Boss Paul Hurst admitted the damage was done when the Blues gifted Middlesbrough their two early goals during the 2-0 home defeat to the Teessiders, Mo Besic and Stewart Downing scoring in the 12th and 16th minutes.

“You’ve all witnessed that, you don’t need to be a football manager or have played to understand that,” Hurst said.

“Everyone can see, there’s no getting away from it and people might not like it but it doesn’t matter what system you’re playing or anything like that, you can’t give goals away and especially against a team like Middlesbrough, who have got quality in the ranks and give up very few goals.”

Hurst felt his team got better after the break: “I actually thought we caused them some problems and realistically should have got on the scoresheet at some point, but obviously a lot of that was in the second period.

“But I felt we did start the game [well], the lads were clearly getting on the ball and wanted it.

“But when a goal goes in it gives them a lift and it dents our confidence and then the second was when it really changed the whole atmosphere in the ground.

“It was a difficult night for everybody, but particularly as a player because you’ve got to show a lot of mental strength and character to keep wanting to get on the ball and not fear making another mistake."

Asked if he can do anything about the individual errors which have plagued winless Town’s season, he said: “To a degree, the only thing you can do is tell the players not to get the ball in certain areas and not take any risks whatsoever.

“To be honest, I don’t think the lead up to the second, it’s not really a risky situation, I don’t know quite what happened in truth.

“But you can basically just not want it and lump it up the pitch. However, I think where we’re at in terms of options at the top end of the pitch, we can’t do that and very few teams can do that against a team like Middlesbrough with the physicality that they’ve got and the height and the dominance that they have in the air.

“So I think you have to try and play against them to have joy, and we showed that at times.

“But the frustration is that you’re going up against a good team and then you give them two goals.

“And that makes a task extremely difficult and it just changes everything. If that had been the second half and there had been a similar-ish performance in the first half and we’d have got beat, it would have been frustrating still, but a lot of people would be a lot happier.

“But that first half, the goals made it extremely difficult but you’ve got to show enough character to get through.”

Has he got the players with that character in the squad? “The second half would suggest we do but we can’t just play for maybe 45 minutes and perhaps 10 minutes of the first half or whatever. It’s got to be a lot more than that.

“Maybe Boro took their foot off the gas, I’m not going to dispute anything like that, but we certainly won more second balls, we competed, we looked like we ran harder in the second half and that’s got to be right from the word go.

“We’re not good enough just to play for 45 minutes, that’s very evident. So, unfortunately all we can do is go to the next one. We can’t replay that game, we can’t get that first half back. Move on to the next game.

He says he’s looking for people to step up when Town travel to Swansea on Saturday: “We’ve got to haven’t we? I’ve watched some of their games.

“They are a team that look like they’ve changed quite drastically in terms of their confidence levels from the game that was on TV quite early in the season at Birmingham to then watching them in the game against QPR.

“They're back to what most of us would associate a Swansea team with in terms of moving the ball and having a lot of possession and making the opposition run around and chase. And that’s something we’re going to have to try and counter come the weekend.”

He added: “We know it’s a very difficult league anyway. I think everyone’s aware of that and have been for the past many seasons.

“But the situation that we find ourselves in, certainly every game’s going to be difficult. If we had a cup game against lower opposition it would still be approached with some trepidation at the minute because that’s the situation we find ourselves in.

“But there’s only ourselves that can get ourselves out of it, we’re not going to get any help. We’ve got to stand up and fight and find every ounce of energy and desire to try and change what we’re currently going through.”

Middlesbrough boss Tony Pulis felt his team put on as good a display as they have all season during the first 30 minutes in which they effectively won the game.

"The first half an hour was as good as we've played all season, we moved the ball quickly," he said.

"It was lovely having Mo back to that tempo that he played for us last year. When he plays that way he makes other people play.

"The big disappointment was that we got sloppy at 2-0. You can't do that, you have got to keep that tempo up.

"It's our third game on the bounce away from home and that's tough. The team has done absolutely fantastic. I'm really pleased but's 11 games. Another five or six and then we can take a view."

Meanwhile, Pulis paid tribute to Blues legend Kevin Beattie, who died last month, aged 64.

“What a great player, an unbelievable player, an absolute colossus of a player," he said.

"He played in what was probably the greatest or one of the greatest eras that Ipswich have ever had and he was just phenomenal. Everything that you’d want from a player he had.

“I spoke to him and was around him a couple of times and he was a fun-loving lad as well.

“I spoke to John Wark before the game and that team was a phenomenal team, unbelievable and that was before the two Dutch lads joined.

“And when the two Dutch lads came it just took another step and another level. That era, cor blimey, I’ll bet the club wish they could get that again.”

Photo: TWTD

blueboy1981 added 23:03 - Oct 3 Swn98 ........... sad that you can't even agree with sensible thinking / posts (not forgetting your MM cohorts of course) - but many of us don't expect any more than just that from you. I wonder why ? Granted, to date there is no improvement in terms of results - as clearly acknowledged, which you probably hadn't noticed. However, as yet I haven't left Portman Road bored stiff, or having fallen asleep, before the end of a game - which was a common occurrence for many under you messiah's reign. In fairness, we had plenty of the play during the match v Boro' - just not creative enough to threaten in the final third anywhere enough to win the match. In mitigation, to a small degree, the ball isn't running for us at the moment, but that is what happens in situations such as we find ourselves in. This takes nothing away from the fact that Paul Hurst has it wrong, and doesn't seem to learning from his mistakes - rather like the Captain .... who's only ever one step away from a clanger. Good to see Clubs are still queuing up to employ your 'Star Manager' ........!!!! - thanks, but NO thanks. I'd rather watch paint dry, every other Saturday than have more of that.

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blueboy1981 added 23:05 - Oct 3 ...... should read:- your, not you.
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Swn98 added 07:44 - Oct 4 Blue bore you have confirmed by your statement you haven't left Portman Rd bored stiff or asleep since Hurst arrival that you are stupid or a liar. We are never going to agree so please as asked politely before don't mention me in your posts as this continuing back and forth must be of constant annoyance to sensible Town Supporters.
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DoseOfReality added 09:02 - Oct 4 We can all express our views and argue between us but the harsh reality is we are punching above our weight by being in the Championship. We are on a League 1 budget playing like a League 2 side. Unless ME sorts out the complete and utter mess this club has become under his watch very soon ITFC will fall further into the football wilderness... possibly never to return. We all know what will happen.. head in the sand, send out puppet Milne and hope for the best.. then waffle about some plan that is abandoned as soon as he makes an appointment. Sort it or sell it.

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Pabloisgod84 added 13:20 - Oct 4 yes it sucks to be an ITFC fan right now but some of you choppers need to get real. most of you probably wanted Mick gone and this appointment so give it a bit more time. of course its hursts fault we dont look like scoring, but you cant blame him for bad mistakes giving goals away and then having to chase most games. i think we give him 20 games and then something happens either way. some of you think we have a divine right to be at the top but we dont pay players enough /we are not an attraction right now. take TOM LAWRENCE for example... did we have the funds to sign him? maybe but question why we didnt? then we were linked to gerrard/lampard , you honestly think they would come here? this is what we are right now and with Evans in charge we have no face or character or persona. all we can do is get behind what we have,

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