Luke Varney netted an equaliser just after half-time as Town drew 1-1 at home to Cardiff City, who had central defender Sol Bamba sent off for abuse towards the fourth official during a bizarre second-half temper tantrum. Aron Gunnarsson put the visitors ahead following a Bartosz Bialkowski error in the 38th minute, Varney levelled on 52 but despite the one-man advantage the Blues were unable to find a winner.

Town boss Mick McCarthy named an unchanged side, while Teddy Bishop and Brett Pitman, for the first time since suffering an ankle injury at the end of September, returned to the bench for Myles Kenlock and Leon Best.

Former England striker Rickie Lambert was back in the Cardiff side after missing last week’s 0-0 draw with Brighton through injury, while Lee Peltier returned at left-back after a one-match ban.

In steady, persistent rain and in a slippery conditions, Cardiff started the game brightly and went within a whisker of going in front in the fourth minute when Icelandic midfielder Gunnarsson crashed a 25-yard volley against the outside of Bartosz Bialkowski’s left post from a headed Luke Varney clearance.

Moments later, Bluebirds keeper Ben Amos failed to deal with a Tom Lawrence cross from the left when he punched the wet ball with little confidence, but rather fortunately it ran out to the right flank rather than falling for a Town player in the box.

Having started slowly the Blues began to get on top with visitors’ keeper Amos having another wobbly moment in the ninth minute.

After Lawrence had made a tricky run into the area on the left, Jonas Knudsen crossed to the far post and skipper Luke Chambers, whose header ought to have been claimed comfortably by Amos.

However, the former Manchester United man somehow allowed it to squirm from his grasp to Lawrence 12 yards out, but the former Cardiff loanee’s first-time effort at goal was blocked by the on-loan Bolton keeper as he chased after the loose ball.

The Blues threatened again two minutes later when Lawrence sent over another ball from the left towards Chambers but Joe Bennett got ahead of the Town captain to nod behind.

On 24 Town keeper Bialkowski was twice forced into action as the impetus moved back towards Cardiff. First Gunnarsson hit a powerful shot into the ground from a tight angle on the right, which the Pole pushed away out to the left.

The loose ball was collected by Junior Hoilett, who whipped over a cross, which Bialkowski bravely punched away before being clattered by Lambert.

Four minutes later Matthew Connolly picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Jonathan Douglas.

Just before the half hour, after Cardiff had counter-attacked quickly following another impressive Lawrence run down the left, Christophe Berra made a fine challenge on Bennett on the edge of the area as he prepared to shoot. The loose ball fell for Gunnarsson, who smashed his latest effort well back into the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

Amos had had a difficult first half hour in difficult conditions for keepers but on 33 he confidently claimed David McGoldrick’s well-struck effort from 25 hards down to his left.

Moments later, the Republic of Ireland international, who was starting to become more influential, hit a dipping effort from a similar distance which sent Amos scrambling across his goal before watching it fly past his left post. On 37 Lawrence was booked for a foul on Bennett.

While Cardiff keeper Amos had had the tougher half due to the conditions, it was Town keeper Bialkowski whose error led to the game’s opening goal.

Peter Whittingham sent over a corner from the right, Bialkowski looked to catch but dropped it and Gunnarsson slammed into the roof of the net from close range.

An Adam Webster error saw the Blues put themselves back under pressure almost immediately after the kick-off, the visitors winning another corner from which Bialkowski punched without getting any distance but fortunately without it leading to another Cardiff opportunity.

In injury time, a long spell of Town passing ended with Lawrence playing in McGoldrick but a defender just took the ball away from the Blues’ number 10 as he was about to shoot.

Town were continuing to press - Douglas feeling he had been fouled in the area as a final moments corner was sent across - as referee James Adcock blew his whistle for half-time.

As was the case at Bristol City last week, Town found themselves behind in a game which had had little in it and the scoreline was harsh on the balance of the half.

After the early stages the Blues had had most of the ball, but prior to the goal - Cardiff making the most of Bialkowski’s error whereas Town hadn’t been able to profit from Amos’s earlier slips - the visitors had created the better of the game’s opportunities.

Seven minutes after the restart, Town got back on terms. Following a corner on the right. Lawrence brought the ball into the area on the right, fed Webster to his right and the centre-half - by now wearing a bandage on his head - cut back to Varney, who slammed home off Gunnarsson before celebrating with the Blues bench.

Lawrence had proved a big threat down the left all game against his former loan side and on 54 claimed a penalty when he was left grounded as he sought to take the ball past Bluebirds skipper Sean Morrison. Despite loud appeals from the crowd it looked to have been a shoulder to shoulder challenge.

On 56 Cardiff manager Neil Warnock made a double change with Craig Noone and Anthony Pilkington replacing Joe Bennett and Kadeem Harris.

Lawrence continued to be a thorn in Cardiff’s side and on the hour the on-loan Leicester man cut the ball to Grant Ward, who hit a powerful shot past Amos’s right post.

It was Varney’s turn to appeal for a penalty in the 66th minute when he and Morrison both ended up on the ground as the collided as they chased a ball into the area. Again referee Adcock wasn’t interested, almost certainly correctly.

With 20 minutes remaining Cardiff were reduced to 10 men in bizarre circumstances. After receiving treatment following a challenge by Douglas - which hadn’t led to a freekick, the referee having wave play on - Bluebirds defender Bamba shoved his physio to the ground and marched towards the referee and Douglas, pointing his finger angrily at the Town midfielder.

The former Leeds man eventually made his way towards the touchline before turning his tirade towards fourth official Charles Breakspear, indicating that he had been caught by a high boot. Cardiff boss Warnock tried to haul his player away and as the pair grappled on the touchline referee Adcock pulled out his red card.

The Ivory Coast international was eventually persuaded to make his way along the touchline and down the tunnel.

Before play restarted Town switched Varney and Ward for Pitman and Freddie Sears, then Cardiff swapped Lambert for Bruno Manga, a centre-half to replace the dismissed Bamba.

Who's next?! 😡 Sol Bamba takes on the officials and his own manager as he loses his head and earns himself a red card. pic.twitter.com/nd8oY1YAeo– Football On 5 (@FootballOn5) December 10, 2016

On 80, with the Blues having been unable to make their additional man count, Bishop took over from Douglas, who made his way off to cheers from some sections of the Town support and applause from others.

Bishop made a driving run towards the edge of the area in the 86th minute and was fouled, but McGoldrick’s freekick curled well over.

The game entered five minutes of injury time with Peltier the latest in a series of Cardiff players to spend time on the ground, in his case following what looked to have been an innocuous clash with Sears.

Whittingham saw a freekick deflect over after Chambers had been cautioned for the foul which led to it, then Hoilett joined him in the book for wasting time ahead of the corner.

In the aftermath of the corner, Whittingham crossed from the right, Morrison headed goalwards and Bialkowski saved. From the subsequent throw-in on the left Berra blocked from Manga with Cardiff putting the Blues under pressure rather than the other way around in the closing stages.

Moments before the final whistle and the now familiar loud boos from the home support, Noone shot only a few feet wide for the visitors.

Having got on terms the Blues were on top and were creating opportunities regularly if not frequently up to the red card.

After the dismissal, as strange a red card as you’ll see, the Blues never built up any momentum and in the end it was Cardiff pressing for a winning goal rather than the Blues.

As has often been the case in recent weeks, the Blues put in a decent enough performance overall but without creating enough at one end, while conceding a goal caused by an individual error at the other.

The result sees Town, who have now won two of their last eight at home, drop to 17th ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Birmingham, who are seventh following a 4-0 defeat at Newcastle, and a visit to second-bottom Wigan next Saturday.

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Webster, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Douglas (Bishop 79), Ward (Sears 71), Lawrence, McGoldrick, Varney (Pitman 71). Unused: Gerken, Emmanuel, Bru, Williams.

Cardiff: Amos, Peltier, Morrison (c), Bamba, Connolly, Bennett (Pilkington 56), Gunnarsson, Harris (Noone 56), Whittingham, Hoilett, Lambert (Manga 73). Unused: Wilson, Ralls, Richardson, Zohore. Referee: James Adcock (Nottinghamshire). Att:15,042 (Cardiff: 246).

Photo: TWTD

Penguinblue added 08:10 - Dec 11 One of the problems at Ipswich is that McCarthy is never called to account. The local journalists are either not interested or lack any balls. The Brenna guy from BBC Suffolk is absolutely hopeless, gives the impression of being a brown noser. Mick Mills seems to have lost the plot, probably in fear of losing any access or hospitality he has. Even, or perhaps especially, TWTD finish yesterdays match report with ' a decent enough performance!!' What was decent about it? We need a reporter like Pat Murphy in the midlands to ask proper questions and those the fans wish to hear. McCarthy OUT

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warktheline added 08:14 - Dec 11 @geddis78, So you're fed up with reading the rubbish posted on forum, and as such, decided to enlighten us with your 'it's ok to be in and around relegation zone as long as we don't get relegated, all salute the ok job McCarthy is doing DROSS '! I'm already fed up with your happy chappie mentality!!! In short it's you posting CRAP!
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Penguinblue added 08:14 - Dec 11 And TWTD - where is the poll on McCarthy to stay or go?
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jas0999 added 08:16 - Dec 11 Bert - you do of course raise a valid point, but from what I'm seeing and hearing in the standards is people are certainly not happy with the current situation. Lack of investment and poor football/entertainment is mentioned by many most weeks. The fact attendances have dipped dramatically from aroubd 19K+ to just around 15K in MM reign must also not be ignored. That's 20% who have already made their choice!

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jas0999 added 08:19 - Dec 11 ** stands not standards **
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grumpyoldman added 09:00 - Dec 11 Geddis78 if you accept the state of the club and team is ok fair enough. Are you blinded by MMs CV World Cup and premier experience, neither with any success mind you. When he took over I must admit I was glad he engineered an escape from relegation. But sitting here watching Match of the Day reminds of an article I was reading at the time it was comparing MM coming here and Sean Dyche going to Burnley at roughly the same time, I recall thinking I'm glad we got somebody with his experience. How wrong was I, Burnley got a new untested manager, wth new ideas and set his team up the following season to play attacking football, look at the players he signed to begin not a great deal of money, but with a philosophy of trying to win games not settle for not losing has had a great deal is success. What did we get a flirtation with the playoffs and turgid uninspiring dross, this season it seems worse than before he came here.

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BillBlue added 09:01 - Dec 11 Wayway - I was one of the first to down mark you though I had a suspicion you were kidding but you used upper case for the whole post. If you are kidding then suggest you use lower case with two or three exclamation or question marks at the end! Sorry for the down mark.
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BillBlue added 09:24 - Dec 11 Grumpyoldman - A super comparison, one I had forgotten or missed altogether. I was so wound up when MM was appointed I probably wasn't thinking of much else.
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pup12 added 10:31 - Dec 11 It's been a while since I've bothered to write a post,that's how bored I've become!!Everything on here pretty much is about what I'd say.We are a very poor team,set up not to loose! But amazingly we always seem to do just that !?Why did Williams not come on and use the space to tear Cardiff apart?Cause MM can't see that opportunity,all he sees is not to conceded a s cond and loose.The players are told not to go for for it ,they must be!why else did nobody bar Lawrence run at Cardiff.Why Knudsen and chambers and Douglas are even playing I'll never know.But we are all just torchering ourselves!its never gonna change while MM as manager.I don't know what else to say,I'm stuck in a groundhog moment!COYB please for a Gods sake

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pup12 added 10:33 - Dec 11 Sorry ment to read ,set up not to loose but amazingly we always seem to nearly do that.
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battyblue added 10:38 - Dec 11 Email sent come on everyone take a few minutes and keep the ball rolling it may not make any difference but we need to try everything to get some reaction even if it is just to pi-s of McCarthy
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thebeat added 10:56 - Dec 11 I'll say the same as i have since Jan 2015. Mick is a coward who picks and protects his mates to the detriment of his team. Johnny Williams is a quality player who would walk into any other Championship team. The only reason he isnt getting picked alongside Skuse is to protect Micks mate Douglas. Its as simple as that. Mick knew full well yesterday the obvious change was Williams for Douglas, especially when they went down to 10 men, but he wouldnt do it cus he was frightened Williams would come on, change the game, we get the win and the pressure would be on him to start him on Tuesday. And hes just not prepared to drop his mates, his little clique. Chambers Knudsen Douglas and Varney shouldnt be anywhere near this team. We all know that. We all see that. But theyre in the clique so they play. Its ridiculous it really is. But it wont change. We could have Messi and Ronaldo in the squad and theyd still play second fiddle if they wasnt one of his boys. How much longer is this going to go on?

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ormey75 added 11:31 - Dec 11 Why didn't sky pick us for one of the 10 in 10 games lol
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H1960 added 11:41 - Dec 11 @Tony88 Please enlighten me as to why you are not bored with any aspect of what is going on at Portman Road!
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heathen66 added 12:01 - Dec 11 Totally agree Penguinblue, however it is not just McCarthy it is Milne and Evans. The manager shows no direction and Milne and Evans are invisible. The Ipswich Star or whoever should ensure a frank interview with Marcus Evans and ask him many of the questions that are raised on here ans other forums. Does he have a 2/3 year plan, is MM really the man for the job, and if so why ??? I too am fed up of Brenner Woolley sucking up to MM. He needs to grow some rather than giving Mick the answer in the question.

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jocasaja added 12:03 - Dec 11 Hi all I have just emailed Marcus Evans with the address given by a poster on the first page - great If a load of fans could do this to let him know that a situation is developing
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midastouch added 12:06 - Dec 11 Ipswich were priced at 14/1 a few weeks ago to get relegated. Because I was so worried about our chances at the time I backed the price just so I know there will at least be some scant financial consolation money should the worse happen. And of course we all pray it doesn't. Now I'm afraid to say we are quoted at just 7/1 to get relegated. The bookmakers can see we're a team on the verge of peril. Teams that can't score goals usually get sucked in. We're certainly not immune from it happening. If going down meant we get a progressive manager in and we regrouped and rebuilt and started to play football more in the manner we've been accustomed to mostly over the years (at least try and play the game properly instead of hoof and hope!) then perhaps it's a price worth paying. With Marcus Heavens pulling the strings (or not for that matter as he seems to have lost complete interest!) then I really am starting to fear the worst. Any manager that picks Douglas, Skuse and Varney over Williams has seriously lost the plot! And any owner who sticks with a tried, tested and failed dinosaur is beyond comprehension! We need a statement from Marcus to let us know does he even care any more, and if he claims he does then please prove it (as actions speak louder than words). His stock is plummeting just as fast as the man he appointed. All of his appointments have been poor, he appoints the managers and sets the brief so he has to take just as much of the responsibility as Mick Mugabe. Marcus please stop hiding and let us know what the heck is going on! So many of us are losing confidence from top to bottom, and soon we could be rock bottom if you don't take some decisive action. If you ran your businesses in the same manner as you are running this club I think you'd of gone the same way as BHS by now! What is the plan, do you have one, and if so what is it please? We deserve a statement of intent as we're being left in the dark. If our manager isn't man enough to stand up to you and call you out on your intentions and future plans (or lack of them) then the fans will be forced to do so instead. You can run, you can hide, but our current situation we can't abide!

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H1960 added 12:20 - Dec 11 Copy of email sent {for what little good it will do} Dear Sirs I am writing to plead with you to inform your MD Mr Marcus Evans about the dire state of Ipswich Town Football Club. I have supported the club for the last 45 years and nave never been more worried about the state of the club than I am now. Attendances are dropping at an alarming rate around 12000 ( although official figures are 15000) this being due to many season ticket holders being so apathetic that they cannot be bothered to attend. The standard of football is dire, boring, negative and lacking in entertainment (surely he must realise that football is in the entertainment business as well as being results driven) I do not believe that this is all down to the playing squad as we have some talented individuals available, however I do think it is down to the manager, his tactics and style of football are not bringing success and as a result the club is slowly declining. I feel that if a change of management is not forthcoming this decline will continue and the club could suffer irreparable damage that may never be repaired, may I ask as a matter of urgency that this matter be attended to. Yours sincerely

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itfc2001 added 12:37 - Dec 11 I to am one of those that attended both FA cup and UEFA cup finals. I cannot remember A time when the football we currently watch has been so dire and that includes the days when John Duncan was in Charge. I don't expect to be in the premiership or in the play offs every year but I do wish to watch decent football and be entertained. On both these counts Mick McCarthy and Ipswich town are failing. The current atmosphere at Portman road is Toxic and the responsibility of that is down to the owner and his employees. As a season ticket holder I admit to having lost interest and like several others in our stand only attending when there is nothing else better to do. My email to ME has been sent.

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blueboy1981 added 12:39 - Dec 11 ........ my biggest disappointment with the Club - is the completely alien attitude to the Supporters from both the Owner and Manager. Surely we have a right to be given some idea (truth, not spin) of a short, medium, and long term plan for OUR Club ? - not to mention ambition. This current situation is not the ITFC than many of us have known thro' many, many years of support and financial imput.

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jocasaja added 12:41 - Dec 11 Copy of my email sent Dear Mr Evans I have been a season ticket holder at ITFC for over 25 years, and the current situation is the very worst I can remember. I am one of the most 'moderate' of fans, but the present situation is depressing. I believe that we are stagnating and I know many who are now turning their back - I will never stop renewing mine and my son's season tickets as blue blood runs through my veins. I do not believe that we will go down, but there is a genuine problem - fans getting so frustrated that they are fighting with each other in the stands. Why pay to get Jonny Williams in and not use him ? - ITFC has a great reputation for bringing on our own youngsters, and every fan I talk to would be a lot happier if we played the likes of Josh Emmanual, Myles Kenlock, Teddy Bishop and Andre Dozzell. Also it is clear that we need a target man to replace Daryll Murphy. I have a great knowledge of our club, and I am deeply worried about our present stagnating situation Regards

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Bluetone added 13:14 - Dec 11 my e-mail sent
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Cotton_eyed_joe added 13:15 - Dec 11 email sent and I didnt hold back.
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TimmyH added 13:24 - Dec 11 Relegation might not be as bad as some might make out, get a new manager in with with new ideas playing the game in the correct manner (on the deck), keep our most promising younger players - Chambers, Berra, Douglas, Skuse, Varney etc. can all go, we badly need some momentum and we're not getting it stuck in this league. If MCarthy went tomorrow I'd have a different view but he'll be here until his contract expires which is a waste of time and it will be May 2018 by then!

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Blueactually75 added 14:16 - Dec 11 Email sent. Was going to post yesterday but was to angry and was afraid to be reported for foul and abusive language! Here's my email for what good it will do: Dear Sir I am writing to you as an Ipswich Fan of over 25 years. I love the club and am proud to be a fan of a so called "small, unfashionable team" because at its heart it has been a club with a great family feel and one that USED to play good entertaining football. I have recently had my first baby boy and named him Bobby. Thats how my I love the club and the good times it USED to bring however the thought of bring Bobby up as a Ipswich fan is becoming less and less appealing. The football we play is dull and the atmosphere in the ground is not something I ever want my boy to see. Mick Macarthy did a great job saving us from the drop and he will always be remembered for that and the job he has done but I do feel now that if he stays much longer he will not be held in such esteem and the club could end up where we looked like going before he came. The recent FA Cup draw is normally the highlight of the season as the 3rd Round falls on my birthday and for as long as I can remember I have made the journey to watch the game. I will NOT be coming this year as it has become very clear that the Manager and or the Club have no interest in progressing so why should I as a fan. The current situation is upsetting and I hope for the future of the club something can be done and done soon before it falls so far that it won't recover. I hope you read this and would be grateful for a reply as your silence on the current state of the club is also frustrating. Yours faithfully Blueactually78

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