Goals from Chris Martin and Ragnar Sigurdsson saw Fulham to a comfortable 2-0 Boxing Day victory over the Blues at Portman Road, their first win against Town for precisely 53 years. Martin opened the scoring with a freekick on 36, then sub Sigurdsson headed home a corner in the 78th minute but the margin of victory should have been wider.

Jonathan Douglas replaced the injured Jonny Williams in an otherwise unchanged Town team.

Andre Dozzell kept his place in a three-man midfield and was making his first home Championship appearance of the season. Leon Best was back on the bench with no place in the 18 for Luke Varney.

Fulham started the brighter and Christophe Berra did well to cut out a cross from the left. Following the corner, Whites skipper Tom Cairney screwed a shot well wide.

Town first threatened to create an opening in the 12th minute when, after good work from Brett Pitman, Dozzell played the ball towards the left of the area to Tom Lawrence who dummied for Douglas but the ball ran behind the breaking midfielder.

The visitors continued to dominate possession, prodding and probing and looking for an opening. On 17 Floyd Ayite was played in on the left of the area by Stefan Johansen but Berra slid in to make a fine saving challenge.

Fulham almost scored the goal their first-half performance deserved in the 32nd minute when Scott Malone crossed from the left and Chris Martin turned the ball towards goal from close range only for Bartosz Bialkowski to somehow keep the ball out with his feet.

Following the corner Kevin McDonald diverted the ball wide at the far post with what looked to be a hand.

But the goal Fulham deserved wasn’t too much longer in coming. After Cole Skuse had fouled Johansen 25 yards out, Martin hit a freekick which appeared to go through the Town wall before nestling in the corner of the net to Bialkowski’s right.

Having gained the lead, the visitors continued to control the game, passing the ball around slickly - the home crowd were chanting ‘we’re supposed to be at home’ with good reason - and a minute before half-time created another opening, Jonas Knudsen doing well to block from Sone Aluko from the right of the area.

As the half moved into injury time, Fulham keeper David Button was forced into his first save of the afternoon, the former Spurs man diving across to his right to palm defender Tim Ream’s header towards his own goal wide.

Town were unable to create anything from the corner and referee Oliver Langford’s whistle was met with boos from the home support.

The Blues had been thoroughly outplayed by the visitors throughout and on another afternoon might well have found themselves further behind.

Fulham had passed the ball around as well as anybody Town have faced this season, while Mick McCarthy’s men were left chasing shadows for the most part. That the closest they had come to a goal was Ream’s inadvertent late header summed up the half.

That the Cottagers ended the half only one goal up was perhaps the only positive, but Town needed to be a very much better prospect after the break.

As had seemed likely, McCarthy made immediate changes of personnel with Pitman and Dozzell, who had never really got into the game, although the 17-year-old was far from alone in that, replaced by Leon Best and David McGoldrick.

Town had more of the ball in the early stages of the second half but the visitors created the first opening when Ayite was found on the left and broke into the area before being halted by skipper Luke Chambers. From the resultant corner, the ball found Michael Madl but the centre-half was unable to get it under control and Skuse cleared.

Fulham had quickly reasserted their dominance and should have made it 2-0 just before the hour when an over-casual Webster lost possession to Aluko and Ayike was sent through on goal but was forced wide by Bialkowski and shot across the face of goal.

Denis Odoi was then harshly adjudged to have fouled Chambers as he shoulder-charged the Blues skipper and played the ball back into the box for Martin to tap home.

Bialkowski subsequently sent Sears away on the Town left and the ball eventually deflected off Knudsen and into the six-yard area before being claimed by Button. The Dane screwed a shot well wide after a later Town attack. On 64 McDonald was booked for a foul on Lawrence.

Despite those attacks, Fulham were still very much in the ascendency and again should have added to their lead in the 69th minute when Johansen crossed low from the left and Ayite smashed well wide when he should have scored.

As Bialkowski prepared to take the goalkick Lawrence was booked for an earlier foul. Soon after, McGoldrick joined him in the book for a late tackle on Madl.

Fulham wasted another opportunity to seal their victory in the 78th minute when, after a free-flowing moving which cut through the Blues, Ayite’s effort was saved by Bialkowski.

But the second goal finally came from the corner, Sigardsson nodding in Johansen’s flag-kick from close range.

The second Fulham goal, which had certainly been coming, prompted shouts of ‘Evans sort it out’ from the Sir Bobby Robson Stand and then later chants of ‘what a load of rubbish’.

Bialkowski saved from Cairney as the game moved into its final five minutes, then at the other end Chambers turned a Lawrence cross from the right well over.

Fulham saw out the final minutes comfortably while sections of the crowd chanted ‘McCarthy out’ and again called for owner Marcus Evans to ‘sort it out’.

Late on, Bialkowski saved from Martin from a tight angle before the final whistle was greeted by further loud boos. Manager McCarthy was booed by a section of the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand support as he made his way into the tunnel.

Prior to kick-off McCarthy said he wanted a unifying performance and result but he got anything but that with the Blues putting in as poor a display as they have this season against an excellent and attractive Fulham side who really should have scored more than two goals.

Town began the game on the back foot and never really recovered with Fulham, the best side to visit Portman Road this season, taking the game to them from the off and they could have been ahead prior to Martin’s goal.

The half-time changes briefly made a difference - and McGoldrick showed his quality in patches throughout the second period - but the visitors continued to dominate and while a repeat of their 10-1 Boxing Day victory back in 1963, their last victory over Town, was never on the cards, the margin could have been more significant if Ayite in particular had been less profligate

The result leaves the Blues in 16th, still eight points from the relegation zone, with Bristol City, who lost 3-2 at Wolves today, at Portman Road on Friday evening.

Town: Bialkowski, Knudsen, Chambers (c), Berra, Webster, Skuse, Douglas, Dozzell (Best 46), Sears, Lawrence, Pitman (McGoldrick 46). Unused: Gerken, Bru, Ward, Emmanuel, Kenlock.

Fulham: Button, Odoi, Ream, Madl, Malone, McDonald, Cairney (c), Ayite (Piazon 83), Johansen (Parker 90), Aluko (Sigurdsson 65), Martin. Unused: Bettinelli, Fredericks, Kebano, Smith. Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands). Att: 19,723 (Fulham: 907).

Photo: TWTD

Kirtonspanner added 07:00 - Dec 27 Very very sad!!! Nothing will change just our league position! Evans a parasite Playford Road will be sold next and anything else that he can profit from!! ME OUT!! MM OUT!!! #wewantourclubback
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Kirtonspanner added 07:10 - Dec 27 Eckey thump we're doomed!!!
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martin587 added 07:24 - Dec 27 This was without doubt one of the worst performances I have seen from a Town team.All this Trumpet blowing from MM about how we were going to get back to winning ways. You must be joking MM.The players seem as though they have lost all respect of you,they lack any confidence and seemed totally confused as to what there job was. MM you have gone as far as you can,the club is being ruined by your total failure. You are void of any idea and are damaging the ability the players have left. Still playing your Mates and Chambers is a joke now.If everybody in the ground can see the errors,Why cannot you.It's just total arrogance on your behalf. I have now stopped going to away games and after yesterday's debacle I cannot rake any enthusiasm up to go to another game even though I'm a season ticket holder. Please MM do the right thing and Resign now,before you sink this once great club into Oblivion.

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martin587 added 07:47 - Dec 27 Mr.Evans,and Mr.Milne. I have been a supporter for over 55years and a season ticket holder for as long as I can remember and travel to almost every away match,but I can tell you both now,I will NEVER travel to an away match again and at the end of this season I will Never renew my ticket. In all my time as a loyal Town supporter I have never witnessed such an enept performance from an Ipswich side which was so devoid of any such ideas. MM has run his course and MUST be released of his duties NOW otherwise this once great club will just disappear Mr.Evans,I ask you,listen to the supporters and do the right thing.Get rid of MM NOW.

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BlueandTruesince82 added 08:38 - Dec 27 We're $#!t and we know we are, we're $#!t and we know we are, come on everyone you know the words.
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wherescounago added 08:54 - Dec 27 If we don't move quickly and get Gary Rowett in, we'll lose him to Norwich!!!
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markytitfc added 09:01 - Dec 27 Get Frank yallop on a plane now! And just go Mcarthy!!
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runaround added 09:06 - Dec 27 I am an Ipswich Town addict & never thought that would change. However despite having a season ticket I won't be going on Friday & won't be renewing in May. Reasons are simple, I hate watching us play McCarthy brand of football, even when it works which it rarely has in the last 12 months. We are a shocking embarrassment & should be lower down the table then we currently are. Yesterday's performance was similar to those at the end of Jewell's reign with no passion on the pitch. Mick's teams at least usually battle but they don't do that now. The worst footballing side around & I have had enough. Club in terminal decline which won't improve until Mick goes & a number of the players step up or ship out. MCCARTHY OUT

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MicksZzzTactics added 09:21 - Dec 27 All ITFC fans: Please read this here in the end unmistakably hilarious sounding MM interview & article centering on the aspect of "Booing" if you haven't already done so -- http://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/boo_me_but_get_behind_the_players_mick_mccarthy_s_me -- and then subsequently raise at least these here 3 very fundamental questions: 1) Hmmmt this "APATHY" you are so emphatically talking about at PR is eventually solely down to YOU & YOUR dispositions (All embracing scared-sheiiiitless-of-losing-aka-Gung-Ho-with-an-unentertaining-ultra-dire-draw "Hedgehog Tactics", unambitious favorites-ladden starting XI, unsound and/or often coming too late substitutions, mind-boggling ineffective weekly training sessions, and among your over these 4 years many many discount & freebies signings ... well there is factually an regrettably overwhelming amount of them that quickly turned out to be either utterly pointless or utterly useless/unused, the latter in the very literal sense too!) Master Mick!!!!!!!!! You might sympathetically be recurring "penniless" due to the clueless and indifferent ME as a team manager here Mick, but ehhh 'Sherlock' all of the of the above stuff mentioned in the bracket, is not only your own sovereign choosing but as customary within football something you as team manager is ultimately accountable for! Period! 2) "If we don't perform well, I'll stand in the centre circle and you can give it to me as much as you want!" ???!!! .... Hmmmm did you "stand in the center circle" immediately after this match then oh Deluded One?????????? Or after ANY of the other many deplorable and/or unentertaining matches in this 1st half of just this 2016/2017 season (even incl. those were for example Captain Calamity [85 min lucky bouncer of his "proper" head vs. Wednesday] or twice Didz [95 min vs. Rotherham + 88 min vs. Wigan] close to or at the very 'Death' of the match bailed your sorry a@Zzzz out of jail so to speak)??? 3) “But give the players your support when they're on the pitch and make some noise and make it an enjoyable atmosphere." In short: “Get behind the lads!!!" Well NORMALLY this is quite obvious the proper & noble way to behave as true and "fickleless" fans of a professional football club, none more so than a British one perhaps .... but ehmmmm 'Sherlock' it simply REQUIRES a thing or two to in my book to begin with: A) That the BEST and/or most IN-FORM 11 among the clubs squad is picked for the starting lineup ... and then not just recurringly as in per automatic (if fit) a manager's own cozy and always yes-saying "favorites" & "proper blokes". Period!!!!!!!!!! B) That the club squad -- really regardless of what level they might currently be playing at --actually have a MAJORITY of players actually "worthy" of applauding & vocally cheer on ... and ohhh that they also perform in genereal other than in mere rather short or infrequent splashes even giving this here ultra defense orientated not-trying-to-go-for-the-win Hedgehog Tactics!!! Unfortunately and as @ArnieM earlier touched upon ITFC currently really DON'T do they???!!! .... as imho we at present unequivoacally only have at best a "handful" (lead by the ultra MOTHM susceptible & immaculate super saving King Bart, followed by the lively & opportunistic on-loan Lawrence, and then the very talented but also still a little greenish CB Webster and if you insist maybe also the injury-prone & quite slowed but always encouraging Didz) out of ALL those getting the vast majority of playing time mind you! (thus disregarding the by McCarthy quickly RUINED promising players like Ward and Sears!), or any playing time really unless someone is unfit or Mick simply wants to shut-up his critics for a game or two !!! (thus disregarding the very young fringe players like Emmanual, Kenlock and even Dozzell!) here at Mick's lovely ITFC,wouldn't by any stretch of the imagination be getting notable playing time let alone starting week after week?! at ANY other Championship club .... ohhhh well considering their current state and massive defensive problems then other than perhaps Rotherham or Wigan then :-) LOL PS: Check out the above game at http://store.steampowered.com/app/423900/ .... if you simply feel like venting your frustrations on a prehistoric dinosaur ridden 'platform'! :-) :-) :-) :-)

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Suffolk_n_Good added 09:30 - Dec 27 Supported Town for about 35 years, have previously been a season ticket holder, but really have very little enthusiasm for it at the moment, have only see us play once this season. My 11 year old son (currently has an ITFC bedroom) has asked me if I can redecorate his room..... he's already taken his posters & giant flag down, I said to him, "come on mate, stick with it, we'll come good" but he's lost all passion, watches MOTD with more enthusiasm, both his cousins support Man Utd, he's heading that way, I can't blame him, or stop him, I don't have the passion for it, so how can I expect him to..... sad times....

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Tractorboy1985 added 09:43 - Dec 27 Yeah sections of the crowd?? Pretty much the whole ground but mr ham continues to bum mc Carthy and his staff because he doesn't want to get into trouble! Say it how it is! We are f ing sh1te! Take a leaf out of Paul Mersons book! We are a complete embarrassment from top to bottom!
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planetblue_2011 added 09:47 - Dec 27 He's got to go, the players obviously don't want to play for him anymore. Think that is the worst game I've ever seen in my 25+ years of being a town supporter. It has to end now, mr Evans hasn't at all saved this club it's got worse & worse few the years since Keane & Jewell & now is the icing on the cake. Get this fool out of our club. There has got to be other buyers interested in a club our size surely.

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BrettenhamBlue added 09:52 - Dec 27 MicksZzzzzTactics - Phil Brown did his half-time talk at Hull on the pitch when they had played poorly in the first half against Man City. Mick should do the same, might earn him some respect with the crowd. Don't know whether him standing in the middle at the end will do any good, he will just get abuse and can't respond. Sadly fans did get behind the team against Fulham- but by 30 mins into the game the fan support was lost as we did our usual hedgehog impression. Very disillusioned and think things will get worse this transfer window. Bart and Webster are obvious targets to leave. I wouldn't stay if I was either of them. Bart could do a third of the work he does every game at another club and Webster is too good for us. Gerken and Digby will come in with Coke returning to fitness. Happy Days! We will be able to give Altrincham a good game!

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BrettenhamBlue added 09:55 - Dec 27 SuffolknGood - I hear you on this. My 2 nephews won't go to games anymore and have thrown all Ipswich memorabilia in rubbish. My sis is encouraging them to pick one of the "rebound" teams.
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BillBlue added 09:58 - Dec 27 “I haven't changed a lot, so whatever I'm doing now is not [different] from four years ago,” he said when asked about the chants aimed in his direction. WRONG! I was against your appointment four years ago Mick and considered you to be Marcus Evans fourth consecutive mistake (the first being Magiltons sacking just as he had got it going in the right direction)! Your problem is your total lack of intelligence where you repeatedly play the same players, out of position, and thereby are destroying their careers. If you sat an IQ test I bet you would not make a 100 which is considered just average intelligence! Mick a good football team starts from a strong defence, through a positive midfield to the strikers and when you came here your first job was to sort the defence out and that is why I have said 'Wrong' in answer to your statement at the top, that is something that has changed. Mick I CHALLENGE YOU! Start the next game with: Emmanuel and Kenlock, Berra and Webster, Keep Skuse in midfield but put your most positive players with him (NOT Douglas), with Sears up front supported by McGoldrick just behind him, add Lawrence and Dozell for good measure then allow them to show their merits without being restricted. Keep that team going until you can improve it and you will find you start winning! I would suggest Webster or Lawrence as Skipper. Have enough guts to try it or goodbye!

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megamoth added 10:29 - Dec 27 Poyet/tarrico please
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warktheline added 10:53 - Dec 27 Professional footballers need to be played in their correct positions with an emphasis on winning games, not given a dressing down in the centre circle at bloody halftime! McCarthy's football ideology has taken its toll on many of his players, and for a selective few, has allowed complacency to take hold! The first person I would show the exit door after McCarthy departs, would be Chambers. How the hell someone at this level of football would continually play out of position is beyond me! Its not as if he's played well there! McCarthy is well and truly out of ideas ( some 2yrs now ) pay him up and move on with immediate effect!

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Charlieblue added 10:56 - Dec 27 #Mickoutyallopin
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dirtydingusmagee added 11:16 - Dec 27 McCarthy must go,before we buy players [if that is going to happen.No good him bringing anyone in then leaving .We need a manager capable of putting a team together that fit,and play football.McCarthy is not the man .He must go NOW and Evans should go ASAP.This club is a dead duck under present set up.McCarthy has had 4 years and its a shambles SUPPORTERS MUST RISE UP NOW,If we do get relegated it could be a long time before we get back ,it must happen .

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Razor added 11:20 - Dec 27 Must be the lowest attendance for a boxing day game ever? This was merely a training game for Fulham and very little effort was required to win,and it should have been more. The whole club seems toxic, which moron,imbecile,idiot put on GLAD ALL OVER AT THE END!? Not our song and totally innappropriate for possibly the worst ever performance ever seen at Portman Road----sack whoever immediately. 2017----does not bear thinking about with current regime in force.

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Batman1957 added 11:34 - Dec 27 Martin587 I think you have summed it all up. I fear for us this season. Yesterday was probably one if not the worse 90 minutes I have to endure. Whatever he may now say he has lost the players and word is some want to get away. Anyway let's hope for a better 2017 for us and indeed around the world.
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VulpineBlue added 11:36 - Dec 27 About the only thing I'm enjoying at present about Ipswich is reading items on here like MicksZzzzztactics' well informed and researched Jack Kerouac- like stream of conciousness polemic. I moved to Ipswich and started watching (and falling in love with) Town at a time when Joe Royle was running an exciting attacking team on nothing but spit and tissue paper. I don't accept at all bit about current finances only allowing the purchase/use of cloggers and hoofers. Our current style is one of choice by the manager. Our players are clearly micro-managed and over controlled on the field by MM unable to exhibit any 'joie de vivre' or express their freedom in any way. MM's attitude is becoming clearly more defensive. He needs to go now. In the transfer window we shouldn't buy any more players, but use the Murphy money to assist in transferring this manager out and getting a new one in. Rare rant over!

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tractorblue added 11:43 - Dec 27 I know this is a boring post,but its 11-40, the performance yesterday was surely bad enough for any club to sack a manager let alone MM,and still nothing from the club,surely he must be gone by 5pm today latest,we are becoming a laughing stock.
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wedgieblue added 12:21 - Dec 27 ENOUGH NOW......!!! Look at the 2012 squad and realise that the crop of players we have now have all been brought to the club by MM (granted there are 3 exceptions). It is a team put together by a man who can not manage in today's current climate and by a man whose time has come. Should he be given more money in Jan, he'll only go and get in the dross we have now. Granted there are so great talents and hard workers in the squad now but these players have been Mickyfied and have had any ambition, freedom and enthusiasm managed out of them.... more money to spend will only mean more wo's and problems as he'll just spunk it on more dross... I've never been the backer of sacking the manager more an advocate of the 'Burley 5 year plan'. The uncertainty of who we'd get and whether things would get worse. However I think nothing could be worse right now.... As I opened; ENOUGH NOW.....!!!

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happybeingblue added 14:27 - Dec 27 super JIM comments on evening star via chat from fan from twitter, make for interesting reading. He will remain a legend at portman rd and we aint played any better passing foootball since he left the management role.
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