money. Embarrased to be a Town fan for 40 years tonight. DREADFUL MICK OUT
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StowTractorBoy added 01:11 - Aug 13 Just in and have to say how disappointed I am with that performance. To start with MM made far too many changes - you can get away with 3 or 4 but eight changes for goodness sake it just does not make sense. Very few positives for me and many negatives including a quite dreadful performance from Frank Nouble who could have wrapped the game up in the first half. Difficult to judge the performance of the goalkeeper as he had little to do. Hewitt not as good at full back as in midfield on Saturday. Chambers and Berra excellent as always and Clarke does look promising and one of the few bright lights of the evening. The other youngsters all tried but I am afraid they are nowhere near ready for the first team and all those bellowing for Marriott to get a regular spot I am afraid he looked out of his depth tonight. It is clear MM was not bothered about this competition which is harsh on the fans who deserve better than we got not just because we lost but for the poor quality of football served up. Of the youngsters who turned out as well as Clarke, young Bishop looked promising but the rest have much to do as does Bru who was poor and Bajner who was non existant. Wordsworth tonight only knew how to pass backwards and for me is not good enough for Ipswich Town - his whole demeanour is open to question as he lacks the passion required. I know people will say its only the Capital Cup but tonight proved to me our squad is nowhere near good enough to challenge for promotion unless MM gets 2/3 premier Club players in.

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dude added 03:02 - Aug 13 On 17 Henshall joined him for a trip on Bobson Bawling.
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jas0999 added 07:07 - Aug 13 I'm not overly concerned that we are out of the league cup, but the team we fielded should have been good enough to beat Crawley so this is a poor result. What it demonstrates, yet again, is this squad is not big enough or have the necessary strength in depth to challenge for a top 6 place. The current strike force shows how weak we are. Outside Murphy and McGoldrick, we have few decent options. Like many I would like nothing more for a young player like Marriott to break into the first team and score goals. Reality is he couldn't do so for Gillingham last season and it would seem he still many be a little way off for us. Banjar also seems like a non option at the moment, whilst Nouble is a striker who rarely scores goals and has been given many chances by Mick. Defence did okay, but we have limited options if there are injuries, whilst the midfield is hit and miss. Taylor and Henshall had the opportunity to impress but didn't. Taylor yet again failed to recognise the part about playing in a team and wanted to go it alone. Fine, but his end product was lacking again. Disappointing, but on to Reading. Hopefully we will sign some new players soon as can't go on with less than last season.

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simonkos added 07:30 - Aug 13 I just think that we could be signing more players soon as our team are lighter than last year, and at least didz and murphy know their not under any threat now
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SMS added 08:27 - Aug 13 Chill out lads. It is unfortunate for the fans that travelled but MM made no secret of the team he was playing. We don't have the squad to compete in 3 comps and the league is by far and away the only one that has any significance. 1. We were away 2. We were a scalp so they were going to up for it 3. We played a lot of youngsters to give them game time, match fitness and experience. 4. A mix mash of youngsters (some making profressional debuts) took a league 1 side to ET away in the cup The result of this is some lads now have a little more experience, players have a bit more match fitness, MM has had an opportunity to see what some other players can do. It is ALL about the league. We should remember this in Jan for the 3rd round of the cup. We saw what can happen when you take cup comps seriously with a thin squad (see UEFA cup run/relegation). Great memories but that is what has got us in this mess.

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Ipswich24 added 09:25 - Aug 13 Although I didnt go to the game my feelings about Frank Nouble do not change. He may be a lovely young man who is good on twitter, but I dont give a monkeys about that, I want my players to be good footballers which he clearly is not. The issue surrounding Taylor is even more bizare! A few days ago McCarthy said no he is not playing for me again he is not for me, then he starts the game. Reading the reports he was our best player. Whether or not he was doing it for himself or for the team im not bothered. I dont care what he does in his spare time as long as he plays well for Ipswich Town. He has never been given a run of games to feel a part of the side and establish himself, a few minutes here and there are useless. I can tell already from just a few games and pre season we just wont score enough goals. When you see Brentford and Bournemouth with their attacking intent, actually going out to win games rather than play not to lose. Thats what I want to see from my team, trying to win any game.

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goleszowski added 09:56 - Aug 13 knocked out in the first round in the League and FA Cup for the past 4 seasons. But the fans are happy because we can concentrate on the league. this approach has enabled ITFC to almost made it into the top half of the table. Result. don't worry, MM has a second string that would have difficulty getting in the Crawley team. #topsixherewecome
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JustSpivvyChops added 10:00 - Aug 13 Bigger picture, I am quietly pleased that we are out of this cup as we have a tiny squad which inevitably means that a number of 1st team players have to play and accumulate extra game time that may not help our league performances and history tells us that the club doesn't take this competition seriously anyway. What's more worrying for me, contrary to some bizarre posts on here, is that this was not a makeshift 11 against Crawley, our team featured a large contingent of 1st team regulars, subs and 2 new signings that both featured in our league opener on Saturday (both of which were awful in that game) and the result and performance v Crawley highlighted how hugely lacking in depth and quality we are, but of course this is nothing new to many of us. I feel for MM, we have a half decent manager who is being asked to secure promotion with no funds whatsoever.

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jonbull88 added 10:04 - Aug 13 Yet more moaning! It is all any of you lot are good at! Pre Fulham all i heard was "mick has choosen the wrong team", "Taylor should be playing", We need more youth players in the team" I didnt go last night due to work commitments so listened to parts of the games i could and for me this result indicates why none of these younger players are near the team because they are nowhere near good enough at the moment and some never will be for this level. But to suggest any other team other than that that played is stupid. If mick had picked the likes of murphy and mcgoldrick and one or both had picked up injuries and missed the rest of August what would we have done? We have 3 much more important games coming up in the next 10 days and we need a maxium strong squad as we can, so I for one am glad we gave the younger lot a go, but it does demonstrate they arent good enough yet! And as for taylor, he has no end product! Never found "that perfect pass" last season, just ran around like a headless chicken, sooner he is gone the better!

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BillBlue added 10:15 - Aug 13 ITFCRealist- Agreed! Jas, re Marriott, I cannot get to matches now so I rely on the BBC website and on there they showed "23:05 Attempt saved. Jack Marriott (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal." and that remained as the only Town shot on target for a very long while. I note Phil does not mention it above but if came just after Mick's son had just missed a barn door(again)! I would much rather have a guy who can hit the target than a guy who endlessly misses, no matter how big, or threatening he is. Did that not happen?

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tractorboybig added 10:15 - Aug 13 NOUBLE YOUR LAST GAME IN A TOWN SHIRT???????? idoubt
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BillBlue added 10:27 - Aug 13 I see nobody has mentioned the fact that the low-league Crawley team finished much stronger than our team of pampered players whose fitness Mick is always boasting about - that must tell us something - if we want to see it that is! tractorboybig- Great! LOL and JWM glad to see you are now seeing the light.
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1RWR added 10:33 - Aug 13 So, all you whingers and whiners calling for Marriott & Taylor to play....................well, they played and guess what, to quote MM they did 'diddly squat'.......'zippidy-doo-dah' hasn't it ever occurred to people that perhaps Marriott and Taylor are not good enough to play first team football and again, perhaps MM knows the team better than us? I have no doubts that in seasons to come, Marriott & Bishop along with Lawrence and others will make the grade but, as for now, I think they're a long way off first team football. I'm very disappointed at last nights result, expected, but still disappointed! Concentrate on the league...................now where have I heard that before? :-)

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Lightningboy added 10:43 - Aug 13 Have to agree with NSLs comments about Nouble/JET..at least JET had a goal or a 30 yard thunderbolt up his sleeve..Nouble looks like a sunday league player at times. Mick should've kept Marriott on for the full 90 at least..he's more likely to nab a goal then Nouble.
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cornishblu added 11:30 - Aug 13 Left many a game in my time disappointed rarely angry...this one definitely got me angry. £70 million pounds in debt And we don't take a cup competition seriously that could generate us money..aka semi final with arsenal....a game that we should have easily won....generating more enthusiasm and persuading more fans to turn up to games...generating more income, making more noise , spurring the team on to more wins etc... 800 supporters turn up to watch their team and we don't take this one seriously...round figures this would have cost them £50,000 .... Perhaps we should just send the money to ME and help pay off the debts and not bother turning up. This puts our position into perspective our squad is poor ....just can't wait until the premier league to announce their 25 man squads so that we can spend the money we got from cresswell on loaning up to 3 1st team players. Were there any positives from last night ...PAUL Taylor..!!!..ran his socks off! tracked back, did everything that MM asked for, yes at times his final ball was lacking but how would you be feeling at this moment..manager has come out publically to say he doesn't want him....worried that then the crowd will also turn on him, so looks for a safe option rather than finish it off himself, afraid he will miss and then have the crowd on his back.....defence played well Clarke slotted in great....midfield ..Wordsworth =.notworth v poor, bru too far off the pace, henshall..learn to pass and will improve. Marriott so so much work to do far from the first team with a performance like this, Nouble within minutes knew he shouldn't be on the pitch...just simply dreadful...how he stayed on and wasn't substituted is beyond belief....even if mick has just taken him off the team would have played better......great to see some of the youngsters get a game and all should be pleased with their shift....just can't help reflecting on how putting in so many of them will help their confidence when the team they play in turn in this sort of result...MM how does this help their development???....in MM we trust you just dropped a massive changer last night!!!!. Reading on Saturday will need to be a big one to restore faith in the team....an over reaction ..no it's about our club wanting to win and a group of players turning up and putting in an honest shift...every time we loose a game like this it can never be dismissed as un important ...and for those of you that do dismiss it....keep supporting from your armchairs because there is no way you turn up to these games....yet are the first to bleat on about ticket prices , lack of crowds and lack of investment...your arguments just don't stack up...bottom line mick should have done everything he could to have got us in today's draw...Reading here we come...it's a big one!!

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Lord_Mac added 11:38 - Aug 13 Well, I think MM picked the right team - and a team good enough to have won the match. That we didn't was down to missed chances. Nouble alone should have had a hat-trick within 90 minutes. It's great that 800+ Town fans were there, but don't go to the Capital Cup first round game expecting us to pick our strongest side and risk our league position. With 45 league matches to come, for us this was a pre-season friendly, nothing more nor less. That said, it was good to see the potential (or otherwise) of the fringe players. I didn't think Bru was that impressive myself, but I did think Matt Clarke at left back looked good. Bishop and McQueen also caught the eye in their short cameos. Henshall has pace but seems rather lightweight and, like Taylor, always tried to beat one person too many. Hewitt and Wordsworth also fairly average. Marriott and Bajner were invisible.

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MedwayTractor added 11:44 - Aug 13 Very few plus points: New GK did OK, not really tested, hard to see what happened for their goal, too far away & too low even at the back of the stand. Back 4 kept us in the game, good debut for Clarke. Midfield (especially Bru) lacking in penetration, Taylor was a handful again, but mostly ran down blind alleys, Henshall will have more effective games against slower fullbacks. Nouble was utterly utterly utterly awful, Bajner out of his depth again, Marriott tried hard but had little support. Bishop & McQueen were boys against men, but tried hard. This shows how much we are going to have to rely on a very small first eleven with little or no quality on the bench.

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goleszowski added 11:47 - Aug 13 "Reading coasted into the second round of the Capital One Cup at the expense of Newport County. " Expect the worst for Saturday.
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BillBlue added 12:16 - Aug 13 cornishblu - a very good post, you should get angry more often! It might well be wasted though and will only be viable if Mick can read!
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oldegold added 12:44 - Aug 13 Do you get the feeling that under MM ,we are never going to get a decent cup run? I think he doesn't give a monkeys about the cups and his record bears this out....
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MRKINGVIP added 13:08 - Aug 13 I am confused as to why any of us care about the Capital one cup? We play in a league where fixtures come thick and fast and having the added complication of playing extra games further down the line is only going to impact negatively on our season. I hate admitting it but going out of capital one cup could be a blessing in disguise for us when other championship sides inevitably go out to the Aston Villa's or Hull City's of this world on a cold Tuesday night, we will be at an advantage. The same cannot be said for the FA CUP, this is special and MM should play his strongest side in every FA CUP game. Lets get behind the team in the league games and hope for a top 6 finish... Not long now until the 11 players MM picks to face Norwich will need everything the fans can give to get them over the line! COYB

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