Grant Ward’s 72nd minute cross-shot saw the Blues to a 1-1 draw with Birmingham at a fractious Portman Road. Jonathan Grounds gave the visitors the lead three minutes after the break but Ward equalised with a cross which fortuitously flew over Birmingham keeper Tomasz Kuszczak.

Brett Pitman, Freddie Sears and Jonathan Douglas all returned to the Blues starting line-up with top scorer Tom Lawrence and midfielder Emyr Huws both missing out.

Toumani Diagouraga dropped to the bench, while Tommy Smith, who only arrived back from New Zealand duty yesterday afternoon, was also left out of the 18.

Town switched to a 4-4-2 diamond with Bartosz Bialkowski in goal, Jordan Spence and Jonas Knudsen the full-backs and skipper Luke Chambers and Christophe Berra the central defenders

In midfield Cole Skuse sat deep with Douglas and Ward ahead of him in narrow roles to the left and right respectively, with David McGoldrick behind strikers Sears and Pitman.

Birmingham were the first to threaten in the seventh minute, Lukas Jutkiewicz playing a ball through to the breaking David Davis but Bialkowski came off his line quickly to claim.

The Blues were unable to create an opening in a scruffy early spell with the visitors having most of the ball. In the 14th minute Craig Gardner sent over a freekick from the left which grazed Berra’s head before Bialkowski caught on his line.

Town threatened for the first time in the 16th minute when, after good work from Douglas, Sears and Knudsen, a bouncing ball dropped to McGoldrick in the area but his shot was too close to Kuszczak.

The Blues were starting to get on top and two minutes later Sears found space at a tight angle on the left but his shot was blocked by Ryan Shotton.

Town briefly began to put the Midlanders under pressure and on 22 Spence cut in from the right but scuffed his shot wide.

There was a scare for the visitors in the 32nd minute when McGoldrick caught Krystian Bielik in possession on the Town left but his low cross was too close to Kuszczak, who claimed at a stretch.

A minute later Jutkiewicz sent a dangerous ball across the Blues box from the right but Davis arrived too late to add a final touch.

The Blues went closer to opening the scoring moments later, a loose ball falling to Sears on the right of the box after McGoldrick had fed Knudsen on the right. The former Colchester man’s shot rippled the net having struck a defender but having gone the wrong side of the post.

Town continued to take the game to the visitors and on 38 Sears crossed from the right and Knudsen’s flicked header very obviously caught Maikel Kieftenbeld’s hand, however from so close a penalty award would have been harsh.

On 41 Jutkiewicz looped a header over at the far post, then just before half-time Skuse was forced off having undergone treatment on the field after Davis had arrived late and caught him in the face after the Bristolian had nodded the ball to a team-mate. Kevin Bru took over with Douglas dropping into the holding role.

The rest of a not hugely enthralling half passed without further incident. Birmingham had started the stronger but the Blues had gradually got themselves on top but without being able to create too many opportunities, although McGoldrick and Sears had both gone close to scoring what could prove to be a vital goal in Town’s season.

But four minutes after the restart it was the visitors who went in front. Bialkowski saved Jutkiewicz’s shot from the edge of the area but Grounds reached the rebound first to slam in, however looking to have strayed offside.

However, no flag was raised and the goal led to the first boos of the afternoon from the home support.

The Blues immediately looked to hit back. Sears cut the ball back from the byline on the right but a defender cleared, then soon after Pitman headed wide before McGoldrick nodded straight at Kuszczak.

Birmingham went close to making it 2-0 in the 54th minute when Gardner played in Jutkiewicz but Bialkowski blocked superbly.

Just before the hour, Emilio Nsue took the ball across the area before hitting a shot well over. The Birmingham chances led to terrace abuse aimed in the direction of manager McCarthy, owner Marcus Evans and MD Ian Milne as well as a chant of “We want our Ipswich back”.

With the Blues making little headway in an increasingly poisonous atmosphere, loanee Dominic Samuel was handed his Town debut for Pitman in the 71st minute.

And a minute later the Reading man was involved as the Blues got level in somewhat fortuitous circumstances. Samuel laid the ball wide to Ward, who burst down the right and whipped over a powerfully hit cross which flew over Kuszczak and into the net.

The former Spurs man’s sixth goal for Town may have been his luckiest but it was also his most important.

Having levelled, the momentum was suddenly but all too briefly with the Blues, McGoldrick cutting the ball back from the left however without being able to find a team-mate.

On 79 the Irish international scuffed wide after battling to win a Bru clearance with Town on top but not able to put the visitors under sustained pressure.

As the match moved into its final minutes Birmingham began to look the more threatening side, Donaldson just failing to reach Gardner’s ball in from the right and Bialkowski pawing it out for a corner.

The Pole made his second superb save of the game from Gardner’s flag-kick which was arcing goalwards having been inadvertently flicked goalwards by McGoldrick until he clawed it over.

Town came closest to winning it in injury time after a corner was cleared to Bru, but the Mauritius international screwed his shot well wide.

The final whistle triggered more boos and further chants of “Marcus Evans, you’re killing our club”.

Overall the 1-1 draw was probably a fair reflection of the match. Having been the better side before the break, as so often this season the Blues allowed the opposition to gain the upper hand by going in front soon after the restart, although there looked to be a hint of offside.

From there the Portman Road crowd, which had been rather sullen during the first half, made their feelings known once the Blues went behind, only really getting behind their side again in a spell following Ward’s goal.

Town have now won just one of their last 14 in all competitions but have lost only one in their last 10.

The result sees Town remain 17th but now six points from the bottom three with seven left to play starting with Tuesday’s game against Wigan, who lost 2-1 at Newcastle.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Chambers (c), Berra, Knudsen, Skuse (Bru 45), Douglas, Ward, Sears, McGoldrick, Pitman (Samuel 71). Unused: Gerken, Taylor, Rowe, Diagouraga.

Birmingham: Kuszczak, Nsue, Grounds, Robinson (c), Shotton, Kieftenbeld (Gleeson 86), Tesche, Gardner, Jutkiewicz, Davis (Donaldson 83), Bielik. Unused: Legzdins, Adams, Frei, Dacres-Cogley, Keita. Referee: Andy Madley (West Yorkshire). Att: 16,667 (Birmingham: 952).

Photo: TWTD

Bluesquid added 17:58 - Apr 1 In the dying minutes the manager brought on an attacker to replace a midfielder and a midfielder to replace a defender in an attempt to win all 3 points. McCarthy? No! Don't be stupid, it was Zola of course!
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ChrisFelix added 18:03 - Apr 1 McCarthy says Douglas was good today. Has he been smoking something strong & confusing the game. Different class was s.__t as ususl
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therein61 added 18:04 - Apr 1 Hope the great Skuse is fit for Tuesday then the clueless one can play the same line up to gain another great point, this guy just beggars belief and should be gone end of!!!!!!!! I know I said that when I retired that's me done but I have in deluded optimism carried on home and away(living in Bath it's a long haul away games are nearer!!) but enough is enough I'm beggared if I'm doing it Tuesday night. Mick you are an utter disgrace to the term football club manager.

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EssexTractor added 18:07 - Apr 1 Devoid of anything today. Entertainment yet again zilch. No inspiration visible What exactly does the manager say at 2.50? Passing poor. Crossing ( aside from our fortuitous goal) atrocious Shooting non existent. Again Bart was there to prevent the mediocre visitors from taking three points. Disappointing, depressing, disheartening. Diabolical! But sadly expected, as this direst season trundles to its ending....

14

HALLSJ added 18:09 - Apr 1 Still waiting for ropey excuses from Mccarthy
7

JAITFC added 18:11 - Apr 1 We need to unite in noise against Evans on Tuesday night. It's the only way we'll get our club back whilst there is anything left of it. #Evansout #Youareruiningourclub
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Surco72 added 18:26 - Apr 1 Anyone still attending games are as much to blame as MM . Stay away and force Evans to do something , MM should have gone at Xmas
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Dissboyitfc added 18:27 - Apr 1 I really dont believe booing our own players is right, i dont rate Douglas at all but booing will have achieved nothing positive! McCarthy said before the game about." being together" so what does he do? select a player who is leaving at the end of the season because he isnt good enough. What goes through McCarthys head? He knew that it would alienate people and create a bad atmosphere, but he doesnt care, said so homself! The has no respect for the club and its fans! Not even the McCarthy lovers are out tonight, but if one shows can you explain MM's team selections. Glad i it didnt go! MUCK OUT !!!!

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Kesgraveblue57 added 18:28 - Apr 1 It is very easy to knock the manager he has only had 1,5 million to spend in his time as manager, McCarthy is an excellent manager who is worked miracles on no money at all. Evans is the main problem it seems he is using Ipswich town football club as a tax write off simply by running it at a loss. What's happening to the club is a one man problem Evans
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surgery added 18:32 - Apr 1 Diss.....he's either taking the p..s of the fans or he's clinically insane
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therein61 added 18:38 - Apr 1 Where are you "billy baxter was best"(you haven't marked anyone down yet!!) or your other non deplumes supposedly playing golf in sunnier climes and never attending a game at Portman Road the ground you attend is at the back of Morrisons visible from the train going into Norwich station
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surgery added 18:38 - Apr 1 Sorry EssexTractor, agree with everything you say
0

runaround added 18:40 - Apr 1 My first game back since cancelling my season ticket in January & hardly a performance to make me want to return on a more regular basis. Can't believe he started Skuglass in what was billed as a must win game. Let's face it we were fortunate to get a point as Ward's goal was a cross & we offered very little threat upfront. Bart once again kept us in the game, without him I think we'd be down already! Crowd let Evans, Milne & Mick know exactly how they felt at 1 down but were still supportive and did their bit. I think we will just about survive this season but next season will be relegated without major improvements. Mick seems unable or unwilling to play younger players & get the team to play attacking entertaining football. This is what fans want & is not just about money. Mick's time at ITFC is up & Evans needs to seriously consider what he wants to do with ITFC & if he is unwilling to put more money in needs to sell for the good of the club. Our club is in an awful state & major change is required

23

tallguy6767 added 18:43 - Apr 1 Heard McCarthy on radio Suffolk as arrogant as ever about his position. What a complete embarrassment our club has become ! Run by a faceless owner who knows absolutely nothing about football and even less about how to treat football fans !!
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prebsa added 18:44 - Apr 1 dalianwasexciting - agree we haven't had anyone sensible in charge since then! And I fear it will only get worse until either Evans sells up or we get relegated and he finally wakes up!
6

Ipswichbusiness added 18:44 - Apr 1 Spence + knudsen + skuse + douglas = p1ss poor performance Why can‘t he see that? Why not emmanuel, kenlock and dozzell with huws?
11

therein61 added 18:45 - Apr 1 While never being his biggest fan(as a player or indeed manager) I bet Keano is laughing his nuts off at what Mick is doing here.
12

Dissboyitfc added 18:51 - Apr 1 kesgarave what utter rubbish, its the style of football and lack of entertainment, neither of those commodities are reliant on money! Evans is not blameless but who chose the team and the tactics???? MUCK OUT !!!!!!!
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prebbs007 added 18:52 - Apr 1 Fark Off you dinosaur tw&t
9

dukey44 added 18:53 - Apr 1 Excuse me every body but in an interview the muppet did the other day I do recall he said he doesn't see the fans anger directed at himself?? What planet is this muppet on and he's still calling himself a good manager????? Please pxxs off Mick
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brittaniaman added 18:55 - Apr 1 When I saw the line up today with Douglas, I really thought it was an April Fools Joke !!! But I was wrong DINO HAS GONE CRACKERS to annoy the Fans again.. Why he did not use his third sub an attacker called Rowe is anybody guess, but the usual gaffe a point is a point although we were lucky to get it. He keeps saying the crowd must get behind the team,, BUT it is the team that has to raise the crowd, not the other way round. Our squad is six players larger than Birminghams no wonder Evans keeps saying the wage bill has gone up, we have plenty of Quantity but not enough Quality to go forward.

13

Cloddyseedbed added 18:56 - Apr 1 Very inept performance from a team of players scared to concede a goal. Confidence rock bottom and certainly not helped by the team selection and tactics. Pass ball back to goal keeper, everybody run up to just short of oppositions 18 yard area and wait for ball to be lumped up. Defenders win headers and clear, ball back in our half. ALL FECKIN AFTERNOON!! H*ll am I angry!! This is not football and how football should be played, it has nothing to do with money it is tactics and these tactics went out with Noah and the Ark! No midfield is necessary as it's defending or lumping ball forward. I am one of the many supporters who is saying MM is now doing this on purpose, nobody with half a brain would keep playing this way, selecting Douglas and Skuse. MM's doing it just to get back at supporters and do his best to get us relegated. Senior players are not interested as they know their futures are away from the club next year. The game was crying out for Rowe to come on for last 15-20 minutes to scare the sh*t out of a poor Birmingham defence. The lad is never going to get a chance to prove something. No shots on target all game was there, or did I miss something. The goal was even a cross. A flaming disgrace of a home game and no excuses from Evans, Milne and McCarthy. We all saw this coming months ago. I wrote to Evans and told him exactly what was going to happen months ago and it is. All I got was we are doing all we can by Milne and I must stick with the club. Clueless club and leaders!

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surgery added 18:57 - Apr 1 therin61. especially since he "coached" him when in Ireland
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dirtydingusmagee added 19:01 - Apr 1 I agree JAITFC ,But living near Lowestoft and being on a pension I gave up 18 mnths ago, I cant bring myself to attend Portman Rd and being look upon as supporter of this regime, I wont go there again until Evans invests r sell and Mc Carthy is plying his mind numbing trade elsewhere .
13

StochesStotasBlewe added 19:02 - Apr 1 On the way down to Portman Road. i started to feel a pang of guilt about not renewing the season ticket. On entering the ground & seeing the lineup. then witnessing the subsequent 95 minutes of sh#t, any guilt i did have evaporated & i feel justified in ending the 47 years of regular loyal support. Evans & McCarthy have sucked the life out of Ipswich Town FC & many many loyal fans. I won,t be a regular until the ticket tout & the dinosaur have gone. Broken hearted to be honest. RIP ITFC.

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