Town’s EFL Cup run ended at the first round stage after Stevenage left Portman Road having picked up a deserved 1-0 win, Ben Kennedy scoring the winner in the 53rd minute.

Boss Mick McCarthy named a stronger than usual cup side, although still featuring seven changes from the team which beat Barnsley 4-2 on Saturday.

Dean Gerken was in goal with one-time Stevenage loanee Tommy Smith and Paul Digby at the heart of the defence and Jonas Knudsen and skipper Luke Chambers the full-backs.

In midfield Kevin Bru and Jonathan Douglas lined-up in deeper central roles behind Andre Dozzell, who was between them and striker Freddie Sears, with Conor Grant on the left and weekend hat-trick hero Grant Ward on the right. Last week’s two new signings were both making their full debuts.

Bartosz Bialkowski, David McGoldrick, Teddy Bishop, Christophe Berra and Cole Skuse were on a strong bench, while academy striker Ben Morris, 18, was named among the senior subs for the first time.

After a tentative first 10 minutes the visitors were the first to threaten, Tom Conlon crossing from the right and Luke Wilkinson looping a header over.

Town’s first opportunity came in the 16th minute when Dozzell sent Sears away on the right. The former Colchester man crossed towards Douglas, who stooped to head low past Stevenage keeper Jamie Jones’s right post.

Saturday’s star man Ward struck his first effort of the evening in the 25th minute but the ball deflected wide for a corner.

Two minutes later Boro’s Kennedy bludgeoned his way through a couple of tackles on the edge of the box but was unable to make significant contact with his shot and it failed to test Gerken.

On 33, with Town starting to look more dangerous, Sears was crowded out on the left. The loose ball fell to Knudsen but the Danish international screwed his volley well wide.

Bru sent Sears away on the right of the area with a clever pass three minutes later but the former Colchester man’s shot flew wide.

Knudsen burst away down the left in the 37th minute and crossed, but the ball hit Dozzell on the heel as he looked to volley goalwards. Soon after, Bru curled a freekick over after Grant had been fouled.

A minute before the break, Stevenage’s Conlon struck the first half’s only shot on target from a freekick just outside the area to the right. However, Gerken got down to his right to firmly punch the ball away from goal.

That was the last significant action of a not overly enthralling 45 minutes played in a pre-season atmosphere in front of Portman Road's lowest League Cup crowd for 20 years.

After a quiet start, the Blues gradually began to threaten sporadically but had failed to force Stevenage keeper Jones into a save.

McCarthy swapped Dozzell, who had rather drifted out of the game after a bright start, ahead of the second half as the Blues moved to 4-4-2.

Four minutes after the restart McGoldrick teed up Bru 20 yards out and the Mauritian international hit Town’s first shot on target. However, Jones was able to claim with relative ease.

Smith was booked in the 50th minute after bringing Kennedy down as he burst towards the area on the Stevenage right. The Blues’ centre-half was probably a touch unfortunate as the clash had appeared to be little more than a tangle of legs.

Gerken palmed Conlon’s freekick behind at his near post and from the resultant corner Chambers nodded Wilkinson’s header behind.

And from that flag-kick the visitors went in front. Town initially cleared but Charlie Lee won the ball off Ward as he looked to break. The former Peterborough man’s shot was deflected and the wrong-footed Gerken was only able to save with a toe and Kennedy stabbed home the rebound.

McGoldrick looked to hit back on 55, curling a strike from distance wide. The visitors made their first change six minutes later with Andrew Fox replacing Dean Wells.

Grant forced Jones into a save to his left with a powerful strike on 65 after a spell of Blues possession.

A minute later, Stevenage almost went two in front. Bru’s shot was blocked on the edge of the visitors’ box and Rowan Liburd spun away from Digby on halfway, leaving the centre-half in his wake. The striker burst into the area but Gerken quickly came off his line to block his shot.

Bishop replaced Bru for Town on 69, then two minutes later McGoldrick hit a well-struck shot which Jones palmed behind.

A mix-up between Knudsen and Gerken as the Dane sought to deal with a cross from the left almost led to an opening for Boro soon afterwards but the full-back was eventually able to clear. On 77 Lee was booked for a foul on Bishop.

Ward saw a shot blocked at one end, then Kennedy went well over from distance for the League Two club, whose skipper Ronnie Henry was booked for a foul on the former Spurs winger as the game moved into its final scheduled 10 minutes.

The Blues finally began to look more threatening, Grant and Knudsen saw shots blocked, then McGoldrick curled into Jones’s arms.

Another Ward strike was blocked and with two minutes left on the clock McGoldrick curled another effort wide.

Knudsen’s low cross from the left just wouldn’t fall for Ward, then after good work from the ex-Tottenham man Sears’s shot was blocked.

The fourth official signalled five additional minutes and soon after Digby flicked a header to Jones from a Knudsen cross.

Deep into injury time McGoldrick’s cross from the right fell to Bishop but he scraped his shot well wide.

That was the last action of Town’s 2016/17 EFL Cup campaign with Stevenage claiming a victory over the Blues at this stage of the competition for the second time in four seasons. It's the 10th time in 14 seasons that the Blues have gone out of the competition to opposition from a lower league.

Town never dominated the game in the manner that a Championship side - even one with seven changes - ought to do against a League Two team with the performance as flat as the atmosphere and there seemed little urgency until injury time.

While the Blues had opportunities, they were almost entirely shots from distance with no real clear-cut chances carved out, and even with the longer range efforts Stevenage keeper Jones was comfortable. The visitors might even have added to their lead but for Gerken’s save from Liburd.

Boss McCarthy’s cup record with Town now reads a mere two wins from 13 ties, both in this competition last season.

Town are next in action at Brentford on Saturday when they will be looking to add to Saturday’s 4-2 opening day victory over Barnsley and improve greatly on this evening’s display.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Digby, Smith, Knudsen, Douglas, Bru (Bishop 69), Dozzell (McGoldrick 46), Grant, Ward, Sears. Unused: Bialkowski, Berra, Kenlock, Skuse, Morris.

Stevenage: Jones, Franks, Wilkinson, McAnuff, Liburd (Godden 71), Kennedy, Gorman, Wells, Lee, Henry (c), Conlon (Tonge 88). Unused: Day, Fox, Pett, Hyde, Donnellan. Referee: Charles Breakspear (Surrey). Att: 6,858 (Boro: 245).

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cornishblu added 11:55 - Aug 10 Only essex57 would justify his drivel by raising the two ww as a reason as to why he can say what he wants....some of us had relatives that died during those conflicts protecting this country ...have some self respect before coming out with your bile and using the sacrifice of brave men and women to give a reason as to why you can continue spouting it,,.....you are a genuine disgrace ....and yet ironically you are the only one that doesn't see this.

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cornishblu added 11:55 - Aug 10 Only essex57 would justify his drivel by raising the two ww as a reason as to why he can say what he wants....some of us had relatives that died during those conflicts protecting this country ...have some self respect before coming out with your bile and using the sacrifice of brave men and women to give a reason as to why you can continue spouting it,,.....you are a genuine disgrace ....and yet ironically you are the only one that doesn't see this.

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dubblue added 12:03 - Aug 10 On the negative side and there seems to be quite a few! this was a relatively strong side so we can't blame this defeat on a combination of youth players and fringe journeymen. Speaking of which Douglas seems to be consistent...and not in a good way. Other negatives - Bru not yet hitting form, Sears playing out of position, Dozzell being subsituted at half-time. Very little positives - Grant played well by all accounts Far too early to read anything into what this means for our chances this season, it is worrying our strikers have not hit form yet and in general our squad, despite the welcome new signings, is still short of what it takes to achieve automatic promotion.

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Blue_Meanie added 12:50 - Aug 10 Mick McCarthy you are the manager of Ipswich Town Football Club; a club that gave England two of its most successful managers. A club that provided numerous countries with world class footballers. A club that against the odds (due to size and 'fashion') won English and European silverware. A club that won plaudits from across Europe not for just the way we played but also the whole ethos of the club. You are in the process of destroying all that history and pride with you're lack of ability as a manager. Please do the decent thing and leave our great club so that we don't have to endure more embarrassment like last night.

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bohslegend added 13:33 - Aug 10 Yawn. There are so many posters on this website far more energised by a loss than a win. Morning after what was indeed an awful result, TWTD filled with largely "Mick Out" comments. We don't get anywhere near the equivalent amount of positive comments when we have great results such as Saturday's victory complete with a debut hattrick. I can only assume that some people get more excited by a loss?

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DirtyOldNodger added 13:57 - Aug 10 Everyone getting all in a flap over losing against a lower league team in a mickey mouse cup that nobody gives a monkeys about anymore. Get a grip people. Still 100% behind Mick. The guy knows what he's doing. More than I can say for a lot of the misery brigade on here who live in the past and seem to think they know an awful lot about how to run a football club and manage a football team. Keep up the good work essex57, some of us enjoy reading posts from someone who actually supports the club whether its a win, loss or a draw. COYB!

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ivegottheblues added 14:31 - Aug 10 Blue Meanie I think you very adroitly & succinctly summed up the situation as to why some of us view the present situation so sadly. Not in terms of the results but the general way the team plays and is managed
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FINIJIGEORGE added 16:09 - Aug 10 Will people be happy if ipswich play 'boring' but still get to the play offs? of course they would. Will people still be saying silly nonsense like 'mick out' if they get to the play offs? no, they wouldn't.. so please stop being so blimmin daft
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essex57 added 16:42 - Aug 10 Cornish blue both my grandfathers were victims of ww2 so that people like you and i can debate such trivial matters as itfc so please dont use this a way of bellitling people you are the disgrace.
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ivegottheblues added 16:54 - Aug 10 'FINIJIGEORGE' You miss the point. No we would definitely not be happy to play boring & reach the play-offs. Would much rather entertain & miss the play-offs. Incidentally the person you're named after (even though you can't spell it) would be a great step in the right direction.
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essex57 added 16:54 - Aug 10 Warktheline comment about the game,i i have been commenting about the claptrap that anti mick brigade constantly put on here after we lose as i have done last season and will do in the future. I shall put a post on the Brentford match as i will be in attendance.
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essex57 added 17:17 - Aug 10 Thanks for the support Dirty i just cant understand some people on here i wonder if they support the same club as us . When they cant brow beat us into agreeing with their high opinions of football knowledge they try and beat us into submission by being rudeness brings me back to an earlier comment everyone one is entitled to their say,except in cornishblu and others cases as long as you agree with them.

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cornishblu added 17:17 - Aug 10 Essex57....please don't
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TheSelkirk added 17:37 - Aug 10 I can't imagine that all the contributors on this forum consider themselves to be either pro-Mick or anti-Mick. If someone posts something that (subjectively) could be considered as negative they are not necessarily wanting MM out and seemingly positive contributions don't make that person a deluded follower. I may be in the minority here but my own observations / opinions are based on what I see / hear and without any hidden agenda.

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Seasider added 17:41 - Aug 10 Headline on Club Website-Chambo not good enough.This was him saying that the performance wasn't good enough;but I agree with Butch re both the fullbacks neither of whom a good enough for a promotion hopeful team. I touched previously on the subject of Chambers never being dropped or substituted.Most teams can see that side as a weakness and put a quick wideman on him;can our esteemed Manager see this?Will he ever try Emmanuel and Kenlock in their place,I doubt it. A positive is that McCarthy seemed upset by the performance;but will he do anything about it,apart from having players in for training today,their day off.We shall see;but what I hope he doesn't do is revert to the style of play he adopted after the 5-1 defeat to Reading,which resulted in 1000 less season tickets and attendances down between 3 and 4 thousand for each of the two home games played compared to last season. Knudsen on the other hand is strong and good in the air;but not so hot on the ground,and hardly ever makes a decent pass,generally relying on a 'hoof'down the line. I agree with BudgiePlucker and Prebbs about Gerken Digby and Douglas who are also sub standard. That's nearly half the team that played yesterday;so perhaps its not that surprising a result! Sitting in drafty Portman Rd yesterday I thought this was one of the lowest attendances I have witnessed in over 50 years,for a first team game at Portman Rd;and as the report says the lowest for 20 years,which also happened to be a 1st Round Coca-Cola League cup game(1st Leg),in which Town beat Bournemouth 2-1 before 6163 loyal souls.

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Seasider added 17:45 - Aug 10 Sorry 3rd paragraph should have been at the end of my comments.
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BillBlue added 19:10 - Aug 10 Cornishblu, I agree 100% re Essex57's comments re the World War's. I was unfortunate enough to be in the second ww and when I read his comment I felt very angry. Blue meanie , precisely my thoughts very well put. I liked your post too seasider?
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essex57 added 23:00 - Aug 10 Bill blue isit wrong to state that people faught and lost lives so that we may be free to lead a peacefull and democratic life and aire our views without censoreship or imprisonment i am extremly greatfull to all those who went to war my father and grand fathers included so my generation can enjoy our freedom so please dont twist my comments that were made in total sincerity.

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Daniel72 added 07:52 - Aug 11 I don't think commenting on football is the sort of freedom anyone fought for.. or the sort of politics oppressive regimes would suppress.. as Orwell said: "Hoofball, beer and above all gambling filled up the horizon of their minds. To keep them in control was not difficult.."
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FINIJIGEORGE added 09:10 - Aug 11 'i've got the blues' Rather miss out on the play offs?? oh behave!! you saying you'd turn down a potential day out at Wembley?? How silly. I don't honestly understand what you expect from a club who clearly doesn't have any money?? if we started playing 'entertaining' football, or even attempted too.. believe me we'd easily be in the bottom half of the table
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Bergholtblue added 09:46 - Aug 11 Essex57 - Living in a free democracy we all have the right of free speech, but please get spell check or use a dictionary once in while.
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