Town dropped to fourth in League One after a disastrous 4-1 home defeat to Peterborough United. Ivan Toney netted a penalty on 23, Sammie Szmodics made it 2-0 10 minutes later after dispossessing keeper Will Norris, then in the second half Siriki Dembele and Szmodics again scored on 50 and 74 to secure Posh their first ever league win at Portman Road and their first in all competitions since January 1960. Sub James Norwood netted a 79th minute consolation from the spot for the Blues.

Cole Skuse returned to the midfield for Emyr Huws in an otherwise unchanged Town side, the Welshman having suffered an ankle injury at Rotherham in the week.

Norris continued in goal behind a back three of skipper Luke Chambers, James Wilson and Luke Woolfenden. Luke Garbutt and Gwion Edwards were the wing-backs.

In midfield, Skuse joined Flynn Downes with Alan Judge ahead of them behind front pair Will Keane and Kayden Jackson.

Teddy Bishop was missing from the bench having suffered a knee problem in training, while Peterborough were unchanged for the fourth successive match.

The visitors struck the game’s first shot in the fourth minute but Posh skipper Mark Beevers’s well-struck volley from a half-cleared corner from the left was, rather fortunately for the Blues, hit straight at Norris in the Town goal.

But Town soon began to get on top. However, their first effort at goal didn’t come until the 13th minute when ex-Posh wideman Edwards cut in and hit a left-foot strike over.

The Blues were forced into a change in the 16th minute when Garbutt, who had undergone treatment a few moments earlier, was forced off and was replaced by Myles Kenlock.

Peterborough started to look the greater threat, winning a number of corners, and on 19 Siriki Dembele hit a shot from the edge of the box which was easily snaffled by Norris.

In the 22nd minute Peterborough took the lead from the penalty spot. Dembele was played in on goal on the right of the area by Toney and Wilson slid in, catching the striker. Dembele managed an effort at goal as he fell which was stopped by Norris and then cleared by Chambers.

The Peterborough players protested but referee Andy Woolmer wasn’t interested until he spoke to his assistant and pointed to the spot. Under the old rules Wilson would have been red-carded for a professional foul but given that he made a genuine attempt to play the ball the defender rightly stayed on.

League One top scorer Toney took the kick and rolled his 21st in all competitions to Norris’s left and into the corner of the net.

On 32 Edwards crossed from the right and Kenlock headed well wide as Town looked for an equaliser but two minutes later they conceded a disastrous second.

Skuse played the ball back to Norris under no pressure and the keeper tried to take it past Szmodics just to the right of his goal but was dispossessed and the former Colchester man was able to tap the easiest goal he will ever score into an empty net.

Town looked to hit back in the 37th minute when Edwards made a mazy run down the right. The Welshman’s cross fell to Judge on the edge of the six-yard box but the Irishman was only able to stab into Posh keeper Christy Pym’s arms.

Norris had another shaky moment on 39, failing to hold on to a cross when under pressure on the edge of the box but fortunately the ball fell safely. At the other end, Jackson was hauled to the ground by his neck by Beevers but with referee Woolmer not spotting a foul.

Neither side were able to seriously threaten in four minutes of additional time and the half-time whistle was greeted by muted boos from the frustrated Town support.

Having conceded the opener via the penalty - which looked a correct decision - the Blues had started to show signs of pushing for an equaliser when Norris was undone by overconfidence inside his own six-yard box, not the on-loan Wolves keeper’s first error in recent games.

As half-time approached Town had begun to control the game against a Peterborough side content to sit in their half but without creating a significant opportunity.

Norwood replaced Judge ahead of the second half with the Blues desperately needing more of a goal threat if they were to get back into the game.

Norris was forced into an early save when Toney’s shot was deflected towards his left post, but the keeper got down to his left to save leading to a smattering of sarcastic cheers.

A minute later, the keeper did superbly to tip a Toney header wide but with referee Woolmer having awarded a foul against the Posh frontman.

In the 51st minute Posh made it 3-0. Keane’s knockback inside just inside the Town half fell to Jack Taylor and his well-weighted ball forward found Dembele, who cut inside Wilson before shooting beyond Norris.

There was controversy two minutes later when Jackson again looked to be hauled down, this time when away on goal. However, referee Woolmer gave a freekick to the visitors.

Wilson claimed he was pulled over as a corner came in from the right on the hour mark with referee Woolmer again not interested, then Peterborough swapped Reece Brown for Josh Knight.

On 65 Dan Butler was yellow-carded for a foul on Downes, then two minutes later sub Knight joined him for a scuffle with Woolfenden.

Shell-shocked Town had failed to get going in the second half after the blow of the third Peterborough goal. But as the 70-minute mark approached they began to seriously press for the first time, Jackson sending a ball across the box from the right but too far in front of Keane at the far post. Moments later, the former Hull City man was replaced by Freddie Sears.

On 73 Jackson flicked a header wide from a Woolfenden cross from the left, then Posh switched Joe Ward for Niall Mason.

Moments later, Town’s disastrous afternoon got even worse. Toney flicked on a long Pym kick, Dembele played it over the backline and Szmodics confidently beat Norris to make it 4-0.

Streams of Blues supporters immediately decided they had seen enough and departed Portman Road.

Edwards was booked for a foul in the 77th minute, his 10th yellow card of the season meaning the Welshman will miss the next two matches.

Town pulled one back two minutes later from the game’s second penalty. Norwood ran round the outside of Beevers on the right and the defender slid in taking both ball and player. Referee Woolmer again looked to his assistant before pointing to the spot. Norwood himself took the kick and beat Pym to his left to claim his 11th of the campaign.

Posh replaced Nathan Thompson with Rhys Bennett in the 83rd minute before Toney stung Norris’s hands with a 20-yard strike.

The latter stages of the game - including five additional minutes - were played out with the result settled.

Close to the end Skuse was booked for a frustrated foul before the whistle confirmed the end of an awful afternoon for Town.

The Blues were very much the architects of their own downfall in the first half, allowing the visitors two soft goals. The third and fourth in the second half were little better and aside from Norwood’s penalty Town never looked like a goal.

Town’s decent run from the start of the year which took them to the top of the table has been brought to an abrupt halt with the defeats at Rotherham and now at home to Posh, a slide which has to be arrested far more quickly than the downturn prior to Christmas.

The Blues are next in action at Sunderland, who were beaten 2-0 at Portsmouth today, next Saturday.

Town: Norris, Chambers (c), Woolfenden, Wilson, Edwards, Downes, Skuse, Judge (Norwood 46), Garbutt (Kenlock 16), Keane (Sears 70), Jackson. Unused: Holy, Donacien, Nolan, Dozzell, Sears.

Peterborough: Pym, Thompson (Bennett 83), Beevers (c), Kent, Ward (Mason 74), Taylor, Brown (Knight 61), Butler, Szmodics, Toney, Siriki, Dembele. Unused: Chapman, Eisa, Boyd, Mason, Jade-Jones. Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire). Att: 21,351 (Peterborough: 1,908).

Photo: TWTD

chalky added 08:15 - Feb 2 When fans leave in droves before the end, you know you're in deep doo-doo as a club , and not just on the pitch. Mu mind goes back to a 0-5 home defeat to Liverpool, but then we were playing a class team, not an average third tier side. I cannot forgive Evans for the club's total failure to bolster the team in the transfer window and I fear that our better young players will, as always, move on.

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r2d2 added 09:45 - Feb 2 I said we would get tonked earlier in the week. Our defense was never going to handle their strike force. People need to get real and realise the team just arnt up to it, they arnt as good as some like to think. Lambert isnt the answer either and as for Evans, well..........
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blueboy1981 added 09:53 - Feb 2 Don't keep harping on about money to spend - first and foremost we need a Manager who can get the best from what he has got, and knows his rear end from his elbow. Until the above happens money would be wasted - just check the past record of the current Manager since his success at Norwich. It proves my point. It is what it is, and the Manager is laughing all the way to his Bank now. Does it all bode well ? - NO - it doesn't, and it all needs sorting otherwise the demise of this once great and proud Club will duly continue. However, on a lighter note, many Football Clubs are existing week to week financially - therefore I guess things could be worse - but lesser Clubs i.e Rotherham are leaving us behind and showing the way forward with less than half our gate receipts. Therefore it can be done successfully

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Dolphinblue added 10:03 - Feb 2 'When u try yr best but dont succeed' 'When u get want u want but not what you need' 'Teams will beat us..teams will defeat us' 'But we the fans will fix u' 😧🐬
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dirtydingusmagee added 10:17 - Feb 2 ThailandBlue, we were in the Championship and we were getting slaughtered , and we are in Lge1 , and still not cutting the mustard ,same team, same faults,same manager ,same owner , same excuses same reasons. Nothing has changed .
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dirtydingusmagee added 10:22 - Feb 2 Come back for a laugh everyone Dolphinyellow is awake..
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blueboy1981 added 10:25 - Feb 2 ...... like I've previously stated this Club has become too easy to Manage and Play for over the years, too many sick notes - how often are we ever likely to see Bishop or Huws on the pitch ?? - as an example. Some players will have the talent and technical ability, but are lacking in the required physical and mental strength to want to be out there every week, and in all weathers. It is a fact - these players will rarely have an off day and be subject to criticism - because they rarely play. Step forward a few Matty Hollands, to name but one of our past players with a true ITFC heart that have wanted to be out there with the badge every week. Terry Butcher has to be named too who's sweated blood for our Club, Mogga too springs to mind amongst others. How many of these type of players do we have in the team now ? - I can only think of one, and he takes the brunt of much criticism, because he's always out there, normally under the cosh !! This is a results business but cost control is more important than possibly ever before, therefore the Manager and Players are the people responsible for the result, that is what they are paid extremely well for. It doesn't all rest with the Owner, although the buck eventually has to stop there, when others are failing in what they are paid to do.

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Elizabeth added 10:27 - Feb 2 I would like to ask the question why Georgio is now at Bolton .. he hardly got a look in here ! We should have brought in at least two players on loan in the January window , injuries to our best players will cost us further points .. wouldn't you think that in our current league position we would make sure of promotion by having some strength in depth .. oh no, not with this regime ! We desperately need someone to save us from our inevitable demise .. ☹️

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planetblue_2011 added 10:35 - Feb 2 To be honest after watching yesterday's dismal performance I don't think we are ready to go up, if we get slapped by P'boro at home what are we gonna do against championship clubs next season with no money!! Think ITFC have found their league. We gave them first 2 goals, officials were terrible again fans turning on the goalie during the game when his confidence was a mess by then. Some things all round the club & fans have to change it's all unacceptable. Clearly a terrible day at the office. Only way we are gonna do well as a club again is to have more money for better players.

1

midastouch added 11:00 - Feb 2 Look at the guy standing behind the goal (see the main match report photo above), hate to say it but he looks rather like Bryan Gunn, see a side-by-side comparison here: Perhaps he jinxed us! :-)
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Gilesy added 11:56 - Feb 2 We can blame Evans for not spending in the transfer window, but who would we have got? Who would they have replaced? Ultimately, it's down to the players and they're simply not playing well enough. It's their fault! To lose 4-1 at home to anyone is rarely excusable but to lose 4-1 at home to a team we are similarly matched with (according to the league table) is simply down to underperforming. They need to do better and shouldn't need to be cajoled into it.

0

ChrisR added 12:39 - Feb 2 Lambert's stats record with his recent clubs was 30% wins 44% defeats , record at ITFC worse that Paul Hurst who he replaced , and home record this season worse still with 2 wins in last 10 , yet unbelievably gets 5 year contract ! Is it just me ? I can hardly understand a word he says, talks in clichés, too many old war stories , who care about Borussia D 23 years ago. He seems so downbeat , no humour , I just can't believe he inspires or can lead the troops. Wish I could get a job that secure , with such a low pedigree and skill level !

4

Kickingblock added 12:43 - Feb 2 Come on you 1st 11. You have a few days to pull together, man up and get a whole lot nastier! Get your fingers out and your ar5es in gear and be ready for 95+ minutes of balls out man football. Brush aside the bullies, the gamesmanship and poor officials. You are the better men! Be the better men. You owe it to yourselves.
2

warktheline added 12:44 - Feb 2 Absolutely incredible that blame continues to evade Evans on this site! Evans ‘I'll do all I can to get this club back into the Championship!'.....💁‍♂️ and still you swallow his bull! 👎
1

dirtydingusmagee added 13:08 - Feb 2 Elizebeth, no you wouldnt ,because Evans hasnt learned anything he failed to invest when we were close to promotion before, It will be history repeating itself barring a miracle .
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Gilesy added 13:13 - Feb 2 Who's swallowing Evans' "bull"? How are you not accepting it yet other people are?
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blueboy1981 added 13:24 - Feb 2 Surely people can see through Lambert now, and recognise his extremely limited qualities. We're going nowhere with him - and won't, is the reality of it, he's been here long enough now to have orchestrated better results than what we have seen as recent as this past week ! Remember - on Lamberts own admission, Evans has provided him with all he has asked for - including his extended contract. Time now to produce Mr Lambert - excuses eventually wear thin.

6

runningout added 14:50 - Feb 2 Writing has been on the wall for a while with inadequate performances. Turning wins into lame shows! Questions of gaining confidence from potential wins that don't arrive. We have great players that aren't showing up for 95 minutes. Paul Lambert and coaching staff are maybe falling short on the motivation and mental strength front. It is a easy fix
0

Michael101 added 15:08 - Feb 2 Chris R. Reading your post I now know what's happened.all the managers evans has appointed nobody can understand a word they are saying😁😆😬.none of them speak propa like wot we does.😊😴😤
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warktheline added 15:20 - Feb 2 @gilesy, you are truly mind boggling !
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londontractorboy57 added 16:31 - Feb 2 Bluebore thought you said enough said. I knew you wouldn't be able resist another Hand full of comments. Do you realy know what you wish for..
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blueboy1981 added 16:40 - Feb 2 Londontractorboy57 .... oneliner - yes I do, along with many others who walked out after having had enough yesterday - it's called SUCCESS for our Club. Research the word - and you may want some of what it means too.... !! I'm not banking on that tho', anymore than on promotion under Lambert. Hope you don't find this too difficult to understand.
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HackneyBlue added 17:24 - Feb 2 OK so who HONESTLY thought we were going to get much out of yesterdays game,i for one did not,they wer always going to score goals,who HONESTLY thought we would ben in the top six at this stage? yes i did but not the top two thats for sure,we lack pace in midfield we lack creativity almost all over the pitch but we have to play to our strengths with what we have,we have no target man so it has to be played through middle on floor but NOT with skuce and Judge they are not the answer,Keane will not win headers we have to get around the back. Play to our strengths not the oppositions like yesterday and Tuesday.

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Dolphinblue added 17:42 - Feb 2 Lambert will sort this out and the promotion charge will gather pace.....Coyb! Promotion a certainty 🐬
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therein61 added 17:43 - Feb 2 Strong shandy north of the east Anglian border "dirtydingusmagee" has to be slept off before attacking the keyboard with inane drivel!!!!.
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