Leon Best’s goal a minute before half-time saw Rotherham United to a 1-0 victory over the Blues at Portman Road. The former Irish international scraped home from close range from a Matt Derbyshire cross, the Millers having caught Town on the break after they had lost possession from a freekick in the visitors’ half.

Boss Mick McCarthy named the same team which beat Blackburn 2-0 on Tuesday with new loan signing Liam Feeney amongst the subs.

Also on the bench were ex-Miller Ben Pringle and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who came in for the injured Luke Varney, while Michael Crowe took the place of the ill Dean Gerken as the sub keeper.

Rotherham included former Town loanee Paul Green on their bench, while Paddy Kenny, who was on a short-term deal with the Blues last season without making an appearance, was the Millers’ sub keeper.

The Blues created the game’s first opportunity in the fifth minute when skipper Luke Chambers crossed from the right and Freddie Sears, playing on the left of a front three with Daryl Murphy on the right and the more central Brett Pitman dropping deeper, headed over.

Town had the better of the opening quarter of an hour but without threatening again until the 16th minute when, after good work down the left from Jonathan Douglas, Pitman teed up Sears, but his shot failed to test Lee Camp in the Rotherham goal.

On 21 Lee Frecklington claimed he’d been fouled by Douglas as he broke into the area chasing a pass over the top but the former Peterborough man appeared just to have been out-muscled.

A minute later, with the visitors now on top, Richard Smallwood brought the ball in from the left and hit a low shot which Bartosz Bialkowski claimed easily.

In the 37th minute, after Bialkowski had been crowded out as a long throw came in from the right, Frecklington looped the loose ball wide.

Two minutes later, the Blues carved out an opportunity but Camp confidently dealt with Chambers’s shot, to ironic cheers from a section of the Town support in the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

At the other end, Grant Ward struck a deflected effort from the edge of the box which Bialkowski pushed behind to his left.

Rotherham had shaded a not overly engaging half and a minute before the break they went in front.

Following a Town freekick in the Millers’ half, Douglas played a loose pass on halfway and Derbyshire broke away down the right before crossing to the unmarked Best, who turned home before Christophe Berra could get back to intercept.

There was no time for the Blues to hit back before referee Stephen Martin blew his final whistle, signalling boos from a frustrated Town support.

Even before the goal it had been a disappointing half from Town, who after starting positively had allowed the visitors to get on top and on the balance of the half overall they deserved their lead.

Unsurprisingly, the Blues made a switch of personnel at the break with new loan signing Feeney handed his debut and Douglas making way.

Town began the half brightly and soon after the restart Chambers fed Sears on the right of the area and the former Colchester man hit a low shot which was cleared from inside the six-yard box.

The Blues kept up the early pressure, Pitman forcing Camp into a brave save as he sought to latch on to a loose ball in the box.

On 53 Feeney whipped over a cross from the right which Jonas Knudsen headed against a defender and out for a corner. From the flag-kick, the ball reached Chambers but the Town captain was unable to make significant contact with his header. Seconds later, as Rotherham looked to break, Knudsen was booked for a foul on Ward.

In the 57th minute Feeney battled for the ball with Joe Mattock on the right before sending over a cross which Knudsen headed straight at Camp.

As the game moved past the hour, Pitman did well to find Sears on the left as he was fouled by Greg Halford, referee Martin waving play on. Sears took the ball into the area and shot well wide before Halford was yellow-carded for the foul.

Town were still less than convincing with the ball being given away cheaply on too many occasions, while cross after cross was claimed by Camp in the air.

But on 67 Pitman worked himself a chance on the edge of the area and was fouled by Lloyd Doyley as he hit a shot which was deflected wide.

Town’s top scorer took the freekick himself but blazed well over. Three minutes later, ex-Miller Pringle took over from Pitman.

On 74 Kevin Bru replaced Hyam for Town and four minutes later Joe Newell came on for Derbyshire for the Millers.

The Blues continued to make little headway and on 88 Rotherham created their first chance of the half, Halford cutting back to Ward, who screwed his shot wide.

The fourth official’s board indicated an additional four minutes with Town still rarely looking like getting back on terms.

Feeney, the Blues’ main second-half threat, broke away on the left and cut the ball across when he might have shot but won a corner from which Town came as close to a goal as they had all match.

A loose ball fell to Pringle beyond the far post but he hit his shot from a tight angle across the face of goal and wide with none of his team-mates able to add a final touch.

Soon after, the referee blew his whistle signalling boos and chants of ‘What a load of rubbish’ from the home support.

Manager Mick McCarthy immediately made his way down the tunnel, unusually not staying on the pitch to shake his players’ hands along with assistant boss Terry Connor.

As at Cardiff last week, having gone behind, the Blues were huffed and puffed but - after their post-half-time flurry - were devoid of ideas and were unable to seriously threaten Rotherham’s lead, a couple of Feeney crosses aside.

It was as poor a performance as Town have put in at home in what’s generally been a disappointing season at Portman Road.

Given the toughness of the Blues’ remaining away games, missing out on three points from what looked on paper to be a very winnable home match is a significant bow to Town’s up and down play-off aspirations.

Rotherham, now unbeaten in five, winning four, are out of the bottom three and up to 10th.

The result sees the Blues stay eighth but now four points - plus goal difference - from the play-offs ahead of the two-week gap for the international break with Town next in action at Wolves on April 2nd.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Knudsen, Smith, Berra, Skuse, Hyam (Bru 74), Douglas (Feeney 46), Sears, Murphy, Pitman (Pringle 70). Unused: Crowe, Maitland-Niles, Digby, Foley.

Rotherham: Camp, Mattock, Broadfoot (c), Frecklington, Kelly, Halford, G Ward, Derbyshire (Newell 78), Smallwood, Doyley, Best (Clarke-Harris 84). Unused: Kenny, Wood, D Ward, Green, Burke. Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire). Att: 20,318 (Rotherham: 344).

Photo: Action Images

blueboy1981 added 18:42 - Mar 19 My heart sank when I saw the midfield line up - SKUSE / HYAM / DOUGLAS. What chance had we got of creating anything with that ..... ?????????????????????????????? We weren't exactly playing Barcelona either - Rotherham are a typically very ordinary, struggling Championship side. SEASON OVER.
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StochesStotasBlewe added 18:45 - Mar 19 Essextractorboy93, as you seem to be pushing the minus button with abandon, would you be so kind as to share your thoughts on today?................................................
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wherescounago added 18:50 - Mar 19 I have always backed and supported MM and TC but I am afraid that I cannot do that today. What we saw today was awful. To produce a display like that in the same week as receiving season ticket renewal letters adds insult to injury.
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sproughtonblue added 19:04 - Mar 19 Only saving grace is that its near the end of the season and only a few more games to endure! After Tuesday how on this earth can he field the same midfield, its plain pigheadedness on MM,s part. Skuse or Hyam (and i think hyam is appalling!) and certainly not Douglas. NOT ALL THREE!!!!
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punch_bowl added 19:09 - Mar 19 So another poor display by my team, I shouted to Marcus Evans 'its not good enough Marcus ' as he retreated to his executive box, followed by Simon Milton, 'Simon' I shouted 'tell Marcus it ain't good enough' , he replied 'f--- off ' and laughed at me, the steward asked him to come out and apologise and he refused. Mr Milton I won't pay your wages, you're a disgrace! Maybe its a good time to stop paying over £600 for a season ticket, a loyal fan for 38 years!

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Mick_Mills_Tache added 19:14 - Mar 19 Been a very long time since I last posted on here. McCarthy is clueless. His team selections are completely bizarre and very baffling. I've never been a fan of Mick, have always said (from day one) that he'll never get us promoted. Why on Earth would you play a midfield of three defensive mids at home, against a team who were in the bottom 3 and had set up with a midfield of five....why would you put 4 wingers and our most creative CM on the bench? Why would you drop Foley and Pringle when they've been two of our better players recently? Finally people seem to be waking up and realising how poor a manager MM is. Yes he may have steadied the relegation ship, but take the McCarthy/Evans are our saviours tinted glasses off. There are plenty of managers out there. Wilder from Northampton, Cook from Pompey, McInnes from Aberdeen or even Burley back? #McCarthyout

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Dissboyitfc added 19:14 - Mar 19 I went today and the only positive was feeney. I have never booed an ipswich player or team, b4 during or after a match, not my style but i certainly dont begrudge those who did Boo,that was woeful in the extreme. Something needs to change and soon! I really dont think MM is the man to take us forward.
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surgery added 19:35 - Mar 19 Re punch bowl. What more would you expect from the likes of him. He probably struggles to read or write
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hossblue added 19:36 - Mar 19 Douglas is past his sell by date, and Hyam is coached by a rugby player, telling him never to pass forward.
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Berts_chin added 19:43 - Mar 19 Mick was brought in to keep us in this division and not only did he do that but it's also what he continues to do. We are unlikely to drop out of the championship and, unfortunately, we are extremely unlikely to leave it by achieving promotion either. Personally I don't think Bru brings much to the team, he flatters to deceive. I would play Foley alongside Scuse in central midfield, with Pringle and Feeney wide and Sears and Murphy up top. Pitman is most effective off the bench.

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alfromcol added 19:44 - Mar 19 So another poor display by my team, I shouted to Marcus Evans 'its not good enough Marcus ' as he retreated to his executive box, followed by Simon Milton, 'Simon' I shouted 'tell Marcus it ain't good enough' , he replied 'f--- off ' and laughed at me, the steward asked him to come out and apologise and he refused. Mr Milton I won't pay your wages, you're a disgrace! Maybe its a good time to stop paying over £600 for a season ticket, a loyal fan for 38 years! And Milton just been inducted into the Hall of Fame as well. Arse licking comes to mind

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alfromcol added 19:46 - Mar 19 Quoted from punch_bowl added 19:09 - Mar 19
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Dissboyitfc added 19:48 - Mar 19 Punchbowl... Thats disgraceful and a representative of ipswich town should never speak to a fan in that manner. How times have changed and not for the better.
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Ipswichbusiness added 19:51 - Mar 19 If you are serious about promotion then when playing at home you beat the teams at the bottom of the league. I have always been an MM supporter, but now I think that he has taken us as far as he can and he should go at the end of the season.
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Hegansheroes added 19:53 - Mar 19 Wasn't there today & will not be attending any more games until McCarthy has gone. Having been to my 1st match in 1961/2 & supporting Town through thick & thin, even the dreadful time under Duncan I can honestly say MM has to be the worst coach ever at Ipswich. He should have been brought in on a short term deal to keep us in the Championship, which he did but long term I knew exactly what would transpire-utter dross. Ask any Wolves or Sunderland supporter & they would laugh at the thought off MM as a good manager. MM's arrogance now is really becoming a total insult to the supporters & by the way HarryS H can I have some of the hallucnogens you must be on

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TangoAlphaNovember added 19:54 - Mar 19 Season ticket renewal came a few days ago. Threw it in the bin. Dont have to win but I do require to be entertained for my £600. Had to force myself to go today...you just get no excitement, no thrill these days.Would certainly reconsider if MM went until then I will pick the occasional match and pay on the door. Sad after the good showing last season but we have regressed and become embarrassingly predictable and one dimensional

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Mick_Mills_Tache added 19:56 - Mar 19 At least we can now give the likes of Emmanuel, Dozell and other youngsters....oh wait, they're not part of the clique!
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VulpineBlue added 20:06 - Mar 19 So this is how the season ends. Not with a bang but a whimper. Just got in and have read every comment. It is with sadness rather than anger that this is the day that turned it for me. Like so many I couldn't believe it when I read the team sheet. Was Mick doing his old mate Warney a favour? I really felt that Mick had been building a functional midfield of late (Foley, Pringle and now the excellent Feeney), but then I see that he decides not to play them. I'm baffled, especially as he selects a midfield that has proven time & time again to be dysfunctional. All Warney had to do was to watch the video of Tuesday to know exactly what to expect. Mick could have shaken it all up and taken Rotherham by surprise- but he didn't. Poor. One of the best forward lines in this league with no ammo supplied to them. We ate staying put -We are staying put. We are staying put -We are staying put. To renew or not to renew, that is the question.

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dirtydingusmagee added 20:20 - Mar 19 thats it for me ,ive had enough,Imunder no illusions that im the only person going to the games who dosnt live locally,but travelling as i do from north of Lowestoft,just isnt worth the expense or time anymore.I am retired and been following Town for over 50 years.Sure ITFC have been in worse positions than present in that time, but there is nothing worth watching now .Today was abysmal,MM once again seemed more intent on not losing than going for the win,It wasnt until 2nd half and we were a goal down that Feeney's introduction brought any glimmer of a threat.Even then after a short time the service to front men faded away.Without the efforts of Feeney the performance was at best poor.Anyone who still believes Town are in with playoff chance or even believes we deserve to be in playoffs are really deluded in my book,ITFC in Prem under present regime,I DONT THINK SO .

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essex57 added 20:25 - Mar 19 I'm sitting in a darkened room with a bottle of tolly cobbled light ale trying to get over today's debacle.
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essexboy added 20:29 - Mar 19 I have a great deal of respect for MM as a manager throughout his career,but I feel he has gone as far as he can with the players we have at the club.The tactics are stale and the team selection does leave a lot to be desired.Whether he is,or is not getting support from the owner we will never no but the direction this club is going at the moment is not right.I suppose we could all say we are only four points off 6th spot,with only eight games to go it is a lot to make up and we cannot rely on teams around us dropping points.With the points we have thrown away we could have been in the top two by now.This season was a great chance for us to get promotion and we have not taken it through one reason or another.Does the owner think we are all going to be queuing up for season tickets next season.I really wonder what he thinks.I just wish he would come out,show his face and state his intentions,sooner rather than later and not his MD. We all deserve to hear what you have to say.Stop hiding behind you MD,Mr.Evans.!

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sproughtonblue added 20:44 - Mar 19 Enjoy that pint ESSEX57 before the seasons over you may need a few more!
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VulpineBlue added 20:45 - Mar 19 Essexboy. Very true. At present buying next years season ticket is like buying a pig in a poke.
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Minneapolis_ITFC added 21:09 - Mar 19 Can't really add anything that hasn't already been mentioned. Bottom line, that was an unacceptable score to a team we really should have taken something from. Maybe the team could be excused a draw but to drop all three points (and with home advantage) to that opposition ? Sorry, but this is bullsh1t. Feel genuine sympathy to our support who travel both home and away to watch our progress and are subject to another performance like today. Really wanted to believe we could build on last seasons play-off achievement but it's falling away fast and one or two games aside, it's been largely lackluster and disappointing and hard to see right now any hope of getting once again out of this league. I've defended the manager before but he is fast testing my patience. And what, another two or three years of this ? Feels like a prisoner on death row supporting the club sometimes. - If McCarthy and Evans owned a funeral parlor, no-one would freakin' die.. Once again take this opportunity to offer sympathy to our fans who paid good money to be 'entertained' by another of our unacceptable performances - not to mention embarrassing scores. Still live in 'hope' we can achieve something this season, but really, I'm only fooling myself here.

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chrismadrid added 21:17 - Mar 19 When will we ever stop giving opponents soft goals.We could be top 2 if we were stronger at the back.We need new players for goals and a better defence.Change it for Wolves,Mick or we'll be bitten by your ex.side.Need 3 points badly in 2 weeks!
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