Town’s FA Cup run ended at the third round stage for the sixth successive year as the 10-man Blues were beaten 2-1 by League Two Portsmouth at Fratton Park. Former Blue Gary Roberts netted a penalty in the 32nd minute, then Marc McNulty added a second five minutes later to give Pompey a comfortable 2-0 half-time lead, then after the break Ainsley Maitland-Niles pulled one back before Piotr Malarczyk was sent off for two bookable offences.

Boss Mick McCarthy named the anticipated entirely changed XI from the side which drew 1-1 with Preston on Saturday.

Bartosz Bialkowski returned in goal with Josh Emmanuel at right-back, Myles Kenlock left-back and Malarczyk and Paul Digby the centre-halves, as they were in the first game between the sides at Portman Road 10 days ago, which ended 2-2.

In midfield, Luke Hyam skippered and was joined in the centre by Jay Tabb with Maitland-Niles on the right and Tommy Oar on the left. Up front, former Pompey striker Luke Varney was partnered by Brett Pitman.

The bench featured Joe Robinson, Kyle Hammond and Shane McLoughlin, all yet to make a first-team appearance, and Adam McDonnell, whose only previous senior game for the Blues came in the Capital One Cup at Doncaster.

Portsmouth named both their ex-Town players, keeper Brian Murphy and winger Roberts, in a team featuring three changes from their team at Portman Road with skipper Michael Doyle, Gareth Evans and Christian Burgess replacing Danny Hollands, Ben Close and Adam McGurk.

The home side created the game’s first opening in the third minute when Kyle Bennett was sent in on the left of the area but hit his shot across the advancing Bialkowski and wide.

Town, wearing their orange and black third kit, threatened for the first time a minute later when Pitman reacted quickly to reach an under-powered Doyle header back towards keeper Murphy, but looped the ball on to the roof of the net.

But as in the first game the League Two side were seeing most of the ball and on nine Roberts shot straight at Bialkowski.

Malarczyk was handed the game’s first yellow card for blocking Marc McNulty in the 14th minute. Roberts slammed the freekick against the wall.

The Blues started to come more into it after the quarter-hour, Pitman’s header from Maitland-Niles’s cross from the right was diverted away, then the former Bournemouth man tried to slip Varney in on goal, but the ball caught the one-time Pompey striker’s heels.

But the home side were still having more of the ball and on 19 Bennett cut in from the left and scraped a shot wide.

Emmanuel did well to get in front of Evans on 21 as he looked to head home Ben Davies’s dangerous cross from the right.

Neither side was able to create another opportunity until the 31st minute when Barton played in McNulty but Bialkowski quickly came off his line to block.

However, the home side kept hold of the ball and got it back in the box where Roberts was scruffily felled by Malarczyk. Referee Andy Woolmer considered his decision before pointing to the spot, leading to Blues’ protests, although the Polish defender kept out of it having already been booked.

The ex-Town winger took the kick himself and Bialkowski was unfortunate not to save it, diving to his left and clawing it into the opposite corner of the net with his right hand.

Bennett hit a weak effort through to Bialkowski, before the home side increased their lead in the 37th minute. Evans drifted a cross over from the right and McNulty placed a header past the Blues keeper from six yards.

Having gained their two-goal lead Portsmouth had their tails very much up and were continuing to take the game to the lacklustre Blues. Just before half-time, McNulty was threaded in on goal but Bialkowski came off his line quickly to claim.

The home side were good for their two-goal lead at the break having created the game’s best opportunities - Pitman’s early moment of opportunism the nearest the Blues came to a goal - and as at Portman Road having played the better football.

Aside from a spell in the middle of the half prior to the goals when they had been unable to create a chance, much-changed Town had been on the back foot throughout.

Five minutes after the restart, the home side almost added to their lead. Evans played in McNulty on the right of the area, beating the offside trap, according to the linesman, but saw his shot blocked by Bialkowski as he rushed off his line. The on-loan Sheffield United man looped the rebound well over.

A minute later Pompey went close again. A well-worked freekick routine on the left was played inside to skipper Doyle, whose strike flew not far wide of Bialkowski’s right post.

The home side continued to present the greater threat, Evans breaking away on 56 but shooting well over.

The Blues had made little impression on the second half when Maitland-Niles pulled a goal back out of nothing. The on-loan Arsenal man curled a superb strike into the top corner of Murphy’s net from 25 yards to claim his second senior goal.

Pompey weren’t far from restoring their two-goal advantage four minutes later when McNulty was fed in on the left of the area and cut the ball across the six-yard box, but no one was on hand to apply the final touch.

Pitman looped an ambitious effort into Murphy’s arms from well out on the right on 66 but Blues chances remained rare. On 71 Tabb was replaced in central midfield by Giles Coke.

A minute later, Varney and Pitman conjured an opportunity after an error from Burgess, the former Pompey man laying the ball back to his strike partner, who screwed his shot well over.

Larsen Touré, back after his groin problem, replaced Varney as the game moved into its final quarter hour.

A minute later, the Blues were reduced to 10 men. Roberts got away from Malarczyk midway inside the Town half and the already-booked defender caught his legs, probably inadvertently.

Referee Woolmer showed the Pole, making only his third Town start, his second yellow card of the evening and then the Blues’ first red of the season. Sub Coke moved into the back four.

In the final minute of scheduled time U21s skipper Joe Robinson was handed his senior debut in place of Maitland-Niles, taking up his usual role at the centre of the defence with Coke moving back into midfield.

Town pressed for an equaliser in injury time but Portsmouth keeper Murphy was never seriously tested and referee Woolmer’s whistle confirmed Pompey’s first victory over the Blues at Fratton Park since October 1966.

The home side thoroughly deserved the victory on the balance of both games with the Blues never really looking like getting anything out of the replay, despite Maitland-Niles’s excellent second-half goal.

A stronger Town side would almost certainly have given Pompey - who face Premier League AFC Bournemouth at home in round four - a more significant test in both games, but as manager McCarthy made clear with his line-ups, the Championship is very much his priority.

Reading’s 5-2 victory at home to Huddersfield means Town’s Championship game against the Royals set for a week on Saturday will be postponed and will be played on Tuesday 2nd February.

Portsmouth: Murphy, Davies, Webster, Burgess (Close 85), Stevens, Barton, Doyle (c), Evans, Roberts (Chaplin 82), Bennett, McNulty. Unused: Bass, May, Tollitt, Naismith, McGurk.

Town: Bialkowski, Emmanuel, Digby, Malarczyk, Kenlock, Hyam (c), Tabb (Coke 71), Maitland-Niles (Robinson 89), Oar, Varney (Touré 76), Pitman. Unused: Gerken, Hammond, McDonnell, Touré, McLoughlin. Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire). Att: 15,179 (Town: 796).

Photo: Action Images

Stato added 16:02 - Jan 20 Was talking to some Pompey boys after the game and they said Matt Clarke much better player than either Digby or the Pole.
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Blue_Meanie added 16:45 - Jan 20 Surco72 - excellent points well made. The fact that Pompey have little to no money and still outplayed our 2nd string 11 tells you everything you need to know about us at the moment, no strength in depth. If we were to get an injury to a forward, midfield or defender the cover is woeful. Evans appears content with MM finding a Mings every couple of seasons to sell on and bridge the gap in his investment. There clearly is no ambition at the top of the club.

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ArnieM added 17:18 - Jan 20 All looking good then eh!
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Priskin9 added 17:36 - Jan 20 Reading on a Tuesday night! We always win in a Tuesday night! Great work MM!🤐 moaners!
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happybeingblue added 17:43 - Jan 20 fans who went should get there £ back for sending out a reserve side, an insult to the great history we have with the fa cup, sorry mick but i am not happy with the way we are expected to believe the birmingham game is sooo much more important not to us fans it aint! if the modern day player cant play 2 games in 5 days thats a load of hogwash! allardyce sent out a reserve side last yr forest best em 5-0 and that was the final nail in sams coffin! the fa cup does matter to the fans!!!!!!

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mrp added 18:17 - Jan 20 Having watched the home match, I didn't bother to travel to Portsmouth knowing MM's inability to win any two legged tie including a playoff. I was at Wembley to see FA Cup Final win and in those days it was almost unheard of for us not to at least get to Round Four. We seem to be doomed to remain eternally in the second tier so the cups provide our only excitement. All our previous managers kept us up and some got us further than MM in more than one cup. Our lack of back up to the first team means that promotion is not likely to be worthwhile. can anyone explain to me while many fans have a high regard of MM?

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HackneyBlue added 18:19 - Jan 20 2 massive pluses from this outcome. 1 we get to play Reading on a Tuesday night where we have more chances than a Saturday of winning.(15 consecutive wins) 2 MM now must realise he has a much poorer squad than he had seen in training,Bart and Brett apart the rest of the positions are well short of any first team quality . .(we knew that)
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Gazelle added 18:50 - Jan 20 Happybeingblue I totally agree with you and I feel so sorry for the near 800 fans who paid to go all the way to Portsmouth to watch the reserves. If I were the FA I would go further and heavily fine teams who put out a weakened eleven, Sir Bobby didn't do it in 1978 and he had a much smaller squad than we have now.
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bluey123 added 19:07 - Jan 20 All you McCarthy lovers should just look at the garbage this awful manager has bought to this once great club. He doesn't care about anything only his own massive ego The club has been ruined by him and Evans both have no place at this club
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PJH added 19:09 - Jan 20 @Gazelle,difference between 1978 and now is that then everyone played their full side in F.A. Cup games,now virtually nobody does. In 1978 winning the F.A. Cup was the second most 'important' thing below winning the league or arguably even more important. Now winning the F.A Cup comes below:- (1)Finishing in top 4 in Premier League. (2)Staying in Premier League. (3)Getting in to Premier League. Not saying whether that is right or wrong but I think that it is a fact.

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karls_dad added 20:38 - Jan 20 As other posters have no doubt commented, if these so called fringe players are not good enough to either step into the squad due to say an injury, or are not good enough to beat a side two divisions below us then surely the question has to be asked what the hell are we paying them for? In my early days of watching football, we only had a substitute, one player on the bench, if someone got injured he had to get on and the team had to re,shuffle to accomadate, now we have five? Tony Reade at Luton, in the good old days was a goalkeeper, the squad was so short in numbers that one day he had to be a striker!! and he scored a hatrick! one of only two goalkeepers ever to do that! I just think that our second string are not good enough full stop! Coke? why are we paying him? what does he bring to ITFC? not alot from what i can see! I have said in the past that this team that we have is not anywhere close to being good enough to win the play offs, and in the unlikely event of us ever getting promoted, what snowflake chance in hell have we to survive a single season, NIL! i shudder to think of how we would cope? A serious re,think is needed down at Portman rd is in order, my rant over!!

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kevinocallaghan added 20:39 - Jan 20 Very surprised Mick would undermine his squad players like that . Normally I hold him in high regard but that's disappointing. Any chance it was a veiled message to Marcus saying we need to sign some players this window ?? Not the way to do it if it was .
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markwill45 added 21:22 - Jan 20 Portsmouth are a tough team. Unlucky lads although 2.1 was close result. Well done for resting players. Boo boys on the site love it. Are you real supporters or is it Norwich fans in disguise. Support someone else if you don't like mick or Ipswich town. Please......
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markwill45 added 21:25 - Jan 20 Prepare for a quiet forum if we beat Birmingham, you will have nothing to moan about. You people must lead boring lives with no happiness or luv lol Xxx
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derby123 added 22:13 - Jan 20 Bluey123. So this once great club was in a great shape when mick came ? Think not rooted to the bottom of the league miles adrift. Team full of loan players. He kept us up and brought in players who care for the club. We achieved play offs last season and were in a good position to do so again. Quite frankly some of the comments on here are embarrassing. If we beat brum on Saturday I can guarantee there won't be half the comments.

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Keaneish added 22:42 - Jan 20 I can guarantee there will be derby123 as the football is equally as dross whether we win or lose. Mick kept us up three years ago by playing direct football and we're still playing it 3 years later. I don't care if we're top or bottom. The football is abysmal and everyone knows it apart from the die hards who sing hallelujah when we beat sides with archaic methods. I can count about 5 games where we've been decent to watch this season.

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Bert added 23:23 - Jan 20 It's only a few weeks ago that many on here were asking for many of the young or fringe players to get a start as Chambers, Gerken, Knudsen, Douglas etc were, in their eyes, not good enough. MM plays the youngsters and fringe players and we get mauled by a very good League 2 side. Just goes to prove that whilst we are all a bit cheesed off with cup exits, some people on here are so fickle that their opinions are a wee bit laughable. It is not hoof ball all the time either. Evans looses millions a year paying our debts so until he can see that progress is being made he is not going to throw money on better quality players. Time to get real and back what we have.

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Dissboyitfc added 07:16 - Jan 21 For me people who dont question and follow like sheep need to take a reality check, football is all about passion and differing opinions. For those that are easily pleased, good on you!
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Keaneish added 07:36 - Jan 21 Bert - I'm sure there were people on here calling to see youth and fringe players, we all want to see that but even the most naive of football supporters knows you can't throw them all in together and hope for a result. You said we're making progress as a football club. Are we? Why? Because we're 7th? Chris Hughton has Brighton 5th within a year. Eddie Howe took Bournemouth up in 2 years. Paul Clement has Derby second within 6 months. Warburton, Carvalhal, Karanka, Rowett, the list goes on. McCarthy is on big money to be here and a big bonus too if I remember rightly. It's 3 and a half years into his tenure and I see no plan and no vision other than bludgeoning teams to desperately try and cling in or around the play-offs. All those afore mentioned have or had their teams playing and most of those on limited budgets. We'll back what we have because we're fans but the vast majority of us don't like it and can see that it's not functioning. McCarthy can't dine out because of his achievements in keeping us up or getting us to the play-offs. If you apply the old cliche, "you're as good as your last game", McCarthy has seriously got to step it up!

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bohslegend added 09:33 - Jan 21 I waited until today, give it 2 days after the match (actually it was Tues night, so two mornings) and here we are, 5 pages of ranting following a defeat. We don't get nearly as many comments when we win. End of.
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Surco72 added 09:48 - Jan 21 bohslegend what was your view of the game ? Oh you cannot answer again as you never go . Question do you support MM or Ipswich ?
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Steve70 added 09:53 - Jan 21 The look on MM face !! The walk of shame from Malarczyk ! School boy bookings from Malarczyk. Who would people want if MM left ?
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derby123 added 10:27 - Jan 21 So diss boy why aernt some of us allowed a opinion without being called sheep from people like yourself? Slightly patronising I think. 1 defeat and we get 5 pages of ranting. A win is followed by barely 2. I would suggest your one of the sheep rarely comments when we win but straight out to spread doom when we lose. Yes your right everyone 's entitled to an opinion but right now the team and management need us more than ever.

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derby123 added 10:37 - Jan 21 Keaneish but look how much derby have spent 25 million all of that and were only four points off them. Granted Brighton have spent less but knockaert the guy from Leicester cost around 3 million. We simply can't go out and spend these sums on players. So I don't think we're doing to badly to still be in contact with these clubs especially derby who should walk this league.

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BackTheBlues added 10:53 - Jan 21 Thought both Malarcyks bookings were soft - were coming back in to the game at 2 - 1. Steep learning curve for the youngsters, shame there isn't another game for them. But if we beat Birmingham away Saturday was it worth it?
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