Town continue to look for a win against one of League One’s top sides as Mark McGuinness’s 69th minute own goal saw Peterborough United to a 1-0 win at Portman Road. Jonson Clarke-Harris missed a penalty for Posh in a dull first half and the game improved little in a second in which McGuinness scuffed past his own keeper to win three points for the visitors who otherwise didn’t manage a shot on target, while the Blues registered merely two.

Town boss Paul Lambert, who again watched the game sitting in the dugout, made one enforced change with Aaron Drinan replacing James Norwood up front.

Norwood dropped out of the 18 having felt some fatigue in his previously injured hamstring during last Saturday’s 1-0 win at Burton.

Kayden Jackson was also not in the squad having missed training earlier in the week due to thigh and hip injuries.

Winger Luke Thomas, who signed from Barnsley in the week, was among the subs, as was Jon Nolan, who had previously been out with a calf problem. Town’s other new loan signing, Josh Harrop, is self-isolating having tested positive for Covid-19.

Posh made one change from the team which beat Charlton 2-1 in midweek with midfielder Reece Brown coming in for Ethan Hamilton, who was among the subs.

After the two teams had taken a knee in support of Black Lives Matter, the game got under way with Peterborough controlling the early stages but without either keeper being tested.

Town gradually began to show more and on 16 Teddy Bishop won a free-kick five yards outside the penalty area to the right. The ball was played short to the midfielder on the edge of the area, where he worked himself space to hit a shot which deflected wide.

Five minutes later, former Posh wideman Gwion Edwards won a free-kick on the left, although the decision looked harsh on the visitors, and Alan Judge scraped a strike past Christy Pym’s right post with the keeper never looking in any trouble.

Clarke-Harris struck a powerful 25-yard free-kick only just over Tomas Holy’s cross-bar in the 25th minute but with the Town keeper similarly unflustered.

Just before the half hour, Sammie Szmodics, under pressure from Dozzell, was able to turn the ball into the path of Siriki Dembele breaking down the left. The former Grimsby striker took it on into the area and hit a shot which looked to be going wide before Holy’s right hand made sure.

In the 33rd minute the visitors were handed a golden opportunity to go in front when Toto Nsiala lunged in to make a challenge on Dembele in the area. Referee Antony Coggins didn’t appear to be that interested until his assistant on the right-hand side after a long wait waved his flag and the Oxfordshire-based official pointed to the spot.

However, fortunately for the Blues, Clarke-Harris smashed his penalty very powerfully straight down the middle but too high.

The visitors didn’t seem unduly affected by their penalty miss and in the 43rd minute again weren’t far away from the opening goal.

Dan Butler’s whipped over a free-kick from the right which somehow avoided everyone in the area and flashed past the far post.

Just before the whistle, Jack Taylor was booked for a foul on Bishop inside the centre circle as the Blues broke.

A not particularly memorable half with neither side having recorded a shot on target with the visitors’ penalty the only really significant opportunity, although Dembele might feel he could have done better with his earlier chance.

Prior to the penalty, the Blues had started play more in the Peterborough half but without being able to create a chance and having had a tendency to give the ball away. Posh seemed buoyed by their penalty, even if they had missed it, and had looked more threatening in the spell which followed.

Edwards whipped over a cross from the right a couple of minutes after the restart but Drinan, still looking for his first competitive goal for the Blues, was unable to get his head on it.

On 54 Chambers nodded a bouncing ball towards Drinan not far outside the six-yard box but a Posh boot took it away from the Irishman. Five minutes later, Stephen Ward was booked for a foul on Idris Kanu.

There was a scare for the Blues in the 62nd minute when a scuffed Butler free-kick from the right made its way through a crowd of players and bounced off Holy, but fortunately didn’t fall kindly for a Posh player.

Peterborough were looking the more threatening of two not at all dangerous-looking sides and on 68 they went in front, perhaps inevitably given the overall lack of threat shown by the two teams, via an own goal.

Butler sent over a cross from the left and under no pressure McGuinness, the scorer of Town’s winner at Burton last week, sliced his clearance across Holy and into the corner of the net to give the visitors the lead.

Edwards was booked for a foul on Kanu on 71, then two minutes later skipper Luke Chambers smashed a shot high and wide after Bishop had found him on the right of the area.

Prior to the goal-kick, Town made a triple substitution with Nolan, Thomas and Freddie Sears replacing Bishop, Judge and Drinan.

Less than a minute after coming on, Nolan struck the Blues’ first shot on target from 25 yards but Pym was able to bat the ball into the air.

Thomas made his first contribution in a Town shirt on 78, cutting in from the right and playing a low ball to Edwards on the other side of the box. The Welshman turned inside his man before hitting a shot not too far over.

The Blues, as snow began to fall, briefly started to look a threat as the game moved into its final 10 minutes, Sears and then Thomas both having efforts blocked.

Posh swapped Hamilton for Brown two minutes later and the sub went close almost immediately, shooting over from Butler’s cross having initially played the ball wide to the former Newport man.

Niall Mason took over from Dembele for Posh in the penultimate minute with the Blues by now no more than huffing and puffing and an equaliser not looking particularly likely.

The Blues did have the ball in the net during five minutes of injury time but the ball had already gone out of play before Chambers had knocked back in to Nsiala, who had acrobatically hooked home.

Downes headed into Pym’s arms to register a second attempt on target before referee Coggins brought the afternoon to an end.

The winning goal summed up a game of little quality with neither team ever showing much incisiveness or invention in and around the penalty area. Despite their lack of attempts on goal, Peterborough probably deserved the three points marginally more than the Blues.

Town never create many chances but few opposition keepers will have had as quiet an afternoon as Peterborough’s Pym, who was only forced into action by sub Nolan’s shot.

On this evidence, both teams are some way off the likes of Hull City, Portsmouth and Doncaster.

The Blues have now lost five of their last six at home and taken 10 points from their last nine games.

The result, one which heaps yet more pressure on under-fire Blues boss Lambert, moves Posh up to third while Town are down to ninth ahead of another tough home game against Sunderland on Tuesday and a difficult away trip to Crewe next Saturday.

Town: Holy, Chambers (c), Nsiala, McGuinness, Ward, Dozzell, Downes, Bishop (Nolan 74), Judge (Thomas 74), Drinan (Sears 74), Edwards. Unused: Cornell, Woolfenden, Kenlock, Huws.

Peterborough: Pym, Butler, Thompson, Beevers (c), Kent, Taylor, Clarke-Harris, Dembele (Mason 89), Brown, Szmodics (Jones 84), Kanu. Unused: Gyollai, Eisa, Broom, Burrows. Referee: Antony Coggins (Oxfordshire).

Photo: Matchday Images

MJS83 added 17:40 - Jan 23 Lambert, only you could think that what we just witnessed was acceptable. Drinan is barely a footballer and McGuinness, where do I start. Just because he scored the winner against the mighty Burton doesn't mean that he's over saviour. It took 70 odd mins to see w change and then we looked like we could do something. It feels like the manager is doing everything is in power to force the owner to sack him??? Maybe???

4

BeattiesBackPocket added 17:40 - Jan 23 ‘Proud happy couldn't ask for any more' I wonder if Bert suffolkboy and dolphin agree probably will 🙄 Lambert is delusional as always but it's ok the messiah evans has given him a 5 year contract! Even chambers said it wasn't good enough!
4

Lathers added 17:41 - Jan 23 We've now lost 5 out of last 6 home games... in League One!!!!! That says it all. We don't create any chances, we can barely string 3 passes together, most players have very poor first touches, we win hardly any 2nd ball in the final 1/3 because we don't commit enough forward, no movement off the ball, slow, ponderous and untidy possession, subs made 15 minutes too late. Drinan out of his depth, Judge is a headless chicken, Dozzell adds nothing so deep, Chambers nearing the end. EVANS CHANGE THE MANAGER NOW AND LET COOK OR PULLIS OR SOMEONE ELSE TRY TO GET A FRIGGING TUNE OUT OF THIS TEAM FFS

11

Bert added 17:42 - Jan 23 That's a rather silly post BBP. I choose to comment on the game rather than have pre prepared posts like those who simply rant. By the way, I want a change of Manager too but megaphones generally don't get what they want. We all see games differently so try respecting that. Bye. .
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RobsonWark added 17:42 - Jan 23 Lambert like all he other managers before him has to GO because they are too scared to drop CHAMBERS. You are the MANAGER. You pick the team. FFS drop the useless CHAMBERS. It's like we start and end the game with 10 men against 12 every match when he is playing.
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SickParrot added 17:42 - Jan 23 It's so predictable. Lost to a top 8 side yet again and their keeper was virtually a spectator again. No reason to believe that things will improve under Lambert and I think we're stuck with him for at least 4 more years. Could be in league 2 by then.
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planetblue_2011 added 17:42 - Jan 23 4-3-3, 4-5-1 formation is still not working Lambert can't you see it's not working?? Feel so sorry for Drinan no support whatsoever running around like a headless chicken. With no other strikers available how on earth will we get out of this league with this formation🤷‍♂️ Nsiala & Mcguiness played really well last week to this week a couple of donkeys at the back!! First shot on target came from Nolan in the 75th min what a shambles of a football club we have become with a pathetic manager & owner & to be honest the players are not much better they should be ashamed of their selves. I won't be watching another town game till the club sorts it's self out. Lambert has got to go he is clueless & hopefully our 💩 owner will either go with him or do what it takes to get a decent manger in. We are a sinking ship🛳🙈

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Roo added 17:43 - Jan 23 13 points off relegation and one of the worst recent form records in the league with one fit striker and a manager that fails to change course ....time for action Evans !
5

Tractorboy1985 added 17:43 - Jan 23 Someone take @SUFFOLKBOY to the FERMOY QUICKLY........
1

martin587 added 17:43 - Jan 23 Over 60 years supporting this club and the decline in management is overwhelming and an embarrassment to the supporters who have had to endure a sham of managers and the current one is totally ruining this club.He has to go NOW.
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Saxonblue74 added 17:46 - Jan 23 Did ok to nullify a potent Posh side....that's it, no more positives! Just waiting for Lambert to roll out the Norwood/Jackson/Hawkins/Harrop all out limiting our options excuse for zero goal threat. Did ok today but not enough. Time up Lambert, all too frustrating now.
0

Buryblue78 added 17:46 - Jan 23 The last half descent side we beat was Leeds 3-2 on 5/5/2019 I'd be happy to hear from anyone who disagrees?
6

pablo123 added 17:49 - Jan 23 LAMBERT OUT NOOOOWWWWWWWW
3

Orraman added 17:49 - Jan 23 Why bring players in on loan and not play them. Obviously Harrop couldn't play but why not start with Luke Thomas - he has been getting appearances for Barnsley so is match fit. Donacien signs for Fleetwood yesterday and plays today. That's the way to do it. Dear oh dear I long to see 2 upfront and give ourselves a fighting chance. Over the past seven years we must be close to being the lowest scoring team in the country following McCarthy, Hurst and now Lambert all having the same one up front philosophy. Apart from one season with Murphy and Sears up front defending is all important. As Stuart Taylor said last week he would rather win 1 - 0 than 5 - 0!!! Says it all

9

Woodbridgian added 17:51 - Jan 23 Reading some of the reviews on here you would think that we'd just been beaten 0-1 by Barcelona, Man City/ Utd, Real Madrid or any other top club. For heaven's shake we have just lost to PETERBOROUGH UNITED A team who have never achieved anything, with an owner worse than Evans (yes it is possible) full of lower league plodders. When will the idiot Evans realise Lambert is a serial failure, clueless, inept and in toatkal denial.

4

Suffolkboy added 17:51 - Jan 23 Something is very much amiss at the heart of the playing side of ITFC .Confidence , basic and elementary ,intuitive reactions and action is being squashed out of our players ! Leadership instils belief , encourages , cajoles , supports and stands out front by example in every respect – it should ! Each week sadly leads now to yet more serious questioning , more demanding questions , both on results and on strategy , style ,formations and tactics . No excuses are any longer tolerable , shouldn't be tolerated , any sympathetic tendencies long dismissed AND some hard objective professional decisive decisions and action immediately instigated ! A plank and a walk rear into vision !We need a new leader on board, a new compass and the good luck of a fair wind ! COYB

2

Tractorboy1985 added 17:53 - Jan 23 OH and while the taxi is at @SUFFOLKBOYS... go pick ya mate up BERT who clearly needs help and his head shaken too!!
0

bigolconnor added 17:53 - Jan 23 We weren't that bad. All decent strikers we have are injured. Nsiala is better than Wolf If you can excuse a penalty every game. We will win more than we lose for the rest of the season and be in the playoffs.
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Tommyc added 17:54 - Jan 23 Anyone who thinks we were unlucky to lose inhabits a different reality to me. Absolutely no discernible shape or tactics. Chucked the highly average Drinan under a bus by lumping balls forward with no other Town player within 20 yards of him. Subs made a positive impact, but would have been hard not to. We will finish mid-table at best
6

BeattiesBackPocket added 17:55 - Jan 23 Bert I agree the game is important but we are poor in a poor league having apathy towards the manager or ownership IS why we're where we are! You have to look at the top exactly like mills has said we were so far ahead of these clubs Now we're the equal or lesser that having been a season ticket holder past 37 years isn't good enough to me. The football is poor one shot on target at home against Peterborough in league one is poor at best even the captain is saying it. I have Ipswich in all my pre season accas to be top two every year I come with a new found optimism even with this sham of an owner but within a few games it's gone I'm sick of feeling like it and you are clutching at straws mate to think it's good enough today it's not. We are literally the ONLY fans who put up with the serious decline since evans took over even fans in the premier league at arsenal, Newcastle and West Ham have been kicking off past two seasons about their owners but we finish in 11th in league one with a full squad so even the injury excuse can't keep being bought up. We all want to see more you and me but let's not think a home draw being deserved is a good result it's not and those who think it is is showing how far we really have fallen

3

aas1010 added 17:56 - Jan 23 Out by Monday
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pistolpete added 17:58 - Jan 23 & then you watch teams like Cheltenham, Chorley & Marine in the FA Cup who play more exciting & attacking football than we do!
9

BeattiesBackPocket added 18:00 - Jan 23 Bigolconnor we finished 11th last season without many injuries so can't keep using that as an excuse we have relegation form at this moment in time FACT so you may want to check that and if we can't beat a top 8 side what good is getting in the playoffs??? I'm curious!!??
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RobsonWark added 18:01 - Jan 23 bigolconnor added 17:53 - Jan 23 "We weren't that bad. All decent strikers we have are injured. Nsiala is better than Wolf If you can excuse a penalty every game. We will win more than we lose for the rest of the season and be in the playoffs." I 100% agree with you bigolconnor. I would rather Nsials in the team than Wolfenden. Anyone like Wolfenden who comes of the pitch smiling and laughing after losing to Swindon should be relegated to the U23s.

1

blue86 added 18:03 - Jan 23 Bigolconnor, Nsiala shouldnt be a town player full stop. And even if we finish in the playoffs, we cant be a top ten side so how will we compete. How anyone can defend this club and how its run and managed is beyond me. I'm RAGING now because I do care, and hate seeing town like this.
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