Town boss Mick McCarthy felt his side had had the better of a well-contested game between two sides but “let their guard down” and allowed Middlesbrough to get their noses in front via Christian Stuani. The Teessiders went on to win the game 2-0 to climb to the top of the Championship table with David Nugent continuing his remarkable goalscoring record against the Blues and at Portman Road.

“I thought it was two good teams playing in the first half and they had a right good go at it,” McCarthy said. “I thought we shaded it slightly.

“I thought we started the second half well and I said to them at half-time that it would be whoever blinks first or lets their guard down and we did it unfortunately.

“We really shouldn’t have been in any danger with that clearance from the goalkeeper, we messed that up and we didn’t defend the far post well enough.

“Of course, if we’d scored it I would be saying it’s a good goal, but the way we dealt with it wasn’t good enough.

“That changed the course of the game, they’ve got a very good defensive record anyway and they were then 1-0 up.

“And again it was our throw-in from which we conceded the second goal, which I’m bemoaning, but actually Stewart Downing and David Nugent, Premier League footballers, probably getting Premier League salaries, showed their quality and punished us.

“And at 2-0 I’ve left three players up and I’m trying to wing it a little bit, trying to get something back and I left us wide open. They looked a very good side and deserved to win in the end because they didn’t concede.”

Despite the defeat the Town boss wasn’t too downhearted: “We’ve had a great run and we’ve lost to a side who will be competing for the top two places.

“We’ve lost two here now this season, Brighton were the other one and they’ll be competing for the top two as well.

“Not that I want to lose to the best teams. I was delighted with our performance for an hour but then unfortunately we let our guard down and we were beaten.”

He added: “I was stood there [prior to Boro going ahead] thinking that we’d performed very well in the game, but I also knew, and I guess we both knew, whichever one went in front it was going to change the course of the game and the other would have to open up.

“Unfortunately it was us and once they got in front they showed what a good team they are. They’ve got good players, good quality players and they deserved it in the end. I’ve no qualms about it at all.”

McCarthy felt Nugent and and Stewart Downing showed their top flight pedigree with Boro’s second goal, which took the striker’s record to 15 goals in 14 games against Town and 10 in eight at Portman Road.

“He didn’t have a kick up until the goal, but that’s good centre forwards,” McCarthy said.

“It was a great quality goal by them on the break. Stewie Downing picked him out with the pass and I can admire that and respect that, that was just a top class finish.”

Reflecting on the match overall, he continued: “I thought it was a really good game and a really good performance by us, up until them scoring.

“And of course that does change things and I’ve said to the lads that I’ll take the responsibility when I’ve left three up and put Giles Coke on for Ainsley, who had a nasty thump in the first half and he’d run out of steam.

“I’m trying to get back in the game and winging it a bit and put the lads under a bit of pressure.

“They played round us and kept it but even then we still had a chance near the end, still had a couple, so the lads kept going. I was delighted with them. They’re a good side, they deserved to win in the end.

“For the first 50-odd minutes until they scored, we were a match for them, no question about that. Just can’t afford to give goals like that away, can we?”

Boro boss Aitor Karanka was delighted with his club’s first victory at Portman Road in nearly 23 years.

“An amazing win because you know how difficult it is to win here. It was 1993 when Middlesbrough last won here," he said.

“I know from last season how difficult it is to win here and this was the same.

"The first half was more or less like last season and for that reason I told [the players] at half-time we had to change because they had more chances than us and we were in danger because if they had scored first we would have had problems.”

Regarding Nugent’s goal record, he added: “It was high pressure for me because if he hadn’t scored it would have been my fault. He scored, we won the game, so everybody’s happy.”

Nugent himself said: “As a footballer you always get a team who you score against and Ipswich is my team now. Just wish I could play them every week really.

"A clean sheet and three points was our goal. We’re top of the league now so it’s a job well done.”

Photo: Action Images

carlo88 added 08:59 - Dec 5 You let Middlesbrough score first they will inevitably win, they're a very strong outfit. Otherwise I thought we played very well first half and more than matched them. Hope they go up, like that club. We do have some glaring problems in full back and midfield positions though. We'll probably finish 6th-8th, that's not bad for a club that doesn't spend any money. Or we could get rid of Mick and have a relegation battle, perhaps that would be more fun.

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jas0999 added 09:01 - Dec 5 To be fair to Mick I think he knows we aren't good enough. But when you sell £12M worth of talent over two seasons and only allowed to bring in loans, inexperienced players and the likes of Coke and Toyre, then frankly it's obvious we won't be able to compete. Hard work has got us so far, but NO manager will be able to push us on until Evans reviews his transfer strategy.

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LambethBlue added 09:07 - Dec 5 People are very critical of Knudsen - he may have played a part in the lead up to the second goal with this ridiculous and recurring long throw, but Smith surely needs to take a long look at his role in allowing the cross to be put in for the first goal. He seemed to be jogging alongside Adomah, almost clearing a path for him to play whilst gesturing orders at Berra rather than putting in a tackle himself. It's infuriating. I watched the match on TV last night and the commentators were correct when they said that our defenders are slow. I admire Sears for his pace and all round ability but it's depressing to see him out on the wing and inevitably tracking back to cover our incompetent defenders. He must play up front and the defence issues must be sorted.

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vanmunt added 09:22 - Dec 5 The epitome of a mid table team, beat the bottom teams and get turned over by the top teams. At least MM won't be crowing about how brilliant his back 4 are and the amazing Skuse/Douglas partnership this week.
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oldelsworthyfan added 09:29 - Dec 5 This was a reality check against one of the best teams in the Championship and it would be a pity if MM doesn't act on it. Two of our defenders stood out as not being good enough. Smith is often vulnerable in the second half against good opposition and Knudson has much to learn if he is not to be replaced by Parr. On the other hand, we could easily have been 1 - 0 up at half time which would not have been against the run of play. Of concern is how we concede more goals in the Second Half. The MM style of play means our players have to' run and run' to make up for any lack of ability. Hard to do for 90 minutes. Even the concentration goes near the end. How many goals have we conceded in the last 10 minutes? Fresh legs coming on at Half Time would be a better use of substitutes (instead of for the last 5 minutes).

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Europablue added 09:35 - Dec 5 Shows we are not automatic promotion candidates, but we could still sneak 6th
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Pezzer added 09:36 - Dec 5 I agree with Delia's CF above. Watching on sky Smith was too easily beaten for the first and did nothing for the second. On the TV it looked like we shaded the first half but as soon as Boro scored, game over.
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Kesgraveblue57 added 10:11 - Dec 5 Middlesborough where by far are the better team we got off lightly with only two goals been scored against us with MM Best back four playing none of the current side could play in the Premier League our club is going nowhere dream of play-offs which you might well get to then lose Ipswich town is purely a championship side mid table
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brittaniaman added 10:22 - Dec 5 We pitched ourselves against one of the top teams last night and failed at home !!! First half good we matched them... Second half after 5mins. Boro engaged top gear but we stayed in third gear. Boro did strengthen there team in the Summer, where as we just Added to our team, also there goal keeper was excellent and ours just average ??? So again we are not ready to challenge for the top places ?? By the way that Boro team is certainly not the one that played Norwich in the play off final !!!!!

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yorksblue added 10:24 - Dec 5 Smith needs to have the video of the 2nd half played back to him. Absolute shambles, notwithstanding left footed right sided centre back.
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yorksblue added 10:25 - Dec 5 Smith needs to have the video of the 2nd half played back to him. Absolute shambles, notwithstanding left footed right sided centre back.
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carlo88 added 10:50 - Dec 5 Great save from Gerken from Leadboots by the way
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brittaniaman added 11:09 - Dec 5 Why does most people talk about the sixth place all it will mean is two extra games at the end of the season, as proved by last season ???????????
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tractorboybig added 11:56 - Dec 5 Once again a poor management decision in the substitution of niles for coke. what did he hope to achieve by it? Poor defending again,no coherance in mid field and no service up front. This club has gone backwards since evans took over and looks as likely as playoff candidates as Bolton do. itfccymru How far have we really come? The last time this club played football was with magilton.

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HarryS_H added 12:35 - Dec 5 You lot are a bore Sometimes... The same old moaning all the time, do you not get bored of being so negative and stupid all the time??
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beornioblue added 13:19 - Dec 5 We got beaten by a better side last night, I love this football club I really do but it's the manner of the goals were letting in that's so frustrating. We as fans cannot be wrong all the time , sure there's passion and we fans are a fickle lot but the vast majority are in agreement that smith is passed it and has cost us points on many occasions , Knudsen isn't ready yet and Parr is and I know bish is injured but we have no midfield string puller!! Playing a through ball is not in the vocabulary at Portman Road unfortunately, Evans please please it's time to spend.

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Palestine added 13:42 - Dec 5 Oh dear. Was having a poor night and then watching that pretty much finished me off. Yes we matched them in the first half and even had the better chances but our total inability to pass, move or play football makes it horrible to watch. Agree with Britannia above that what is the point of a team like this playing like this finishing 6th? It is no way good enough to win a final, and if we somehow fluked 3 games we be devestated in the Premiership. Notice the difference when we finished in play offs under Burley, playing good football it was positive, but playing like this. Scraping results withought passing, letting the other team pass it around us. Hapless, clueless, just horrid football. It seems utterly pointless. From this point of view I would welcome a more progressive manager personally even tho i like MM as a guy. That said I thought Douglas was better than I was expecting (at least for the first 60 mins). Pitman looked bright and unlucky not to score. Felt sorry for Sears - no service, and forced to play a defensive role for most the game. Tommy Smith - at fault for getting beat, but then rather than bust a gut to get back and make a tackle he just lets him thru, ushering him and gesturing for someone else to tackle him. No Smith your mistake you get back and tackle him! Left back - way off the pace, don't understnad why you wouldn't play Parr. I will always love Ipswich, but can barely bring myself to watch this. Felt sorry for those in the crowd.

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terryf added 15:00 - Dec 5 First half we looked the better Team and without their goal-keeper making some excellent saves we could have scored 3 or 4 goals. Second half they looked more potent and you could have put money on our nemisis Nugent scoring. MM mentioned poor defending, but not the fact that Chambers needed to be tighter on Adomah for the first goal. OK we know he has got alot of pace but he kept giving the guy room to put in crosses. Also think Knudsen's long-throws are a waste of time. Too much air and not enough pace on them. Must have been food and drink for their miserly back four. And please when is the Manager going to wake up and play Freddie down the middle and put Parr in the Team. The latter scored a great goal at Forest, defends well and gets dropped. I'd have in the Team in place Knudsen any day. On a positive Gerks made some great saves, one in particular second half was top-drawer and Maitland-Niles also had a very good game for 50 odd minutes until he ran out of steam. Enjoyed the game though...just not the result!!

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phillo added 16:18 - Dec 5 We've got a good full back ........ he's called Parr !!!!
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therein61 added 16:29 - Dec 5 Yes Mick Middlesbrough have a good defensive record and so could we if you took your blinkers off and sorted it out this back 4 just does not work!!!!! have got to fall into the relegation mire to wake you up to reality????
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blueboy1981 added 17:13 - Dec 5 Mick - neither you, Marcus Evans, or the team are anything more than Championship standard. Record of tenancy of which - is one record we have no fear of losing at this rate. Finger on the minus button essex57 ........ ???
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therein61 added 18:22 - Dec 5 +1 for you blueboy1981
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bohslegend added 18:27 - Dec 5 Europablue apologies, meant to mark up (glitch on the iPad caused me to hit wrong arrow). What's your excuse Blueboy?
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yorksblue added 19:38 - Dec 5 Does anyone else think that Messi has an annoying Nugent type grin, that makes you want to punch his lights out?
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blueboy1981 added 21:11 - Dec 5 bohslegend ........... you should know by now, I make excuses for NOTHING. I leave that to you and your brigade - in other words the EXPERTS at such.
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