Freddie Sears scored two goals but Bristol City came from behind twice to beat the Blues 3-2 at Portman Road, extending bottom-of-the-table Town’s all-time record home winless run to 12 matches. Sears put the Blues in front in the 32nd minute but a Bartosz Bialkowski own goal levelled the scores 10 minutes after the break. Sears’s second of the evening restored the lead on 58 but a minute later Jamie Paterson equalised for a second time before sub Famara Diedhiou won it for the visitors, who ended a run of four successive defeats.

Boss Paul Lambert named the same starting XI for the fourth successive match, while Ellis Harrison was back on the bench after his ankle injury having been out since the end of September.

Bristol City, who included former Blues central defender Adam Webster in their starting line-up, made two changes from the team which lost 2-0 to Leeds at the weekend.

Josh Brownhill was suspended having been red-carded in that game, while Jack Hunt dropped to the bench with Liam Walsh and Eros Pisano replacing them in the XI.

The Robins were the first to threaten as Town started slowly. In the fourth minute keeper Bartosz Bialkowski superbly tipped a Walsh shot from the edge of the box over the bar.

A minute later, Jamie Paterson cut in from the left after the Blues had made heavy weather of clearing but shot wide.

But Town quickly began to get themselves into the game and in the eighth minute Freddie Sears hit a shot from just outside the box which struck the stanchion to the right of Niki Maenpaa’s goal.

The Blues were beginning to make some headway, particularly down the right flank but with Gwion Edwards and Jordan Spence unable to find team-mates with their crosses.

On 12 managers Lambert and Lee Johnson engaged in a heated exchange after Jamie Paterson appeared to flick out at Edwards as they fell between the technical areas, the Welshman having fouled him. After a stern word to both managers the game continued without a card being issued.

The game continued to be an even affair with neither side creating an opportunity until the 21st minute when Andres Weimann was found in an offside position following a quick Bristol City break.

Four minutes later, Jordan Roberts, clearly frustrated that referee David Webb had failed to spot him being man-handled by the Robins centre-halves on a number of occasions, was booked for a late challenge on Tomas Kalas.

Just before the half hour, with referee Webb having continued to make decisions which irked the Town players and support - not least one tackle on Edwards that looked both high and late - spoke to Roberts again following an innocuous foul, presumably to tell him one more and he would be shown another card.

The Blues had begun to get on top as the half moved into its final quarter of an hour but without having created a serious chance.

But in the 32nd minute they took the lead. Former Robin Cole Skuse played a brilliant cross-field pass to Sears on the left and the striker drove into the area at pace before hitting a low shot across Maenpaa and into the corner of the net before celebrating his third goal of the Lambert era - as well as his 29th birthday yesterday - with his team-mates in front of the tunnel.

The Blues began the put the visitors under pressure. Roberts hit a 38th-minute freekick from just outside the area into the wall, then a minute later Trevoh Chalobah hooked over after a Jonas Knudsen long throw had bounced to him in the box, skipper Luke Chambers having won the ball in the air.

As the half moved into its final few minutes Bristol City briefly started to look the more threatening side but Town were able to repel them and were back on the front foot again as the half moved one additional minute.

Seconds before the whistle, all-action goalscorer Sears intercepted a ball laid back for a shot on the edge of the box then continued his run to the Robins left to prevent Lloyd Kelly from being able to get it back in the danger zone.

The whistle went soon afterwards with Town deserving their lead after an entertaining - if rather mistake-ridden - half.

The Blues had started poorly and City might well have taken the lead but for Bialkowski’s early stop but found their feet and had looked the more composed team when the goal came, even if chances hadn’t been coming in great numbers.

Bristol City, who went into the game having lost four on the trot, swapped wideman Hakeeb Adelakun for striker Diedhiou at the break.

Robins skipper Marlon Pack’s 49th minute shot deflected through to Bialkowski with the game end to end in the early spell after the restart.

The visitors were forced into a change in the 54th minute, Walsh having picked up a knock. Joe Morrell took over.

Two minutes later the scores were level, somewhat fortuitously for the Robins. Kelly broke down the left and sent over a low cross which Bialkowski was only able to get a touch on as it came across. No Town player was able to clear, the ball struck sub Diedhiou but was going wide until Bialkowski inadvertently pawed it into his own net.

But the Blues quickly restored their lead. In the 58th minute, three minutes after the Robins’ equaliser, Skuse’s shot was blocked but landed at Sears’s feet, the striker hitting a low effort which beat Maenpaa to his right and nestled in the corner of the net.

However, Town’s second lead of the night lasted only a minute. A cross from the left found Paterson unmarked at the far post from where he shot past Bialkowski, who could only get a hand to the ball.

And, after Maenpaa had blocked a Chambers header at the near post, it was to get worse for the Blues in the 64th minute when the visitors took the lead for the first time.

Kelly’s shot deflected into the path of Diedhiou off Chambers as he ran in on goal and the Senegalese headed past Bialkowski, the game’s fourth goal in only nine minutes.

Town immediately swapped Roberts for Kayden Jackson as they sought a way back into a game which not too long earlier they had been favourites to win.

On 72 Jack Lankester took over from Edwards, then in the 78th minute Spence was yellow-carded for a foul on Niclas Eliasson. While Bristol City prepared to take the freekick, Harrison replaced Downes.

But the visitors were looking more likely to score a fourth than the Blues were to equalise. In the 80th minute Bialkowski quickly came off his line to claim at the feet of Weimann.

However, Town started to look more dangerous. On 82 Lankester, once again impressive from the bench, found Knudsen on the left and the Danish international’s cross eventually fell to Jackson, who looped an overhead kick into the arms of Maenpaa.

Lankester’s 86th minute freekick from the right was easily cleared by the Robins but the Blues kept the ball in the final third and Knudsen eventually nodded back into the danger zone where Sears was unable to get a touch as he looked to flick towards goal.

Paterson failed to hit the target from distance on 88 before the fourth official’s board signalled six additional minutes. Soon after, Robins boss Johnson was yellow-carded for remonstrating with the fourth official.

Town went looking for an equaliser in the closing stages but not overly convincingly. Seconds before the whistle, Jackson picked up a booking for a foul.

An evening which showed so much promise ultimately ended in probably the most disappointing home defeat of the season.

The Blues had gone into the game with yesterday’s results having gone in their favour and with Bristol City on a dreadful run.

Having got the lead in the first half Town were on top but gave a calamitous goal away but were still able to get their noses back in front through man of the match Sears’s fourth in four games.

The Robins were rocking at that stage but there was no knockout punch and they were all but gifted the points via two more defensively disastrous goals with the Blues never really looking like getting back into the match from there.

The prospect of relegation to the third tier for the first time in 62 years becomes ever more real with Town having failed to take points from another potentially winnable game, still without a victory at Portman Road, and with tough trips to Nottingham Forest and Stoke City up next.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Chambers (c), Pennington, Knudsen, Skuse, Chalobah, Downes (Harrison 78), Edwards (Lankester 72), Sears, Roberts (Jackson 65). Unused: Gerken, Donacien, Bishop, Ward.

Bristol City: Maenpaa, Kelly, Kalas, Webster, Adelakun (Diedhiou 46), Eliasson, Walsh (Morrell 54), Pack (c), Pisano (Hunt 76), Paterson, Weimann. Unused: O’Leary, Dasilva, Baker, Eisa. Referee: David Webb (Lancashire). Att: 13,726 (Bristol City: 290).

Photo: TWTD

TimmyH added 22:23 - Nov 28 Amazing how a very average Bristol team managed to score 3 goals in the 2nd half largely thanks to a poor static defence and some inept goalkeeping. It doesn't matter how well we play and how much endeavour we put into a game if we can't do the fundamentals defensively we'll always struggle...desperate loss tonight when we so needed the opposite to occur. The team look fragile even when we're in front...at least 3 new quality signings need to be made otherwise we're down.

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rfretwell added 22:24 - Nov 28 Donacian was so good at rb v Villa. Now PL only sees him as a c/d!
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Taricco_Fan added 22:27 - Nov 28 There are many problems in this side, the self-destruction of Bartosz Bialkowski being the most obvious but for me both full-backs are the root of so many goals we concede. Spence and Knudsen (I don't care if he went to a world cup) are woeful and both need dropping. Kenlock and Donacien should be given a run. Emmanuel shouldn't have been loaned out again. Chalobah is a headless chicken and should be benched. Chambers isn't good enough but is captain and we lack cover so what can we do? Sears and Skuse were class. I felt sorry for them that their best efforts were undone by calamitous defending and goalkeeping. Tonight was a must-win game. We've blown it but realistically the damage was done long before now. I don't see many winnable games before January. Sad to say we're done. The points-per-game we must achieve to stay up is beyond this very limited squad.

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HALLSJ added 22:28 - Nov 28 Anyone want two tickets for Stoke A £30 (£15 each)
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blue86 added 22:29 - Nov 28 its horrible watching town, and what the hell has happened to bart? tonight was a massive game imo. now we have two tough away games coming up, we really cant afford for that gap to get bigger. i think its done and dusted, but im still trying to keep the faith. Paul lambert will have to be a miracle worker to keep us up now! i said to a mate today if after the norwich game in early feb we havent got over 25 points we are doomed.

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Nobbysnuts added 22:30 - Nov 28 The words 'shower' and 'sh#te' spring to mind.
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blueboy1981 added 22:31 - Nov 28 ....... bit unfair to keep blaming Evans - in fairness, other than JimM, and McCarthy along with his boring game, we have had some really incompetent Managers. If Evans, as I think we all do, believes in Lambert as the way forward - investment is the only way forward and out of this mess, other than bring the youngsters in and bite the bullet with a view to the future. As Mick Mills has said tonight - recruitment other than by the above mentioned two, has been abysmal, with more than a few bob spent in so doing.

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HALLSJ added 22:31 - Nov 28 We will still have 11pts in two games time, Forest 5-5 v Villa, Stoke beating Derby what chance have we got? NONE
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Ipswichbusiness added 22:32 - Nov 28 Yes, very sadly this result has probably relegated us. It reminds me of the Paul Jewell era; we can't defend.
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RobsonWark added 22:32 - Nov 28 I've said this time and time again. We will never win anything with Chambers at the back! He was marking air for the first goal and what the hell was he doing for the third goal? He is utterly useless but again he raises his arms and blames other people around him. Unless PL drops him to the U23's now he will be out of a job by January and he will only have himself to blame for that - same as MM and PH. Maybe Chambers has a clause in his contract to guarantee him a starting place in every game???

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Bluewelshman added 22:34 - Nov 28 Terrible defeat. I have finally given up any hope of staying up this season, and I believe the players have as well. It's time to prepare for next season and drop the "so called" experienced players who have been disappointing, Spence, Knudsen, Chambers, & Skuse (although he played well in the first half tonight), and start bringing in the promising youth players to give them match experience, they can't do any worse...surely. To me the club has crumbled since Magilton's sacking, not enough investment, poor recruitment, endless amount of 30+ journey men who just did enough for McCarthy without any ambition to take Ipswich up, and Marcus Evans poor judgement with regards to hiring managers, chief execs (cos he didn't want much to do with the club), and awful ticket pricing schemes. This has been coming for a long...long...long time, and I think that tonight has to be the lowest I have ever felt as an Ipswich fan, our once great club has gone from being a vibrant family club, trying to play the game right under Magilton to a mediocre, quiet, joke of a club, whose playing style is now beyond poor. I feel sorry for Paul Lambert, he has inherited a rudderless, and broken club, I don't envy his job one little bit. Now I'm going to finish the rest of this bottle of Vodka off to stop the pain...goodnight all. coyb

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DoseOfReality added 22:36 - Nov 28 Have never seen a match where we lose 3-2 with the opponents only have 2 attempts on target. Doomed, only hope Lambert stays if we go down. ME has it all to answer to .. fund it properly or do one !! EVANS OUT
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Lightningboy added 22:36 - Nov 28 Without doubt the worst Ipswich team i've seen in my 35 years as a fan..some of those players are beyond useless & our goalkeeper obviously has problems with his head at the moment (let alone his hands). The only person to come out of that tonight with any credit (as he always does imho) was Freddie Sears. Feel sorry for Lambert,he has a thankless task trying to shape Hurst's shower of sh1te he (dis)assembled during the summer. We need an absolute miracle now.

15

algarvefan added 22:37 - Nov 28 I am 62 years old, been a Town fan all my life, I can't believe what I watched tonight, it saddens me deeply to see the club I love about to drop into the THIRD division (old money). There is obviously much wrong and attracting the right players in our position in January just won't happen, who wants to join a club at the bottom of the league? It makes sense now to start preparing for next season. Finally Marcus Evans has used and abused our club, made dreadful managerial appointments and most importantly failed to re-invest money from transfers or put money into the club. Time he sold up to a proper investor and moved on.

19

StowTractorBoy added 22:37 - Nov 28 Jas0999 I really used to enjoy your posts and respected them but your posts of late are of the same theme all the time. Tell me who is going to plough into the Club the 5/6 million pounds required every season ? Yes we got decent fees for the players we sold but how much of that will spare after the influx of new signings - not too much I fear. If you say you are not returning to Portman Road whilst Evans is charge then you are not a true supporter of the Club. I will never turn my back on my Club whatever the circumstances. It is easy to be wise after the event but most on here wanted Hurst as Manager and most were excited about the signings. Hurst as it turns out was disastrous for us but to blame the owner and the players brought in are mostly not up to Championship status. On another theme perhaps all you Bart lovers will now see the light as he is not the man we he once was. It is not just tonight he has blundered as he has been shaky all season. Gerks may not be the best but he should be playing on Saturday. Sad sad times for ITFC but those of us who will continue to support the Club unlike Jas will hopefully see better times ahead.

3

bringonbrazil added 22:37 - Nov 28 Sad. Very sad times. Full respect to the 13k who went tonight. I cannot bring myself to watch these ‘footballers'. Awful level of ‘talent'. Need 10 out and 10 new players in January. Only Sears gave 100%.
7

blueboy1981 added 22:38 - Nov 28 Five position need sorting - NOW. Goalkeeper, and back four. Sort that and move forward. Has to be the starting point, then a creative midfielder.
7

runaround added 22:39 - Nov 28 Defensive nightmare for 10 minutes cost us the match and we are just not good enough to get back into the game. I just don't see how Lambert can raise them after that. It was such a confidence destroying defeat that I believe will lead to relegation. Combination of the post mick relegation that all teams suffer when McCarthy leaves plus Hurst destroying the squad plus Evans being too hands off & not investing enough. With Lambert & young players we will have a good chance to bounce straight back up but worry Evans will slash too much. Feeling very despondent about ITFC

4

Juanforthemoney added 22:40 - Nov 28 Sears and Skuse apart there was no real passion in our play after we went a goal up. Its time to plan for next season already. Spence, Knudsen should be dispensed with as I could get past them and I am nearing retirement! We have to get some young players in with the energy and passion to rebuild the club. Even if we want players in January who would want come to a failing club? Sad to see Bart have such a poor game too.

11

Walk_the_Wark added 22:42 - Nov 28 If we keep playing like that we will not be relegated
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algarvefan added 22:42 - Nov 28 Just want to add that I thought Skuse was worth a mention tonight, thought he played really well.
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blueboy1981 added 22:45 - Nov 28 Just has to be some head scratching by both Evans and Lambert after that episode of 'how best to throw a game away' - without making it look obvious. These two have just have to talk tomorrow - maybe for hours to sort this mess out.
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planetblue_2011 added 22:47 - Nov 28 Utter shambles!!! Spence shouldn't play again. Bart has become hero to zero. Sorry Bart but can see you being dropped for next game. 2-1 up was great & playing pretty well but how can you concede within 40 seconds and then loose 3-2. The quality isn't there to win the game 4-3. Relegation written all over it!!! It's gonna be a rebuilding process in div 1 next season. Jan is too late to save us. As far as I'm concerned we are down. Wouldn't mind us getting a few more wins before the season is over. We have good youth talent coming through which is good, we just need Lambert to get the funds next season to sort this football club out. It's a shambles right now & attendances is showing that.

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ShropshireBluenago09 added 22:49 - Nov 28 Lost for words. Big changes needed v forest
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JamesBlue91 added 22:51 - Nov 28 Well done Marcus Evans. This is down to you for appointing that clueless moron Paul Hurst in the summer. We had 3 goal scorers last season in Martyn Waghorn, Joe Garner and David McGoldrick. Now thanks the pair of them we don't have any of them. Marcus Evans out!!!!!!
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