Midfielder Andre Dozzell admitted Town’s 2-1 defeat at Peterborough was a frustrating night with fine margins the difference between success and failure for the Blues at present.

James Norwood gave Town an early lead at London Road but Jonson Clarke-Harris and Joe Ward saw Posh to the three points.

“It was a frustrating night,” Dozzell said. “I think it’s fine margins that are the difference at the minute.

“We started off well, got the early goal but it’s just those little decisions which are setting us back at the minute and it’s quite frustrating. But we’ll work on it on the training ground and take it into the next game.

“In the second half we had periods which we needed to capitalise on, we need to score when we’re on top, stuff like that.

“But in this league it’s fine margins, they weren’t a better side than us but at the end of the day they got the three points, so it’s a frustrating night.”

Regarding the difficult surface, the 21-year-old added: “It’s probably one of the worst pitches I’ve played on but these are things you have to have to deal with, they had the same pitch as us, so it’s not an excuse or anything.”

Dozzell admitted it was disappointing not to be able to build on Saturday’s 2-0 home victory over Blackpool.

“Definitely, performance against Blackpool and we should have kept going today but unluckily it didn’t go that way, and we’ve got to pick ourselves back up and go again Saturday,” he added.

Following a positive start in which they won five and drew one of their first six, the Blues have struggled to fine any consistent form this season and the former England U20 international knows that a prolonged run of positive results is what will catapult Town up the division.

“That’s one of the main things in this league,” he reflected. “Going on a run can change where you are in the league very quickly, so we’ve got to get ourselves back up there.”

Next up are a trip to 17th-placed Shrewsbury on Saturday and then a home fixture with second-bottom Northampton next Tuesday, games which are an opportunity to get that sort of momentum going.

“We’ve just got to focus on the next game now and get the three points,” added the former Copleston High School pupil and Town academy graduate.

“We aim to get three points in every game, but there’s no easy game in League One, so we’ve just got to work as hard as we can and get the three points.”

No one at Town needs to be reminded of the Blues’ dreadful record against sides towards the top of the division with last night’s loss the ninth defeat in nine to the teams currently in the top seven.

Dozzell knows that has to improve if Town are to be contenders: “Definitely. Like I said, they weren’t a better team than us, it was just fine margins on the day. We’ve just got to keep working, keep working hard and it will drop for us.

“But we don’t really worry about who our points come against, we’ve just got to keep focusing on the next game.

“Like I said, the table is a crazy league. Get a couple of wins, get a few wins and it all can change. We’ve just got to stay positive, there’s a long way to go and get the three points in the next game.”

Does he still believe Town can make the top six? “We’re all still confident that we will get there. We’ve still got games in hand, this league is a crazy league. A few wins can get us right back up there, so we’ll stay positive.”

Dozzell says new loan signings Luke Thomas, Josh Harrop, Troy Parrott and Luke Matheson have intensified the competition for spots in the side.

“There are places up for grabs now so it makes it a bit more intense in training, people trying to play some matches, so I think it’s good for the club,” he said.

Regarding striker Parrott, he said: “I really enjoy playing with him as a midfielder, you can link with him, he can play in behind, he’s a really good player and he’ll get his first goal soon.”

Dozzell has made 25 appearances this season, all starts, more than in any of his other seasons with the Blues.

“I am happy with that, we’ve just got to get back up there that’s the main thing,” he said. “Getting in the top six, even above, that’s the main thing at the minute.”

In the last couple of games, Dozzell has been moved into a more advanced role, with Flynn Downes switching to the holding position he had occupied previously, and he says he likes playing there.

“I do enjoy either position but playing up higher, I think you can have a bit more of an attacking impact, a bit more freedom,” he said.

“But Flynn’s very good there, he can play either position as well, so it’s good to have either option.”

This is the first time Downes and Dozzell have played together in a first-team midfield over a lengthy period but they know one another’s game well from coming through the academy ranks.

“It’s great, we’ve been playing since the U9s so we know each other really well,” he said. “Coming into the first team is great.

“We’ve been here since we were nine, so if we get promoted together it would be like a dream come true, and then hopefully kick on from there.”

Does he feel more pressure to create and score goals in his current role? “Obviously I’m trying to get goals, get assists, I’ll just keep working hard and hopefully that will come.”

Last night’s yellow card at Peterborough took his season’s tally to nine with one more leading to what would be a third suspension of the season, following a one-match ban for reaching five and a three-game absence due to a harsh red card at Sunderland.

“I’ve got to be careful with that because I’m coming up to 10,” he admitted.

Photo: Matchday Images

dirtydingusmagee added 13:33 - Feb 10 Evans will not invest end of, he has ''nailed his colours to the mast'' [and blue isnt one of them ]and he wont change,he has to sell, that wont be happening anytime soon i doubt,but he could get rid of a manager that has done NOTHING since joining club. No sign of improvement NOTHING. Lambert is showing his true colours now and they arent blue either.Blanking the press is drawing as much attention as his failures,it shows the club in a bad light and is ignorant LAMBERT MUST GO ASAP, like YESTERDAY, WAKE UP EVANS.

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SheptonMalletBlue added 13:42 - Feb 10 Fine margins, fine margins?!!!!!! More like a a bloody huge chasm!!!!!!!!
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ringwoodblue added 13:44 - Feb 10 The players can't speak the truth cos they know they will be dropped if they are openly critical. The management team can't speak the truth cos they wouldn't know it if it smacked em in the face!
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Buryblue78 added 14:07 - Feb 10 Fine margins my ar$e Peterborough had 9 shots on target to our 4 Majority of of the ball and certainly far more idea of what to do with it When we get to the attacking third we are bereft of ideas Both their goals were very poor defensively and 4-1 would have been a fairer reflection of the game Tactically we were a lot more direct than usual which was good The mighty Peterborough were and are simply better than us Sad times

4

keighleyblue added 14:24 - Feb 10 Fine margins? What rubbish. Peterborough (Peterborough!!!!) could have had a hatful. We were so far off the pace last night, it was embarrassing. Men against boys. They looked like a top half L1 team, we were more like lower half L2. Desperate hoofing the ball away, failing to pass to team mates yards away, failing to string together even 3 or 4 passes. No changes created. Really basic stuff. Not sure if it's all down to tactics, bad coaching, lack of confidence, individuals not being good enough for League 1 (!!!) - but we've seen it with our own eyes far too often to fall for this guff that's repeatedly trotted out by players and coaching staff.

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LimerickTractorBoy added 15:26 - Feb 10 Wrexham taken over by 2 Hollywood stars!!! Any chance Ed and some of his musician mates could make an offer to save the club from this hellish scenario.
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dirtydingusmagee added 15:44 - Feb 10 But Wrexham probably have ambition.
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MonkeyAlan added 15:49 - Feb 10 Not reading any of this garbage anymore. Go now Lambert and take Evans with you. Bunch of muppets.
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eddiespearitt03 added 16:09 - Feb 10 It seems Lambert was not worried if we lost against Peterborough because he picked a team to lose. Certainly was not bothered taking part in a radio interview after the game. It is like a childish pay back to the supporters who are calling for him to be sacked. So in the team are "the experienced" who have been part of too many recent defeats and poor performances. Peterborough must have been celebrating when they saw the Ipswich team sheet. Chambers and Ward as fullbacks ? Great !!! Lets get the ball down the flanks. Happy days. Lambert should of put out the strongest team he could to avoid another defeat. Perhaps the same team V Blackpool with Norwood replacing Sears. Then rest players against Northampton & Shrewsbury if the work load is deemed too tiring. Na. Lambert is obviously looking for the "pay off" so Evans will simply have to oblige before more supporters call it a day .

3

Bluearmy_81 added 16:11 - Feb 10 The bookies have Shrewsbury as slight favourites to win on Saturday. How can you let this continue, have you no shame Evans?!! Evans out, Lambert out!!!
4

brittaniaman added 16:18 - Feb 10 LOOK AT THE TABLE LAMBERT !! Accrington,and Crewe above us with Plymouth on our Backs and do not say we have games in hand please because you have got to earn the points from them. Last nights game I heard that Holy played well ? not according to the papers they gave him 4pts. it looks as though he had a Mare (not my words by the way)
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IpswichT62OldBoy added 16:23 - Feb 10 In fairness to M Mc he always spoke to the press, even when he very p!ssed off, and had some basic competence even if he was stuck in Skuglas mode. This one seems to have no redeeming qualities at all. Apropos nothing, what ever happened to the giant Lambo banner the North Stand had? Wouldn't surprise me if he bought it to hang on the front of his house.
1

PSGBlue added 16:48 - Feb 10 Lambert's record against Peterborough in League 1. W 0 D 1 L 3 GF 4 GA 9. This is Peterborough for crying out loud, not Real Madrid. Sad days when Ipswich are the underdogs to Peterborough, Lincoln and Doncaster. How far has our club fallen?
3

norfolkbluey added 17:36 - Feb 10 Nothing is going to happen and PL will not get the sack because ME can't make another decision in case he's wrong again. This season is unfortunately over for us because we don't beat teams above us and even if we get into a play off place, it will be against one of those above us and we all know what will happen then....don't we with clueless in charge. This is such a sad time for all supporters of our club who have experienced the good times. All we seem to think now is can we win an occasional game in the third tier of football when we used to be in the second and top tier! PL is fortunate not to have the crowds or there would have been on field invasions by now and banners flying all over the seats with Lambert out!

0

Gcon added 17:46 - Feb 10 So Lambert won't face the media but he's happy to throw Dozzell to the lions...Says all you need to know. Evans is an idiot. If he had pulled the trigger on a new manager a couple of weeks ago we could realistically still contend promotion. He'll dawdle and fanny about till it's too late and we'll languish in the doldrums forever more.
4

blueboy1981 added 17:49 - Feb 10 Fine Margins ?? Fact is most of you simply are not good enough to even be in the top six of the 3rd Division - including our excuse of a Manager !!
3

Skip73 added 17:58 - Feb 10 Fine margins? It looked more like a gaping chasm last night.
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therein61 added 18:02 - Feb 10 Fine margins are a very slight change in selection instead we get 2 willing thoroughbreds sidelined and 2 donkeys take the park to gift the points away, and that is Management for you Management my rear end just go and take your ineffective overpaid so called coaches(disgraces) with you, oh Chambo your old club Northampton sack Keith Curle today get your application in a.s.a.p and take skuse with you

2

dirtydingusmagee added 18:04 - Feb 10 another day ending and Evans still not pulled the trigger .
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ArnieM added 18:05 - Feb 10 The players are either totally buying into the Lambert spin or the6 are afraid to say what they really feel. Either way, what a f lucking state of affairs at this Club now.
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Fansince72 added 18:08 - Feb 10 I've been a True Blue since '72 , and a season ticket holder in SBR Lower for many years .... but my heart sank when I saw the line up for last night's match and I expected the worst. Norwood's goal did lift my spirits, but we soon reverted to 'same old, same old'. By the end  I just couldn't be bothered one way or the other. If ITFC lose fans like me, the future for them looks dire! Not happy ☹️.

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ITFCsince67 added 18:18 - Feb 10 Fine margins can be the difference but NOT on last nights performance. They were light years ahead of us.
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aas1010 added 18:20 - Feb 10 Lambert and co you still clinging on 🪓🪓typical ur like fly paper !
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BlueWax added 18:51 - Feb 10 LTB.... Would be great if Ed Sheeran could intervene. Sadly though even Edd the duck thinks its a bad move!
1

OuchThat added 19:00 - Feb 10 Getting totally fed up with this. Checking websites with hope that Lambert has gone. Bristol Rovers and Northampton have made bold decisions to make management changes, wish we would follow their lead.
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