Sub Ched Evans’s goal five minutes before half-time saw Fleetwood Town to a 1-0 victory over dismal Town on their first ever visit to Portman Road. The Blues were woeful in the first half but improved a little after the break but still rarely looked like equalising on a bleak and fractious night.

Brett McGavin was handed his league debut and Andre Dozzell returned to the side for the first time in two months as Paul Lambert made six changes.

McGavin was in the deeper midfield role behind Dozzell, whose last first-team game was the Leasing.com Trophy tie at Exeter at the start of January, alongside Jon Nolan, with Cole Skuse and Emyr Huws, starters during the 2-1 defeat at Blackpool on Saturday, missing due to a gash on the shin and a toe injury respectively.

Tomas Holy continued in goal with the Blues returning to a back three with - from the right - James Wilson, skipper Luke Chambers and Josh Earl the centre-halves. Janoi Donacien and Luke Garbutt were the wing-backs. Will Keane was up front with Alan Judge set to play off him.

Teddy Bishop and Freddie Sears were among the subs, having made their first starts of the season at Bloomfield Road, as were young duo Tyreece Simpson and Armando Dobra.

Flynn Downes missed the first game of his two-match ban for reaching 10 bookings and Kayden Jackson the second of his three-game suspension.

Fleetwood, at Portman Road for the first time in their history with manager Joey Barton in the stands serving a touchline ban, named an unchanged team from last week’s 1-1 draw at Sunderland.

Neither side threatened in the early stages with Fleetwood seeing most of the ball but without threatening. On 15 Paddy Madden shot well wide from the left of the area.

Moments later former Town loanee Callum Connolly was switched for Evans, back from suspension, the on-loan Everton man having been on the sidelines having a nosebleed attended to for the previous few minutes.

Chances continued to be non-existent at both ends with Fleetwood having most of the possession but without threatening and the Blues struggling to get on the ball. In their rare spells with it there were one or two neat interchanges involving Dozzell, McGavin and Judge but without getting near to creating an opportunity.

On 28 the visitors weren’t too far from opening the scoring in slightly fortunate circumstances when Barrie McKay was found in space on the left and his cross was diverted off the outside of the near post by Chambers from six yards.

Despite their possession, Fleetwood had threatened very little but in the 40th minute they went in front. McKay played in sub Evans who took it on in to the area on the left before hitting a shot beyond Chambers’ dive, across Holy and into the net.

The Fleetwood goal prompted boos from the previously sullen Town crowd, followed by chants of ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ aimed towards manager Lambert and ‘Marcus Evans, get out of our club’.

Fleetwood taking the lead seemed to wake the Blues up, Dozzell playing in Donacien on the right of the box but the right wing-back’s low cross was blocked.

In injury time, McGavin and Dozzell cleverly combined to find Keane in the penalty spot following a corner but the striker was crowded out before he could get in a shot.

The half-time whistle was greeted by more boos after a woeful first period from the much-changed powderpuff Blues.

Town, looking utterly bereft of confidence and dynamism, had struggled to get hold of the ball throughout the half with Fleetwood dominating possession although to little effect until their goal five minutes before the break.

It was little surprise that there was a change at the break after such a lacklustre half with Sears replacing league debutant McGavin with Judge moving back to the right of a midfield four with Garbutt pushing forward on the left.

The former West Ham man quickly got into the action, hitting a shot from the right of the box which was deflected over the bar after a well-worked passage of play down the right following a cleared freekick.

Town were looking a more threatening prospect in the opening minutes of the second half - although that wasn’t difficult given the pedestrian first period - with Sears making runs into channels and drawing one or two freekicks.

At the other end on 55 Lewie Coyle hit a low 30-yard shot in the aftermath of a corner which was straight at Holy.

As the game passed the hour mark Simpson was handed his home debut in place of Keane, who had had a tough evening with Fleetwood’s man mountain centre-half Harry Souttar having won everything in the air, something noted by the Town support in the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

The Blues twice went within a whisker of levelling in the 63rd minute after Simpson had won a freekick on the left. Judge’s ball in from the left flicked off somebody and looked goalbound until it was cleared off the line by Coyle. The loose ball ran to Nolan, whose low shot was saved on the line by Fleetwood keeper Alex Cairns, his first stop of the game.

On 68 Danny Andrew shot through to Holy, then two minutes later Madden was booked for a foul on Earl.

Aside from the double chance, Town hadn’t seriously threatened and on 74 Bishop took over from Nolan.

Simpson, who signed his first pro deal with the Blues yesterday, wasn’t too far away from his first Town goal in the 83rd minute when he shot on the turn from a Sears cross from the right but his effort was too close to Cairns who palmed behind.

Town continued to look for a leveller as the game moved into its final scheduled minutes but with there being little sign that they would get back on terms.

Chants of ‘We want Evans out, we want Evans out’ rang round the Sir Bobby Robson Stand with the owner watching from the East of England Co-op Stand as the game entered five minutes of additional time.

Deep in injury time, Judge shot over after a freekick from the right had reached him at the far post as the chants aimed at owner Evans increased in volume.

The final whistle brought more boos and ended yet another depressing evening for the long-suffering Blues faithful with chants of ‘you’re not fit to wear the shirt’ erupting and the players and staff being roundly booed as they approached and applauded the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

While Fleetwood, followed by 88 delighted fans, fully deserved their victory against a Town side which was simply not good enough to beat them on the night, a 1-0 defeat to a club which has spent most of its history well down the non-league ladder puts Town’s predicament into very sharp focus.

Fans brought up on the teams of Sir Alf Ramsey, Sir Bobby Robson and George Burley can’t ever have expected to see their side to lose and perform so poorly in a League One game against such historically lowly opposition.

Town, who have now lost six of their last eight and have won only four of their last 20 in the league, now look to be outsiders for even a place in the play-offs - they are six points behind tonight’s opponents who are now sixth with two games in hand on the Blues - having been top and looking to be cruising in November and after climbing back to the summit again in January.

Leaders Coventry, impressive as they won at Portman Road in the FA Cup in January, are next in Suffolk on Saturday.

Town: Holy, Donacien, Earl, Chambers (c), Wilson, Nolan (Bishop 74), Judge, Dozzell, Garbutt, McGavin (Sears 46), Keane (Simpson 61). Unused: Norris, Edwards, Woolfenden, Dobra.

Fleetwood: Cairns, Coyle, Andrew, Connolly (Evans 16), Souttar, Burns, Whelan, Coutts (c), Madden, Gibson, McKay (Sowerby 73). Unused: Crellin, Morris, Thervaldsson, Saunders, Holgate. Referee: Neil Hair (Cambridgeshire). Att: 15,678 (Fleetwood: 88).

Photo: TWTD

Saxonblue74 added 22:22 - Mar 3 Anyone listening to Mills on R.Suffolk right now? Don't disagree with a word he says!
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WhoisJimmyJuan added 22:22 - Mar 3 Peterborough United 7 Ipswich Town 1 seem like halcyon days now.
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blueboy1981 added 22:22 - Mar 3 Evans didn't stop Lambert from being successful, most of you agreed with his appointment don't forget - I didn't, because I expected him to fail. If Evans goes right now the Club is GONE - just like BURY - because there are NO BUYERS. When are you people (??????) going to rap your head around that fact ? What Evans does need to do is stop the rot under his ownership by whatever means it takes NOW, and move LAMBERT out at the same time. Lambert out in the morning - Warnock in until Evans totally restructures our Club. That is if the ownership of our once famous Club means anything to him - only he knows the answer to that. I'm not calling for Evans to go, simply because there is no current alternative - whilst we still have a Club, we have hope. If it goes - it's gone. Wake up you lot, and realise it. If Evans goes, currently the Club goes too. FACT - like it, or not. He needs to take seriously sound advise on the appointment of the next Manager, but Warnock has to come in now to save anything that's left of this season.

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Saxonblue74 added 22:25 - Mar 3 Blueboy81, agree with you with exception of Warnock. Pointless as he's retiring at the end of this season. Forget him, all paper talk.
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coolhand added 22:25 - Mar 3 Not Evans Fault !!! Get real, he set the club up for a manager to bring success, changes it to suit the fans clamouring for change. PL comes in and has a great set up and squad and if he lasts 2 seasons that suits him and set him up for another 5 years until a club comes in and give him another contract. There is something wrong in the dressing room and not the board room and I don't believe the players are being 100% behind the club because of PL's regimes

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blueboy1981 added 22:25 - Mar 3 Saxonblue74 - sound, sensible posts. I totally agree with you.
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cromwellblue added 22:26 - Mar 3 30 years in and never been so disappointed and angry at this club. Shocking tonight, in a must win game selection was ridiculous and that is all on Lambert. I trust the management and playing staff will give this week's wages to charity. They certainly haven't earned it. Lambert if you have any decency you will resign. I am sure there is a PR company that can use your talents. Evans please sell up.

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Karlosfandangal added 22:28 - Mar 3 Essex tractor I walked out 5 years ago and have only seen them once. The reason was £38 pound ticket £40 in petrol £5 parking for 2 hours and £10 on a pie and programme, just short of £100 and the poor football. I thought to myself why am I lining these footballers pocket who really don't care. The price of 5 seasons of not watching Ipswich was put in a Saving account and that has just paid for 4 weeks in Las Vegas and San Francisco in 5 star hotels. Maybe if that was put in front of the players they might realise that what they earn in a week takes most of us 5 years to save.

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Doctor_Earman added 22:28 - Mar 3 Banter FC.
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ITFCsince73 added 22:28 - Mar 3 Ah well. That's this season settled then. Evans..... Lambo Chambo and Skuse all on lovely highly paid contracts. And all will be in place for next season. Disastrous but fact.
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ArnieM added 22:28 - Mar 3 Dozzell AWOL again. He can't moan that he's not played . He never shows. Nolan AWOL Judge AWOL Keane As much use as a Chocolate tea pot WTF was that bloody line up by Lambert tonight ???? Just who did Lambert think was going to score for us tonight??? Sears on the bench - WHY? In a must win match ??? I f lucking give up !
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mathiemagic added 22:30 - Mar 3 Team selection of a complete clown. I never expected or assumed promotion but the collapse has been something dreadful to watch week in week out. I will be there again next season but something drastic needs to happen and fast or we may well be looking at L2 not the Championship sadly.
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Saxonblue74 added 22:34 - Mar 3 Nothing from Lambert on R Suffolk. Let's hope his next presser is his resignation speech! Mills mentioned Hughton's name (and yes, I do know where he's been!), not a bad shout in my opinion.
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RobsonWark added 22:35 - Mar 3 BeattiesBackPocket "@Suffolkboy down marking anyone who speak against Evans give us a reason you think he's doing a great job?" Evans doesn't pick the team. He picks the managers and the managers coach and pick the team. He's picking experienced managers that have had good track records with promotions (and relegations to be fair). In Paul Lambert's case this season it has all gone wrong from day one (teamwise) 1. Constantly making 5 or 6 changes or more at the start of the season saying that he wants to keep everyone in the squad match fit. Why? How can the players learn to play as a TEAM? You should always play your BEST team for every match and only make a change when someone gets injured. 2. Saying that the players need resting so they don't get injured. Hello? Where are our best players now? Jackson, Norwood, KVY, etc... 3. Call off matches when there were international games because some of our players got called up but when they came back from International duty Lambert never picked them for our team. 4. We ended up with lots of games in hand on the other teams which meant we had to play more games in a period than our opponents therefore tiring the players. 5. We also had to make up points with those games in hand which would have been better to have banked them at the time. It would also have helped the players confidence if we had those points in the bag and were well ahead of the other teams. 6. Lambert has said in the past he would rather not be top of the league as it means the other teams put in more effort to beat us so he would rather be chasing the top teams - WTF??? Is that what he thought in his illustrious Bayern days that he keeps reminding us of? "We lose this week lads and then we can make a charge towards the end of the season without the other teams noticing us as we cruise by them". 7. And the one thing that I can not understand for the life of me is...Why is our WORST player (he who should not be named - No.4) picked week in week out? How can evry other player be rotated EXCEPT him!!!

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blueboy1981 added 22:35 - Mar 3 Saconblue74 ....... except for your Warnock opinion, it's not all paper talk - and he's the guy who would salvage a bit of credibility for the remainder of tha season, whilst looking and planning further ahead. Serious action required - RIGHT NOW - not in another games time. Lanbert has proved once and for all tonight that he hadn't a clue - but many of us knew / suspected that anyway.

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BecclesBlue500 added 22:35 - Mar 3 Wrote this on March 17th 2019: ‘This is now beyond funny; mass hysteria?? Why are so many fans so optimistic to the point of being pleased, and even more trotting out the ‘in Lambo we trust' line?? What has be done to convince you all? Has had one transfer window and the team are picked by him, playing his way at his instruction, and we're statistically/mathematically worse than we were under Hurst. Shame that Lambert can't cast as much of a magical spell on performances/results as he can on deluding fans. Under what other circumstances would a set of fans be chuffed-to-bits that the manager brought in to save the day performs even more badly than the person he replaces, the club haven't moved an inch above 24th in the league, and get relegated - but fans are high-fiving it and giving it the ‘in Lambo we trust'??? Priceless, speechless, clueless, and winless (take your pick). In Limbo we're thrust.” Just saying.

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Batman1957 added 22:36 - Mar 3 I am so angry I could not believe the team selection for a "must win" game Lambert really has lost the plot and tonight I could see he has lost the players as well Felt sorry for McGavin - and why no game time for Dobra? All very poor Dozzell apart Where do we go from here? Well we are going nowhere with Lambert but will Evans do anything? Love to see the terms of the 5 year contract For someone who is a successful business man he has made so many poor football decisions And as for Evans he probably does want to exit and has probably tried but we don't have the assets? So depressing We supporters deserve better

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itfchorry added 22:36 - Mar 3 Gcon OUT
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runningout added 22:37 - Mar 3 Some dream when a new manager turns up. I didn't wish for MM to go, but understood it. I wasn't dreaming at all when Hurst got job. Lambert's record at Villa and Stoke bothered me, but thought maybe just maybe. Sorry PL where do you and us go now
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aas1010 added 22:39 - Mar 3 Both go now 🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓
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BeattiesBackPocket added 22:40 - Mar 3 @Robsonwalk I'd suggest reading my first post which then lead to my reply for context. I have blamed lambert but as mick, lambert and warnock have shown no club is clamouring for the their services and all are experienced yes but their football is also very dated. We will not get a decent up and coming manager in who has built a reputation due to the things I mentioned on my original post. Again if you go to games since Evans tenure he is solidly responsible for hiring, firing 5 possibly 6 managers soon so then what!?? He let assets be sold for under market value when smaller clubs with less fan base hold out for market value, he let players leave like leadbitter, Norris etc leave for nothing with their contracts running out, he hired Clegg, Keane, Milne, fired magilton when we WERE competing in the top ten of the championship playing some nice football and only 30 million in debt now we're are over 90 with 50 million recouped so 110 million spent in 13 years on what?? Not the ground which is ageing, not the team which is poor, whilst other smaller clubs are moving to new grounds under their owners competing in the championship we are now at our lowest point in our history but no none of this is Evans fault it's all lamberts according to you!??? Righto dear god!

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BlueMachines added 22:42 - Mar 3 Feel bad for Tyreece Simpson and Brett McGavin for their respective achievements tonight. Going totally under the radar. Good luck to them both with the club. They could be our future.
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bernie added 22:42 - Mar 3 If we don't get this sorted , i really do worry where we could end up, surly the players have lost faith with Lambert now !! Really can't believe what's happening to our club . Lambert has lost the plot
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Michael101 added 22:44 - Mar 3 Tomorrows East anglian, Lambert sacked chambers & excuse to take the job.oh dear how sad never mind😢😢😢😬😡
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KillarneyBlue added 22:45 - Mar 3 Agree totally with Gcon!! Same people now shouting for Lambert out were also shouting for MM out. We certainly would not be in this position if MM was still in charge!!!
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