Kemar Roofe and Liam Cooper were on target as the Blues were comfortably defeated 2-0 by Leeds at Elland Road as the Whites returned to the top of the table. Roofe put the West Yorkshiremen ahead in the 22nd minute and skipper Cooper added the second on 66 with Town never looking like taking anything from the game once they had gone behind.

Town boss Paul Hurst made seven changes to the team which lost 2-0 at home to QPR at the weekend with Bartosz Bialkowski, Jordan Spence, Jonas Knudsen, Flynn Downes, Tayo Edun, Jon Nolan and Kayden Jackson all starting.

Dean Gerken, Janoi Donacien, Trevoh Chalobah, Gwion Edwards, Grant Ward and Andre Dozzell all dropped to the bench, while Toto Nsiala was left out of the 18.

Ahead of Bialkowski in goal, Spence was at right-back, Knudsen at left-back with Matthew Pennington to the left of skipper Like Chambers at the centre of the defence.

Nolan was on the right of midfield with Edun on the left and Downes in the centre with Cole Skuse. Jackson started up front with Freddie Sears behind him.

Pablo Hernandez blazed an early shot over from distance after a Bialkowski kick had been closed down and deflected into the air by Roofe. On five, Nolan picked up an early yellow card for a foul on Samuel Saiz.

There was a big scare for the Blues in the 11th minute when Ezgjan Alioski’s low cross from the left was fumbled by Bialkowski but fortunately away from Hernandez and Chambers was able to clear.

Gaetano Berardi joined Nolan in the referee’s book in the 16th minute for a foul on Sears on the Blues’ left. From the freekick taken by Edun, Pennington headed into keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s arms at the far post.

On 19 Nolan scuffed wide from 20 yards with the Blues starting to make an impression going forward.

However, three minutes later the home side went in front. Hernandez whipped over a cross from the right which flew over Pennington to Roofe, whose header from six yards was too powerful for Bialkowski’s outstretched arm.

Having got in front, Leeds began to put the Blues under pressure but on 27 they were forced into a change when Berardi was replaced by Stuart Dallas.

Two minutes later, Hernandez cut the ball back to Saiz but his shot was blocked, then on 31 Downes was booked for a foul on Klich.

Alioski hit a cross-shot over from the left with the Whites well in control but without having come close to a second.

On 36, Luke Ayling’s shot was deflected over after Spence had cleared poorly from a corner, then from the subsequent flag-kick Downes flicked the ball over Bialkowski as the keeper looked to catch.

As the half moved into its final five minutes Town began to probe in the Leeds half but without threatening an equaliser.

Two minutes of injury time yielded no further chances at either end and the scoreline remained the same at the break.

Leeds deserved their lead having been in charge throughout and having created the game’s few opportunities.

Town hadn’t been as poor as they were against QPR, defensively they had been far less calamitous, but they had rarely threatened with Pennington’s header from Edun’s freekick their only real chance.

Two minutes after the restart Blues skipper Luke Chambers claimed a penalty after he was hauled down as an Edun freekick came in from the left. The central defender looked to have a case but neither referee Craig Pawson nor his assistant were interested.

On 50 Knudsen was booked for a foul on Hernandez, who required treatment before carrying on.

As in the first half chances were rare and keepers being forced into saves even rarer. On 56 Dallas scraped wide from the edge of the box.

A minute later Adam Forshaw replaced Saiz, then on 58 the Whites swapped Jack Harrison for Tom Pearce.

Dallas wasn’t too far away from doubling his side’s lead on 62 when his shot from the right of the box was deflected into the side-netting. Soon after Ward took over from Edun for Town.

The home side were beginning to threaten more regularly and in the 66th minute Hernandez struck a shot from a tight angle on the right which Bialkowski pawed away from goal.

However, from the resultant corner Leeds doubled their lead. The ball was played to Cooper on the edge of the box from where the Whites captain struck a powerful shot into the roof of the net all but sealing his side’s victory and another defeat for the Blues.

Town continued to huff and puff after the second Leeds goal but the Whites looked in little danger and appeared far more likely to add a third than Town were to pull one back.

On 76 Leeds went very close when Alioski smashed a shot from distance on the left which beat Bialkowski but struck the inside of the post and landed safely. Moments later, Town switched Sears for Edwards.

With the Whites completely dominating as the game moved into its final 10 minutes, sub Forshaw unleashed a powerful effort from distance which Bialkowski did well to save down to his right.

Leeds kept up the pressure with chances coming more and more frequently, Bialkowski saving from Alioski on 82, then a minute later Roofe diverted the Macedonian’s cross from the left wide.

Moments later, Town struck their first shot of the half, Nolan hitting a low effort from the right of the area which Peacock-Farrell stopped down to his right with little fanfare. Five minutes from time Chalobah took over from Skuse.

The Blues can have little complaint about the result, they were once again very much second best.

While not as bad as they were against QPR - which is the faintest of praise - Town never looked like they were going to take anything from the game once they had gone behind.

Defensively they were better with Pennington back in the centre but Leeds still had enough chances to have won more comfortably, while the Blues were poor on the ball, two or three passes would inevitably be followed by possession being conceded, and created virtually nothing.

Whether this latest defeat is the tipping point which persuades owner Marcus Evans to end Hurst’s time in charge remains to be seen but something certainly needs to change - and quickly - if the bottom-of-the-table Blues are to avoid dropping into the third tier for the first time in 62 years.

Leeds: Peacock-Farrell, Ayling, Alioski, Cooper (c), Berardi (Dallas 27), Phillips, Klich, Harrison (Pearce 58), Hernandez, Saiz, Roofe. Unused: Blackman, Forshaw, Roberts, Baker, Clarke.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Pennington, Chambers (c), Skuse (Chalobah 85), Downes, Nolan, Edun (Ward 62), Sears (Edwards 76), Jackson. Unused: Gerken, Donacien, Dozzell, Lankester. Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire). Att: 29,082.

Photo: Action Images

Gatehouse added 22:10 - Oct 24 Really wanted hurst to succeed but reluctantly I think he has to go we are not progressing by now the team should need only minor changes to get a balanced solid 11 but we're miles from that we still don't know our best 11 the new signings are not up to it but to be fair there is no confidence or cohesion in the team strikers can't score goals if they don't get service the midfield is uncreative has been for years every team we play against look light years ahead of us and at the very least have a plan we look like dead men walking as does this football club that I love deaply Mr Evans you are totally responsible for destroying this club shame on you by the time you're gone we will be a shell of the club that was once respected throughout Europe please go or please put proper investment into our club

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martin587 added 22:11 - Oct 24 Clueless,inapt,lack lustre,confidence drained.What an absolute poor performance from a team that looked totally lost of any plan. For me to travel all that way and to be honest I felt embarrassed to watch my team perform like that. At half time I was talking to some Leeds supporters and they were surprised to see how we have slipped to this. Seven changes again.! How can a team gel when they don't know whether they are coming or going. Chambers ball watched for the first and terrible marking for the second goal.Both schoolboy errors. Honestly the whole team is a shambles and the manager is clueless. I just hope Mr.Evans does the right thing and let's PH go. I really think he is lost now. The players were scared stiff to express themselves in case of making a mistake.Trouble within I think. Needs to be sorted now.Nothing more to add.Long boring drive home,once again.

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Tractorboy1985 added 22:12 - Oct 24 Please please please.. I urge fellow fans to make a stand at the Preston game! We have been taken for mugs for far too long and mr Evans needs to hear us out! Hurst totally out of his depth but what manager would now want to come here and work under Evans and have no money to spend? The darkest days of an Ipswich town supporter!
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blueherts added 22:13 - Oct 24 Get rid now - Our club has some great young players and coaches but our first team is woeful . All down to 3 men Evans , Doig and Hurst - If we cannot lose Evans , get rid of Hurst etc and come out and tell us all about the 5 point plan etc etc Tiresome and bloody sad - He had his chance one win , rubbish football and even worst signings . Hogg Nash Klug would all slot in while we plan and re group . cannot be any worst

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DebsyAngel added 22:14 - Oct 24 Watched the game on the Red Button. Abject "performance". Too many changes, and the team don't even look like they have met before. What do they do at training?? Passing back to Bart too many times, no chance of scoring a goal. Just feel really depressed to see my team playing this badly and lacklustre. Things need to change - we have lost far too many points as it is and will be adrift. Really wanted things to work for Hurst, but sadly the longer this carries on, the more doomed we are.

9

Northstandveteran added 22:15 - Oct 24 I just can't see how we are going to get out of this mess.
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Bluearmy_81 added 22:17 - Oct 24 Let's sack him and roll the dice again as can't see how he will turn it around What do you expect will happen when the new guy comes in? It'll be the same!! No money = nothing changes = relegation. Start blaming the elephant in the room!!
0

TimmyH added 22:19 - Oct 24 You look at the midfield fielded tonight and it looks woefully inept and lightweight - Downes (who I want to succeed), Edun, Nolan and Skuse hardly fills you with confidence we're going to climb the table anytime soon...personally feel we need a couple of tenacious box to box players. Hurst just shuffling a 'dead pack' tonight...he'll probably change it for Millwall again.

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jas0999 added 22:19 - Oct 24 Tomorrow is a very big day for Evans. Firstly, he needs to address the fans of this once great football club. Rich in tradition. Family orientated. A club with pride. No longer. We need to hear from the owner. No spin. No excuses. Why did he pocket millions in fee profits? Why hasn't he invested new funds into the playing squad for years? Why didn't he back the previous manager with money? Why did he appoint Hurst? Admit he was wrong. The stark reality is this club is in a mess. A shambles. An embarrassment. Evans is the owner. Buck stops. Hurst, sadly is out of his depth. The players aren't good enough. We need a change. Tomorrow, Evans MUST make that change.

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planetblue_2011 added 22:20 - Oct 24 I blame Evans not Hurst. He has tried & it hasn't worked out. Evens says he's the man for the job he's wrong, just like Keane & Jewell. We have sold 4 very good players, 3 good loan players went back. Hurst gets a few quid to spend on league 1/2 players it was never going to work. Signing 7 or 8 of these lower league players was never going to be a quick fix. Evans has to sort it out now before it gets any worse. If he cares for us fans he needs to bring an experience manager in again to keep us up. Please Marcus do the right thing this time sack Hurst even though I don't blame him & replace him with a decent manager with knowledge of this league🙏

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 22:20 - Oct 24 We have an Elephant in the changing room ? How did that happen? Oh ...must be part of the Circus !
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Monkey_Blue added 22:20 - Oct 24 Poor Recruitemnt. Can anyone say that we didn't have youngsters at least as good as half the lower league signings? We should have signed half as many players but twice the quality. If we were going to be bottom I'd rather it be with homegrown players and not this shower. Hurst has to go now I'm afraid. The question is short term fire fighter or do we make a long term appointment? Come January decent players may not want to sign for us.

6

midastouch added 22:21 - Oct 24 ShrewsBURIED!
3

Bluearmy_81 added 22:22 - Oct 24 Still with the 'Mr Evans.' You absolute melts
0

ringwoodblue added 22:24 - Oct 24 With the players we have and the total lack of confidence, I honestly don't think changing the manager will make enough of a difference to save us from relegation, Evans owes it to the fans to try everything possible to turn our fortunes around. I say bring in Steve Bruce to see what he can do with this motley crew. Now I know what it felt like to be a Sunderland fan last season.

2

Lightningboy added 22:25 - Oct 24 Never thought our style of play would get worse than the last few seasons but unbelievably it has..players are running around like headless chickens,struggling to put 3 passes together,strikers getting zero service game in game out. Some people saying we shouldn't go back to George Burley but i'd give my right & left arm to have us playing like we did under him for 8 seasons anyday over this utter dross.

9

Carl2588 added 22:26 - Oct 24 For me burley and butcher combo is the only option any other managers that come in now won't make any improvement until after January as most of our players I'm sorry to say are not good enough for this league burley would use the academy and knows Ipswich through and through
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Barhamblue added 22:26 - Oct 24 Get Steve Bruce in. He'll get us back up next season. And if this happens please Ipswich fans who don't want to take responsibility for hounding out Mick, learn from your experience. Which we know many of you won't do.
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Suffolkboy added 22:28 - Oct 24 Do we wait with baited breath foe ME to take a decision ?Dare we hope that PH & CD will just negotiate to leave ? Whatever it's not a happy ship and it looks doleful throughout ; one must suspect the players are downcast ,confidence completely low , and it doesn't sound as if things are much better anywhere in the playing arena . Tremendous sadness pervades , and the opportunity to go to Mikwall doesn't appeal -- why ?, because I've never ever ,having first gone to P Rd in 1954, seen a worse performance ,nor witnessed continuance of the dullest drivel and wilful casting of blame as PH persists with ! God knows what he'll say this time around ,probably that he tried what supporters were calling for but his ( would he say his?) OR THE players didn't measure up ? Not doing what he tells them , not showing character , not good enough technically AND so on : I just wonder ! As to " changes at the club " then most know where we'd make a start ! But , we still love TheTown so Up the Blues

1

Cloddyseedbed added 22:28 - Oct 24 What sort of manager signs a whole different team from the lower leagues in pre season, makes 7 changes to the team from the last game and then stands with his arms folded on the touchline mesmerised for the whole game? A manager that is so far out of his depth he's drowning! Just watched the game on red button, Whole team a shambles. Full backs can't defend or attack. Midfield can't pass and look uncomfortable. Strikers, worst 2 up top I can ever remember. Service from midfield no real help though! Not one player in the team is comfortable on the ball and you can see they are all as anxious as hell. Hurst must be relieved of his duties forthwith. Good luck to the next manager trying to sort that lot of mismatches out! Evans out.

14

josimar added 22:28 - Oct 24 Really don't understand the surprise, the majority of whiners suggesting names to get in place of PH, why would they come to a club in total disarray with no funds available Unfortunately it is what it is, again, people moaning and wanting Marcus Evans out, whose going to buy a club in the position that we are in?
7

Sheaver26 added 22:33 - Oct 24 A lot of fans won't want to hear this, but this season just proves how good a job Mick did. No money to spend and he kept us competitive, at least. At the moment we are hopeless, nobody knows what they are meant to be doing. Time to put Hurst out of his misery, the players don't even have any faith in him. I'd take Bruce yesterday.
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Swn98 added 22:35 - Oct 24 OH dear many fans said last year we would be better getting rid of MM and going down than continuing the way we were, well you deluded fools your about to find out the reality of your wishes.
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runningout added 22:35 - Oct 24 iaintaylorx All average when could be greater
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Dog added 22:38 - Oct 24 Pretty poor. Again. I would like to know what "Cat" thinks. He was the only one who was going to stay positive and reserve his judgment until end of october - which i thought was pretty good and they have far more patience than me.Not calling you out Cat for a different opinion its just i am off up north for my birthday and i was hoping if you could give us your thoughts a couple of days early. Oyston out!!!!!

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