Boss Paul Hurst felt Town were always going to be in for a tough evening against Leeds United, who comfortably beat the Blues 2-0 at Elland Road to return to the top of the table.

“I think if anyone was expecting anything [other than] it being a tough evening then they clearly haven’t been paying attention to Leeds United this season,” Hurst said.

“It doesn’t matter what we are, it was always going to be tough and, to be honest, I’ve seen Leeds outplay teams more than I have tonight.

“Whether or not they were stretched we can debate that, but I didn’t feel as threatened as perhaps I might have expected to at times, albeit they upped the tempo in that second period.”

After an even opening to the game, Kemar Roofe’s 22nd minute header set the Whites on their way.

“It was a fantastic ball in, I think we could have done more to stop the cross in the first place but it was ultimately a moment of quality in terms of the delivery,” Hurst added.

“I’d probably fancy myself to score that. But he was back in the team, he’s a goalscorer and he was back in the goals tonight from my point of view.”

Asked whether he has found this week’s speculation regarding his future hard to deal with, he said: “I’m not one to go searching for it but at the same time I don’t lock myself in a room and don’t speak to anyone. Unfortunately, those things are out there. At they healthy? Realistically, no.

“But at the same time, as I said going into the game, all you can do is focus on your job and do it to the best of your ability. And ultimately if it’s not good enough or deemed not good enough, then so be it.

“It doesn’t help, it’s something else I’m not happy about but at the same time I think if we were a team that was full of players that weren’t willing to fight we’d have lost by more than a 2-0 scoreline.

“I know they hit the post but what I didn’t see, and I don’t if anyone felt differently, but I didn’t feel like I saw a team which would just roll over and let Leeds do what they want.

“Ultimately Leeds are a very good team, we couldn’t take advantage of them maybe being not quite at their best in terms of confidence coming into the game, a little bit of a difficult run for them in terms of how well they’ve done this season so far.”

Hurst says no one has spoken to him about his future in relation to the speculation. Asked whether he’d like a reassuring call from owner Marcus Evans tomorrow, he added: “I keep saying it, that’s not for me, that’s whether Marcus feels that he needs to or not. All I’ll do is get on with my job.

“In a lot of ways, I’m not going to lie, managers are pleased if they can just be left to get on with their job, so I’m not going to complain that he’s [not] ringing me every day, I just have to get on with it.”

Although still bottom the Blues are level with 23rd-placed Hull City with Reading three points ahead in 22nd and then Rotherham, Millwall and Preston all a point further ahead outside the relegation zone.

Asked whether one good thing about the current situation is that his team are far from adrift at this stage and whether he’s confident his players can turn things around, he said: “Yes, we hope so. It’s interesting you said that because I was told at the weekend we were ‘rock bottom’. I don’t see it like that and from that question I’d say you probably agree.

“We’re in a pack of teams that, whether we all like it or not, in my opinion are going to be fighting to stay in the division.

“Probably I would say one team out of that will have a run and pull away and there’ll be one team, maybe two, that will probably drop back down.

“We’ve got to hang on in there for as long as possible until we gain more confidence, maybe try and improve the squad.

“We’ve lost Jon Walters, we’ve lost Ellis Harrison at the top end of the pitch, we’re very limited on what we can do there. It’s difficult for the two lads in terms of how we want to try and play.

“It’s not an excuse but sometimes things go against you and you’ve got to try and find different ways and at the minute we’re still trying to do that.”

Is there an understanding regarding that? “I think in some areas there is and in others there won’t be. And I think that’s football.

“Again, that’s opinions, some people are sympathetic, other people expect you to win the league. That’s the industry that we’re in.”

Town next face 20th-placed Millwall at the Den on Saturday, Preston, 19th, at home and then 21st-placed Reading at the Madejski Stadium, big games for the Blues.

“We thought QPR was as well,” reflected Hurst. “Every game is big. What I will clarify is, despite the fact I think unlikely getting a victory was unlikely or maybe even a point here tonight, we didn’t turn up with that intention.

“The team wasn’t changed round thinking we’ll just try something and give it a go, it was to come and get something, albeit it was very difficult. Just to quash any thoughts of that.

“The next three are big games in a way that you look at teams that are down towards the lower reaches.

“But at the same time, even then it won’t be done and dusted either way after those three games. There’s still a long, long way to go. But we certainly want to try and not - at the very worst - let that gap get any bigger and hopefully reduce it.

“I haven’t seen the results tonight, certainly as was mentioned going into the game, one victory and you can be out of the relegation zone, albeit not clear of it. We’ve got to make sure we stay in that pack of teams.”

Leeds manager Marelo Bielsa felt his team was worthy of the win which took his team back to the top of the Championship ahead of Middlesbrough on goal difference.

“It was a necessary win and a deserved one too,” he said. “There were two different halves and in the second half we had fluidity which we didn't have in the first half.

“Our team was constantly offensive and we had 10 clear chances to score a goal.

"In the first half we spent many minutes not playing. We had the obligation to change this and make the right pass. If we do this, we play.”

Photo: TWTD

Michael101 added 09:52 - Oct 25 Has the Hurst experiment has not worked, but who would want to take the job?? This mess has been coming for years now,Ebenezer Evans will not pay compensation to any club to Mick there manager,so that leaves people out of work, If they are any good would they be on the rock&roll?? Worst off all we might end up with mad Mick againFFS.
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Michael101 added 10:03 - Oct 25 Please correct me if I am wrong,but did Jewell fall on his sword? Not get the sack. Also mad Mick was not going to have his contract renewed before he walked out. So it looks as if Hurst may be safe.Evans don't seem to want to put his hand in his pocket to pay off anybody no matter how bad they are.
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Edmundo added 10:06 - Oct 25 How I wish we could turn the clock back 11years , keep Jim in charge and tell Evans to GFY
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BlueBlood90 added 10:13 - Oct 25 He's already talking about needing to improve the squad that HE built and we're only in October! He's clueless and out of his depth. I'd normally be all for giving our managers time and don't believe in sacking managers the way Leeds do, but I can't see anything in Paul Hurst to suggest that he can turn this around. It's been a disaster from day 1.
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Northstandveteran added 10:40 - Oct 25 I do think putting all the blame on Hurst is rather unfair. Out of his depth, poor signings, yes. But the club has been in freefall since it went into administration. Probably not immediately noticeable due to the miracles Joe Royle performed having to sell everything but the kitchen sink. Ipswich have been in similar situations as this a few times and managed to escape but this time I fear, the pigeons really will come home to roost. I think our only chance of survival is to put the Burley/Butcher combo in a.s.a.p and give the pair funds in January to give the club an outside chance of staying up. I was among those that was excited about a new manager coming in and bringing in New players. We needed to twist opposed to sticking but the gamble has gone wrong. For those of you wishing we still had MM, I feel this is part of the problem. Fans happily going along, happy with mid table mediocrity, allowing the owners to think that all was happy. When you settle for an average team, there is only one way that it will go. Yes I wanted Mick out. I was bored with accepting 0-0 at home to Burton. As much as I am proud to support a 'nice' club like Ipswich, proud to follow them around the country and abroad and always being warmly welcomed and received, nice guys win nothing. Our accepting fans must take some of the blame for allowing our club to slowly slip into oblivion. Not sure what relegation will bring but fear several years in the wilderness could follow.

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BooM76 added 11:03 - Oct 25 I hope the club and the fans have learned a lesson from this. MM had built a solid foundation which was growing forward on very humble resources. There were issues at times in strategy but lets remember, our opponents have tricks and talent also. Point is, if it aint broke dont fix it! Now - another season wasted - perhaps if we took the time to recruit a quality manager this conversation would be irrelevant! I know we are all frustrated ...

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TimmyH added 11:25 - Oct 25 spot on Northstandveteran...
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barrystedmunds added 11:28 - Oct 25 I'm with you on this one BooM76, as I suspect, are most of us. The foundations were there, most believed and hoped for additions (attacking midfielder, left back sorted and maybe a proven championship goal scorer) but not many, including PH I suspect, expected the mass exodus that occurred. All of a sudden those foundations pretty much wiped out. PH assures is that all who left want away, so here we are again building from the bottom, literally, again!!

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cranky_old_tractor added 11:41 - Oct 25 Feel sorry for Hurst but has to go now! However the inept leadership is killing IP1. Has to shape up or sell off....time to show leadership and passion for ITFC! Our club is more than a convenient tax solution!
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chalky added 11:57 - Oct 25 For Mercy's sake, Marcus, take some decisive action. I presume your success in business was built on such foundations. But, in the case of our football team, you have thrown away a rich legacy by dithering when the club is clearly in dee trouble. Hurst may be a decent chap and all that, but he is only heading downwards. In the past, even our 'stock' club players had motivation aplenty. Think of the 100 per cent effort always contributed by the likes of Mick Stockwell, Jamie Scowcroft, Simon Milton, Richard Naylor and Neil Thompson. They rarely, if ever, let one down. We have let too many of our own youth products escape by poor management - just ask yourself how many goals Jordan Rhodes has scored since leaving Portman Road. Hurst and Evans seem totally immune to the legacy of the club. We prospered with our own youth and home-grown players - Burley,Wark, Talbot, and Butcher, to name but a few - but all Hurst can do is leave them on the bench when even our current crop are clearly better than the loanees and second-rate League One imports with whom he persists. Does anyone seriously think we have the inner strength to beat even Milwall ? If you don't act now, Evans, you will accelerate a downward spiral of relegation, poor gates and an inability to attract good players to the club. Think of what your predecessors - John Cobbold and David Sheepshanks built with a positive approach. I am very angry about your 'laissez faire' attitude to the plight of a once-great club !!

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Lightningboy added 12:25 - Oct 25 Will be interesting to hear what comes out when he and Doig do eventually get the boot..I suspect that a lot of players/staff are biting their tongues at the moment. Shame he trained us for 46 marathons during the summer rather than 46 football matches.
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SickParrot added 12:32 - Oct 25 True or false? Paul Worst is the manager of Ipswich Down!
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Skip73 added 12:36 - Oct 25 Leeds had won only 2 in the last 8! Other teams seem to be doing ok against them. Its pathetic, it really is!!!
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DoseOfReality added 12:36 - Oct 25 Does anybody know how much debt we were in when we went into administration & what it is now..? Or where to find it out ... There's got to be a reason Evans bought the club other than the love of football because he's clearly not a Town fan. We lurch from one disaster to another. Only manager who done anything since Evans took over was Magilton and he didn't appoint him, just sacked him straight after we just thumped Canaries. In fact is that the last time we beat them ..?

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Bergholtblue added 13:06 - Oct 25 Is he still here?
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Henrietta_R_Hippo added 13:12 - Oct 25 For those interested, there is a Hurst poll up on EADT: "Vote! Is it time to change manager at PR?" ...including a bunch of other questions (some of them though looking quite a bit hmmm obsolete! Like "How will we do against Barnsley next"??? lol) Dunno how much leverage said poll will have, with EADT usually tending to be extremely Ebeneezer Evans friendly & soft.... but ehhh JUST MAYBE Watson will deliver the printed- out results directly to Marcus, whenever he next is acting stand-in caddy for our golf-happy (but sadly football-indifferent) owner lol??? http://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/should-town-sack-hurst-1-5751218 PS: Speaking of EADT does anybody happens to know whether they very recently removed the occasional quite heated but occasionally also quite entertaining-to -read comments sections beneath their ITFC articles altogether .... cause suddenly TODAY they are no longer visible on my end??? ---- Could just be down to be a smallish web related software "being-outdated" or broken issue of course, or maybe it's just my browser of choice, Chrome, very latest version from this here week simply behaving weirdly on a few specific sites (again again).

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NeverGoingUp added 13:15 - Oct 25 Just been informed by a reliable source that Hurst has gone. Players called into a meeting today. Not sure whether sacked or quitting.
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Henrietta_R_Hippo added 13:19 - Oct 25 @NeverGoingUp Interesting!!! And would also better explain why Phil isn't online as several has noticed on the Forum :-) :-)
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ChrisFelix added 13:22 - Oct 25 Its clear that the points lost at home to average teams such Bolton & QPR are the resin we are at the bottom of the table.Bad team selection will always cost you. Watched part of Norwich game this week, noticing the number of youth they have integrated into their team. Interesting
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DoseOfReality added 15:04 - Oct 25 Northstandveteran spot on with your post... but as much as it pains me to say I'm no longer proud to support the Town, there is nothing to be proud of other than our history. Owner doesn't care and shows no pride in the condition of the stadium or any aspect of the club.
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