Freddie Sears scored twice and Christophe Berra once as Town beat already-relegated Blackpool 3-2 at Portman Road. The Blues fell behind to Andrea Orlandi’s fourth-minute goal, prior to Sears striking twice before the break, then Henry Cameron levelled for Blackpool, but Berra sealed a win which really should have been more routine in the 83rd minute.

Tyrone Mings returned from his two-match ban at left-back, while Teddy Bishop was back in midfield and Sears up front.

Zeki Fryers dropped out of the 18 completely, while Richard Chaplow and Chris Wood were on the bench, alongside Jonny Parr, back from his hamstring problem. Already-relegated Blackpool included former Blues loanee Darren O’Dea from the start.

The game got off to the worst possible start for Town with Blackpool taking the lead with the first serious attack of the afternoon in the fourth minute.

Henry Cameron was played in down the left by Jamie O’Hara and cut the ball back to Orlandi breaking unchecked from midfield and the former Swansea man swept home from 10 yards.

The Blues immediately looked to get back on terms, Tommy Smith was unable to get enough on a header from a corner, then Daryl Murphy was stopped in his tracks by a Peter Clarke challenge just inside the area.

On nine Bishop curled an effort wide from the edge of the box, then a minute later Jay Tabb sent Sears away towards the area but Seasiders keeper Elliot Parish came off his line quickly to challenge.

Luke Varney, who opened his Town goals account at Huddersfield on Monday, should have equalised on 12 when he was allowed a free header from Bishop’s left-sided corner but nodded the ball well wide.

Cole Skuse dispossessed Charles Dunne midway inside the Blackpool half on the quarter hour, but his low cross towards Murphy was cut out by O’Dea.

Town continued to keep up the pressure, Murphy overran the ball having made a strong run down the left, Tabb was unable to get in a shot from a Mings cross, then Murphy hooked the ball back across the edge of the six-yard box but it wouldn’t fall for a Town player.

On 23 Sears volleyed over from the edge of the box, then Paul Anderson replaced Varney, who went straight to the dressing room having apparently suffered a knock.

Within seconds of the change, Town were back on terms. Smith sent a freekick to the left of the area from deep on the right, Mings nodded it down and Sears turned a half-volley beyond Parish and into the roof of the net. It was the former Colchester man’s sixth goal for the Blues and his 20th of the season.

Four minutes later, Sears made those totals seven and 21 and the scoreline 2-1 to the Blues.

Skuse fed Murphy to the right who turned it back into Chambers as he broke into the area on the right.

The Blues skipper looked to find Tabb with a low pass across the area but Orlandi intercepted but inadvertently diverted the ball into the path of Sears, who gleefully slipped under Parish from close range.

Ex-Blues loanee O’Dea was replaced by David Ferguson on 32 following a spell of on-field treatment, the former Celtic man appearing to have broken his nose.

Town claimed a penalty in the 37th minute when Anderson fed Sears inside the area and the ball struck Clarke’s raised arm. However, referee James Linington showed no interest in the Blues players’ appeals.

In injury time, Anderson scuffed Mings’s cross from the left wide before referee Linington ended the half.

After being rather caught cold by Blackpool’s early goal, the Blues quickly got themselves on top and the rest of the half was virtually all Town pressing and probing for openings in the visitors’ defence.

Town probably ought to have been ahead prior to Sears’s two goals, the former Colchester and West Ham man continuing the excellent start he has made to his Town career with two fine finishes.

Shortly after the restart Anderson sent Murphy away on the left of the area but the Irishman took the ball too wide and screwed his shot wide.

There was a scare for the Blues on 50 when Berra’s back-header beat the advanced Bartosz Bialkowski, who was pleased to see the ball run wide of the post as he chased towards his line. Three minutes later, Murphy headed Sears’s left-wing cross wide.

Berra saw a header blocked inside the six-yard box on 58, then Tabb skipped into the area and fed Sears, whose low shot was saved down to his left by Parish.

The Blues striker had another opportunity a minute later when, having been sent away by Mings, he cut in from the left but saw Parish block his shot.

As the clock reached the hour mark, Sears again cut in from the left but this time screwed well wide, then soon afterwards he almost profited from Skuse winning the ball on halfway, but Parish came off his line quickly to clear ahead of him.

The second half had been all Town but on 64 the Blues were caught sleeping for a second time and the Tangerines levelled.

Orlandi took a quick freekick from halfway on the right and fed Gary Madine. The on-loan Sheffield Wednesday crossed low to Henry Cameron, who slid into the net from close range to claim his first senior goal.

It was another poor goal for Town to concede, having had plenty of chances to add to their two goals and really should have had the game well won by this stage. On 66 Mings turned and shot over from eight yards when he might have laid the ball back to Murphy.

Jonny Williams replaced Tabb for the final 14 minutes with the Welshman taking up a role behind the front two. Three minutes later, Madine headed over for Blackpool from an O’Hara corner.

Town restored their lead in the 83rd minute when, after a freekick had been cleared, Mings played to Chambers on halfway. The skipper found Murphy on the right of the area, the Blues top scorer turning his man before chipping a superb right-footed cross to the far post from where Christophe Berra nodded in his sixth goal of the season.

Jonny Parr replaced Mings for the final five minutes and the Blues saw out the remaining minutes without any further drama, midfielder Bishop completing a full 90 minutes for the first team for the first time.

Having established the 2-1 lead at the break, the result really should never have been in any doubt and Town had plenty of chances to increase their lead before conceding their second sloppy goal of the afternoon.

Fortunately, against a poor Blackpool side they were always going to get further chances to win it and Berra duly took his opportunity when it came via Murphy’s excellent cross.

The victory and results elsewhere see the Blues move back up to sixth, ahead of Brentford and then Wolves - who lost 2-1 at Birmingham - on goal difference and a point behind fifth-placed Derby, ahead of Tuesday's home game against Cardiff City.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Mings (Parr 85), Berra, Smith, Skuse, Bishop, Varney (Anderson 23), Tabb (Williams 76), Murphy, Sears. Unused: Gerken, Hunt, Chaplow, Wood.

Blackpool: Parish, Maher, Dunne, Clarke, O’Dea (Ferguson 32), Perkins, O'Hara, Cubero (Delfouneso 86), Cameron (Osayi-Samuel 70), Orlandi, Madine. Unused: Boney, Ferguson, Oliver, Barkhuizen, Telford. Referee: James Linington (Newport, IoW). Attendance: 19,290 (Blackpool: 175).

Photo: Action Images

warktheline added 13:13 - Apr 12 Blueboy, as Itishtim said to me yesterday, we all must remain positive, although I'm in total dismay, like yourself, in reference to back four! I realise and accept we ain't the best of footballing sides, but do you concur with me that if McCarthy played a balanced defence, then quite possibily the rest of team would function more smoothly? Skuse playing just ahead of CB, with wee JW if fit, playing just behind Sears and Murphy?

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blueherts added 14:54 - Apr 12 Just to confirm it is in our hands - NITFC CORRECT The Play offs are a lottery and usually throw up some crazy scorelines and games - all down to bottle and as I said the other day passion and the 'unknown' players like Hunt( passion) and Williams are the type that could just make that difference in those type games But in reality our next few games are all play off type affairs - we must win em , and I would like to see Hunt play especially against Wolves - he will be well up for it

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warktheline added 15:03 - Apr 12 ....as will McCarthy!
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PJH added 15:37 - Apr 12 Not yet wanting to look too far ahead BUT.... Hope we get 3 points on Tuesday,however we get them. If any of Wolves,Brentford and Derby drop points midweek, so much the better. A win for us on Tuesday makes next Saturday massive-if Wolves DO lose at Middlesbro' a win for us on Saturday would kill them off altogether(assuming we win Tuesday).. Great that in the middle of April we still have so much to play for isn't it? I know that on 31st December we were looking for even better but to be in the position that we are now is very exciting.

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gino88 added 15:57 - Apr 12 It is a miracle that Ipswich are still in with a great chance of making the play-offs however it is an opportunity that may fail to come our way again for a while, so we need to fight and scrap in these final 4 games. We have a captain who fist pumps better than any of Derby, Brentford or Wolves captains, so we are almost guaranteed a play off place anyway!! Cardiff are on a roll with 4 away wins in their last 6 away games and no defeat in that time. There is little to fear in terms of presence up front from them, but my concern is Cardiff possess some skilful intelligent players who could give our cumbersome defenders a bit of a nightmare. It is quite obvious that whatever any Ipswich fan says, Tommy Smith is going to start every game until MM passes away. With that in mind, why isn't Berra the one reverting to the right hand side. Berra is our most experienced defender, and it will allow Smith to keep the ball on his left foot and most importantly away from his wayward right foot. Also, MM seems obsessed with Parr playing on the wing. How about bump Mings to the left wing and put Parr at left back. Mings has the ability to glide past players, yet has this relaxed state of mind that he fails to recognise danger in his own penalty area. The Ipswich midfield is one that I'm just not sure about. Sometimes I think we possess a number of quality players in midfield- Bishop, Skuse and Bru being the strongest three as a combination, but then again, I feel we need the width in midfield to fully utilise Daryl Murphy's qualities. Our problem is Paul Anderson seems to have spent more time refining his beard than impressing MM with his footballing ability. As for the other wingers, they clearly aren't doing enough to impress. Jay Tabb runs a fair amount and will give it everything, but I just don't rate his as a player. A fit Jonny Williams would be a great late Easter gift- a diamond midfield of Bru, Bishop, Skuse and Williams could be the way forward for the rest of the season. My final conundrum is our goalkeeper. Whilst Bialkowski is a decent shot stopper, he lacks the authoritive nature of a strong goalkeeper. The defence seem confused with his decision making. He rarely comes for crosses, his kicking is shocking, and the most frustrating part is that when teams maybe have 1 or 2 shots on our goal all game, he seems to always concede one of those shots. Good goalkeepers are ready to make vital saves even when they are not busy throughout the match. I think Bialkowski could help to define his qualities over the next 4 matches, and hopefully beyond that period!! As for Sears and Murphy, fantastic and relentless!! Freddie Sears is what we have not had for many years up front, and I think he can fire some key goals over the next few games. Well done to Murphy for his player of the year award!! Any of mine and everyone else's opinions will be ignored by Mr Stubborn McCarthy. We will see how we fare on Tuesday! COYB!!

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DerryfromBury added 16:20 - Apr 12 PJH I couldn't have put it any better. No doubt you'll be receiving a few down arrows, but you're probably be aware of that from the varied audience of the forum. The problem is we and are in the position we are through know ones fault than our own. The important thing is, we all get behind the boys on Tuesday evening. COYB
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Seasider added 17:46 - Apr 12 I see what jabberjackson means about it not being in our hands as goal difference is so small.However we do have 6th place at the moment so dont have to rely on other teams as we have done recently when were 7th and 8th. Both Mick and Berra admitted that team played poorly in defence and by missing chances made the game closer than it should have been .Mr Mccarthy stated that he was stubborn etc in interview which he appears to consider an asset;but it was interesting to hear Christophe and Mick both say that it is wins that are needed in last four games with the centre back also saying its about scoring more goals than opposition;so hopefully MM wont be parking the bus or even taking a point before he got on it,as he has previously . Must remember that unlike past seasons some of our most talented players have been injured;but it is encouraging that the Bish played first 90 mins on Saturday,Jonny came through second cameo unscathed and hopefully Kevin Bru will soon join Jonathan Parr back in the squad. If you add to this to the current form of Freddie Sears and Skusey then feel that we could retain our place in the play offs after all,and with the above players the ball may stay on the ground a bit longer! We live in hope

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halsteadblue added 20:29 - Apr 12 I have just looked at Cardiffs away results re Ginos comments,take a look,its really not made my already shattered nerves any better.I hope and prey our back four put in the same performance as Watford.What a week in prospect....COYB
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blueboy1981 added 22:34 - Apr 12 ........ this is 'the' week ........... !!!???
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dirtydingusmagee added 21:44 - Apr 13 Cardiff is crucial, this week the teams above us will be tested,and results could shake it up a bit. ,nerves will start playing a major part in the run in .Think there will be a few upsets in top places this week .
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