Charlie Wyke’s goal in first-half injury time saw Sunderland to a 1-0 victory over 10-man Town, the Blues having been reduced in number early on after Kayden Jackson was red-carded. Jackson caught Bailey Wright with a studs-high challenge in the 10th minute before Wyke’s goal from Max Power’s cross from the right won the three points for the visitors, while full debutant Luke Thomas spurned Town’s best chance in the second half.

Town boss Paul Lambert made four changes to the team which lost 1-0 to Peterborough on Saturday with Thomas making his full debut and Jon Nolan, Luke Woolfenden and Jackson all returning to the XI.

From those who started Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Peterborough, Toto Nsiala missed out due to a hamstring injury, while Alan Judge, Aaron Drinan and Teddy Bishop dropped to the bench.

Woolfenden partnered Mark McGuinness at the heart of the defence with Nolan taking over from Bishop ahead of Andre Dozzell and alongside Flynn Downes in the three-man midfield, with Thomas, who impressed as a sub against Posh, on the right of the front three and Jackson down the middle.

Among the subs for the first time in a league game was 18-year-old centre-half Elkan Baggott.

Sunderland included former Blues skipper Grant Leadbitter in their starting XI and made one change from the team which beat Shrewsbury 1-0 at the Stadium of Light on Saturday with Carl Winchester coming into the team for Jack Diamond as they moved to a 4-3-3 system.

As rain fell heavily, the game got off to a false start with Downes passing the ball back after the referee Charles Breakspear’s whistle only for the 21 other players to take a knee in support of Black Lives Matter.

On four, Thomas found Gwion Edwards in acres of space on the left of the penalty but the Welshman’s cross deflected off a defender into Black Cats keeper Lee Burge’s arms.

The match had hardly got going and was only 10 minutes old when the Blues were reduced to 10 men, for the second time this season against the Black Cats, Dozzell having seen red on Wearside in November.

Jackson went looking for a ball which had bounced away from him and as Wright slid in looked to get his foot to it and caught the Sunderland defender with his studs halfway up his shin.

Referee Breakspear reached straight for his red card, issuing the striker with his second Town dismissal. It looked an overeager challenge rather than anything malicious but under the letter of the law was the right decision.

Jackson, who has already had a stop-start season due to injury and Covid, will now miss the next three matches.

Despite the Blues having a reduced number, and no one playing as a striker, more of the game was played in the Wearsiders’ half in minutes after the sending off. On 16 Dozzell sent in a free-kick which McGuinness headed straight at Burge.

The rain began to fall even more heavily, and as a consequence the pitch began to look ever more soggy, and Sunderland began to see more of the ball.

In the 26th minute, Wyke shot wide from an angle on the right after the Blues had got caught in possession as they sought to play their way out from their left-back position.

Tomas Holy was called into serious action for the first time in the 32nd minute when Aiden O’Brien threaded a pass through for Winchester to chase but the Blues keeper was out quickly to slid in at his feet on the edge of the box to take it away from the former Forest Green Rovers man.

Sunderland were inevitably seeing most of the ball but without looking particularly convincing and with the Blues putting up a staunch defence deep in their half, but without being able to push forward.

The Black Cats created the first real penalty area danger of the game in the 38th minute when a free-kick from deep on the left fell to Wyke, whose shot was parried by Holy. The loose ball dropped in a crowded box but fortunately safely for Town and was cleared.

Moments later, Ward was sent flying by a late Jordan Willis challenge and then Downes was caught similarly well after the ball had gone by Winchester. The Town players surrounded the referee after the second challenge clearly feeling the tackle was as poor as Jackson’s earlier in the half but referee Breakspear opted to show only his yellow card on that occasion.

In the final scheduled minute of the half, Edwards cut in from the left and hit a low shot into the side-netting.

Town looked to have seen out the half and were starting to show some belief going forward, but in injury time the Black Cats went in front.

Wearsiders skipper Max Power was sent away down the right and whipped over a low cross which Wyke, the scorer of Sunderland’s opening goal against the Blues in their 2-1 win at the Stadium of Light, diverted first time past Holy to the keeper’s left from eight yards.

It was a disastrous way to end the half for the Blues who had only previously been seriously troubled once by the Black Cats despite the numerical disparity.

Jackson could argue little about his red card, even if there seemed to be no malice in the challenge, but his dismissal and Wyke’s well-worked goal gave the Blues - who have struggled for goals this season even with 11 men - a mountain to climb in the second half.

Sunderland swapped Winchester for Elliott Embleton at the start of the second period and immediately began to put the Blues under pressure.

On 48 a corner from the left reached Willis on the edge of the six-yard box from where the defender sent it towards goal but into Holy’s hands. Moments later, sub Embleton hit a shot from distance which deflected wide.

The visitors continued to see virtually all of the ball with the Blues unable to get out of their half and in the 55th minute Town manager Lambert decided to introduce striker Drinan for Nolan.

The substitution gave the Blues impetus going forward and on 58 Edwards crossed from the left and Drinan flicked the ball towards goal but without causing Burge a major problem.

A minute later, Thomas should have done better after Dozzell had picked up a loose pass on halfway and driven forward before finding the on-loan Barnsley man to the right of the area. Thomas cut in but his shot too close to Burge, who saved. Dozzell was unable to do anything with the loose ball.

But the Black Cats were still presenting the greater threat and just after the hour mark the ball was cut back from the left to Aiden McGeady and his low, goal-bound shot was blocked in front of the line by McGuinness.

Soon afterwards, the game was held up for four minutes after Drinan and Wright clashed heads and the Sunderland defender required treatment before being taken off the field on the stretcher cart. The Australian, who was sitting up and fortunately not looking too badly hurt, was replaced by Dion Sanderson.

The pattern of the game returned to Sunderland seeing all of the ball but without creating clear-cut opportunities with the Blues rarely able to push forward.

Stephen Ward was booked for a foul on Embleton 70, then a minute later Thomas was replaced by Bishop, The full debutant hadn’t had too many opportunities to show Town fans watching at home his attacking abilities given the game situation, although had had the Blues’ big chance.

Edwards might have done better in the 74th minute when he broke towards the edge of the Black Cats’ area from the right but shot against Sanderson rather than looking to play in Ward in space down the left.

Sunderland, who were looking very comfortable, switched McGeady for Lynden Gooch in the 79th minute. Moments later, the sub cut in from the left and hit a low effort which Holy stopped and held down to his right. On 82, Dozzell was booked foul for a foul on O’Brien.

Woolfenden almost played in Bishop with a clever pass from just outside the area in the aftermath of a Town free-kick in the 84th minute but overhit it through to Burge.

As the game moved into its final five minutes Power struck a shot from the right of the box which the diving McGuinness deflected over. A minute later, Town replaced Edwards and Ward for Freddie Sears and Myles Kenlock, while Luke O’Nien took over from O’Brien for Sunderland.

With the game now in six minutes of injury time, Kenlock hooked a ball over the top for Sears to chase which Burge grabbed only just inside his area with one or two appeals from Town players ignored by the well-placed linesman.

The Blues kept pushing in the closing stages with Sears sending over a cross from the left which Burge claimed at his near post but a leveller always looked an outside hope.

Town are still to end their struggles against teams in the top 10 - they have beaten only Accrington when in the division's higher echelons - but despite falling to a sixth home defeat in seven, the Blues could take some pride from the defensive determination they showed.

After being reduced to 10 men so early on, there might have been a danger of being beaten heavily, however, that never looked on the cards with the Blues digging in and preventing the Black Cats having too many opportunities.

In the end the visitors’ best-worked chance in the first half proved to be the difference, while the Blues’ best opportunity was Thomas’s in the second period which the loanee hit too close to the keeper.

But the resolute nature of the defensive performance means nothing in Town’s wider context with the result dropping the Blues to 10th in the League One table, now five points off the play-offs, albeit with three games in hand on Charlton in sixth, and 10 off the automatic promotion spots.

Dropping further away from the business end of the division will only increase the volume of the already loud calls for a change of manager at Portman Road.

Town: Holy, Chambers (c), Woolfenden, McGuinness, Ward (Kenlock 86), Dozzell, Downes, Nolan (Drinan 55), Thomas (Bishop 71), Edwards (Sears 86), Jackson. Unused: Cornell, Baggott, Kenlock, Judge, Sears.

Sunderland: Burge, Willis, Wright (Sanderson 65), Power (c), Wyke, O’Brien (O’Nien), Scowen, Leadbitter, McFadzean, Winchester (Embleton 46), McGeady (Gooch 79). Unused: Matthews, Maguire, Diamond. Referee: Charles Breakspear (Surrey).

Photo: Matchday Images

Morgan added 00:20 - Jan 27 Worked hard and looked reasonably solid with 10 men for eighty minutes. Stayed in the game and didn't throw in the towel. If you looked at this game in isolation without any of the narrative there are positives. We seem to have a lot of problems. We don't create much with the ball and aside from tonight we do have a lot of it. We don't offer threat from set pieces either (more of a problem with 10 men!). With eleven we struggle to turn possession in to Chances. We have an underbelly prone for poor decision making under pressure which is giving points away. Tonight it was Jackson, Saturday the lunge for the penalty or the sliced own goal, we can't afford to give away advantage yet we do fairly consistently. I can't see where the goals are in the team. We are asking a lot of Chambers and Ward in this system, we seem to play in a way that bypasses Dozzell's strengths. Some harsh comments on Jackson who has been asked to play as a loan striker and on left wing when his best games for us at the start of last season were running off Norwood. The most frustrating thing about is is Peterborough's decent attacking players weren't firing when they came on Saturday and Sunderland weren't great either playing a man over for the game both did enough without us being able to worry them.

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Granthamblue62 added 01:48 - Jan 27 “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” A quote often attributed to Albert Einstein. Whether he said it or not is not the key point. Evans is clearly insane as he has made 13 years worth of poor appointments, over and over. A change of manager is akin to putting a plaster pot over an already gangrenous wound. The club is rotten to the core, the core being Marcus Evans. There can be no healing, optimism or hope for ITFC until the charlatan is gone. The club is on the cusp of oblivion, IMHO.

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Nobbysnuts added 06:38 - Jan 27 Im not going to blame lambert(this time) but as for kayden Jackson what a complete w#nker.... he's let the manager down,his team mates and the fans and in my opinion should never wear the town shirt again!!! What an absolute bellend!!!
2

Nobbysnuts added 07:28 - Jan 27 Its a sad day when you have to admit this once great club has fallen behind teams like Accrington Stanley and Lincoln in footballing ability and club and team management...sad sad days.....we are the laughing stock of the football league...
4

Northstandveteran added 07:47 - Jan 27 I don't understand why graham2408 was down voted for saying Relegation is a real possibility? I'd been saying it for the last few years we were in the championship to answers of, "We're too big to go down" The team is in absolute freefall. When I questioned the possibility of the club being folded I was personally messaged by a poster on this site who said that he had great concerns about the club's accounts. I'm not having a pop at my fellow town fans but many have been happy to go along with whatever has been produced on the pitch. When is the time to stop clapping? For me it was when we got relegated with the fight of an injured kitten. I was shaking my head in disbelief when the worst Ipswich team ( at the time ) that I had ever witnessed got clapped off at the end of the final game! Fans of any other club would be in uproar! Unless there are drastic changes at this club we are in danger of entering the Abyss. I don't know what the answers are but it's coming down to the last roll of the dice. If Evans actually wants to give this club any kind of chance, instead of wasting money on poor quality, injured players, spend big one more time and get in a proven, successful manager.

7

Nobbysnuts added 07:52 - Jan 27 Lambert out now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Him and his mate on the sidelines looked like the f#cking chuckle brothers!!! Actually they would do a better job.....
1

londontractorboy57 added 08:19 - Jan 27 Norwichbeater your post highlights everything thats wrong with itfc
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Cloddyseedbed added 09:02 - Jan 27 Live on Sky, same expectation, same result. One up front using a striker that can't control the ball, can't hold the ball up, no football brain, but can run fast. Lambert will never play 2 strikers working off each other while he is still here. When we were down to 10 men it was damage limitation and to be fair they battled well. Jackson you are a headless idiot. You are not up to this level of football. Players fought like they haven't for a long time, but still too many weak links. Dozzell for me is lightweight and lazy and does not contribute enough in what is a very important role. Nolan another that does not contribute enough, I forgot he was on the pitch until the commentator mentioned his name long into the game. As for Huws who's not even in the squad and done nothing this year or last, cancel his contract, pay him off. He is taking up a valuable squad number. Edwards another one, bit player, hot and cold, mostly cold. Contributes very little and another lazy player. Too many part bit players in a team that is as disjointed as hell. 2 marauding fullbacks that can't maraud. Both don't have the legs. Two centre halfs inexperienced that always have a mistake in one of them per game. Woolfy sorry mate, your far too casual and not as good as you think you are. You need to work harder and concerntrate more. You are no better than last year. A new manager I am sure could install the work ethic, team shape, tactics into this motley crew. Drinan and Jackson should have started as a pairing last night, then maybe, just maybe Jackson wouldn't have been running around so much like a headless chicken and committed the sin of letting everyone down so early on in the game. Looking forward to 11 on the pitch and a new manager.

3

MonkeyAlan added 09:18 - Jan 27 Evans you muppet
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Michael101 added 09:21 - Jan 27 Maybe Evans just wants to stay in league one treading water,if(a big if) we go up there is no salary cap ,stay in league one and all Ebenezer will have to spend 2.5 millions.
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Michael101 added 09:24 - Jan 27 Maybe he wants league2 then he only have to spend 1.5 millions ,cos that where we will end up if thing's carry on like this😁😤😢
0

BettyBlue added 09:27 - Jan 27 We're as close to the bottom three as we are automatic promotion.
3

dirtydingusmagee added 09:36 - Jan 27 Jackson thought he was away from the club way back,and hasnt wanted to play since, he isnt interested. Norwood , waste of space, just a part timer, has ability but is a waster, he would have six weeks out if he had a boil on his ar#e.Sears , was wasted when he was at his best, now he is going downhill, Downes ,Bishop,Huws , never stay fit for a run in the team. Chambers ,what can i say ? Nsiala a potential disaster most games, need i go on . This and a totally clueless manager and a totally apathetic owner, is why we are in this sh#t place. Fans cant attend at present, i really hope when things do change that they have had time to see that action is needed DONT DONT DONT renew season tickets, stay away, Evans is happy at this level with fans paying up for the crap. HIT EVANS WHERE HE WILL NOTICE IT.

4

BlueArrow added 10:06 - Jan 27 No more money from me until Evans gone.
2

Michael101 added 11:00 - Jan 27 Dirty,spot on its the only way things will change,will people listen though? I was saying much the same thing when that idiot McCarthy was here and it took 3 years before he went.
1

IpswichToon added 11:09 - Jan 27 I agree with most of what Dirty said above, with the exception of Downes. I only ever remember him being injured once. He's important to us going forward. At this point, our season is more-or-less over. So why don't we stick Baggott in the starting line-up instead of McGuiness. As much as he looked solid last night, he's not our player, while we're at risk of losing one of our brightest young talents.

0

Benficablue added 11:23 - Jan 27 ITFC1974, we will welcome you to Notcutts Park next season!
0

Blue_Meanie added 11:25 - Jan 27 I can't put it as eloquently as those on here my utter despair of where we are as a club. Just look at it all; an owner who appears to have made the biggest mistake of his business career in buying a football “ buy em, get em up and flog em for twice as much boss”. A manager who's only success was due to his assistant manager. Players well past their sell by date or simply not very good. The state of the stadium. The state of the pitch, remember we used to win ‘groundsman of the year' every season. The decline of this football club is bordering on criminal neglect. We currently sit 54th in the league across all divisions 54th. I worry whether we can beat Northampton Town at home in a couple of weeks ffs.

2

runningout added 11:36 - Jan 27 Can't see the point of posting insults, it's cowardice. All of us know the club are in the biggest mess we ever have been. Our owner has been ill advised from day one!
1

Razor added 11:37 - Jan 27 I am going to be a bit controversial but after that idiot got us reduced to 10 men I was proud of the team---the effiort was certainly there and I really thought they were playing for the manager. Not that impressed with Sunderland and we could well have grabbed an equaliser in the second half. What Lambert has to do this week is get at least 2 new forwards in from anywhere as at the moment he is surrounded by sick notes people who are not good enough and people who dont want to play for the club.Young hungry kids would be fine. Finally if we lose Saturday the man has just got to go---end of.

2

WorcesterBlue added 11:53 - Jan 27 Feel for Lambert a bit - Don't get me wrong, I think his time has come and it appears to me he has lost his confidence that he can get us out of this in any case. So time for a change. But the real culprit is Evans. Our scouting is diabolical and his choices of "proper chaps" who play golf and like a laugh with Redknapp and McCarthy continue to beggar belief. Lambert tried to change things but most of this squad is a hangover from previous managers. Lambert has not been backed by Evans so he has had to continue with Hurst's bag of rubbish (aside from Edwards and Nolan on their odd good days), a mixed bag of youth players and McCarthy's left-overs. All this "this squad is one of the best in the league" is delusional. Who are these wonder players? But yes, Lambert has made huge mistakes i.e. treatment of Bialowski, Sears, Donacien, Downes, Woolfenden - or any player that challenges him, and persistence with serial underperformers in Jackson, Nsiala, Huws and Judge (though he does at least try).

2

blueboy1981 added 14:12 - Jan 27 Far too many ‘bit part' players at the Club - and nowhere near enough expected from them. And they know it ... !!! Probably fits a few more people on the payroll too - our Football Club is too ‘cosy' to ever be successful these days.
1

londontractorboy57 added 14:38 - Jan 27 Michael101 idiot Mccarthy no your the idiot we were in a much better position when he was here bcwywf
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jas0999 added 17:46 - Jan 27 Dreadful challenge by Jackson. Interesting, that despite the apology neither he nor the other players seemed that bothered.further evidence that Lambert has lost the dressing room. Awful result and sitting tenth is disgraceful.
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