Town’s hopes of making the play-offs were all but ended as Peter Kioso scored twice and Ryan Watson once as they were beaten 3-0 by Northampton Town at Sixfields. Kioso netted from corners in the eighth and 32nd minute in a first period in which the Cobblers could have been further in front and Gwion Edwards and Freddie Sears hit the woodwork, while Kane Vincent-Young and Oli Hawkins spurned golden opportunities in the second. With six minutes remaining Watson completed another dreadful evening for the Blues, whose goal drought has now extended to 529 minutes.

Kayden Jackson and Sears came into an otherwise unchanged Town team. Jackson replaced James Norwood, who suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury at Charlton on Saturday, as the main striker, while Sears was in for Teddy Bishop, who also dropped out of the 18 due to illness. The former West Ham man started in behind Jackson.

Among the watching scouts was former Blues forward Noel Hunt, who was understood to be being considered for a role at Portman Road by manager Paul Cook when he was appointed.

Town started positively, winning three early corners and following the third, they went within inches of ending their goal drought.

The ball was played to Edwards 30 yards out and the Welshman, who had started on the left flank with Keanan Bennetts on the right, struck a powerful shot which beat home keeper Jonathan Mitchell to his left but cannoned off the outside of the post.

However, it was the Cobblers who were to take the lead with their first effort on goal in the eighth minute. Joseph Mills sent over a corner from the right and Kioso volleyed in from five yards.

It was a poor goal to concede from a Town perspective, and their second from an opposition corner in three games, but they threatened twice in the following minutes, Sears and Vincent-Young both sending in low crosses from the right which were cut out.

Northampton were very nearly two goals in front in the 18th minute when Sam Hoskins crossed from the left to Caleb Chukwuemeka but Stephen Ward read the situation superbly and blocked the shot when a second Cobblers’ goal looked odds-on. Three minutes later, Alex Jones went wide from the right of the area.

Despite Northampton having the lead and the better of the chances, the Blues were seeing most of the ball. On 23 Ward crossed low from a promising position on the left but again it hit the first defender and deflected away.

Just after the half-hour mark Tomas Holy was forced into a sharp save when Ryan Watson hit a low shot from the edge of the area before Mills saw a scuffed effort from the left turned wide by Mark McGuinness just in front of the line.

And from the corner, the Cobblers doubled their lead. Mills again sent the corner in from the right and Kioso again found the target, this time at the far post. Once more it was another set-piece goal which will have been a big frustration to Town manager Cook.

The second goal seemed to rock Town and in the 38th minute it was very nearly 3-0. Mills crossed from the left and Jones flicked a header just past Holy’s left post with the keeper standing no chance if it had been on target.

Two minutes before the break, the Blues came very close to pulling a goal back when they hit the woodwork for the second time. Edwards under-hit a free-kick from the left and Sears flicked a looping backwards header which beat Mitchell but hit the bar and bounced to safety.

In injury time, Bennetts did well to beat his man and break down the right into the area but again his cross was cut out.

And just before the whistle, Vincent-Young also crossed from the right but the ball struck Jackson on the chest and deflected behind.

As so often this season, the Blues had seen most of the ball but despite getting into promising areas hadn’t been able to turn that into goals.

While they had been unfortunate that Edwards and Sears had hit the woodwork, both efforts came from set pieces with the Blues’ best situations in open play having broken down due to a poor final ball.

At the other end, Town had been a shambles defensively with Kioso grabbing his two goals and Northampton having had a number of other opportunities and the home side might well have been three or four up at the break.

Town needed the type of comeback they’ve shown few signs of being capable of this season in the second half.

Soon after the restart, Ward cut back from the left but Bennetts failed to read the ball, was caught on his heels and the danger was cleared.

The deficit should have been reduced to one goal in the 50th minute when Vincent-Young missed a golden opportunity to grab his first of the season. Edwards played Jackson in on the left of the box and the striker played it across the six-yard area to Vincent-Young who seemed certain to score but somehow hit his shot against Mitchell’s feet as the keeper desperately made his way back across goal.

Four minutes later, Mitchell was quickly off his line to take a bouncing ball away from Sears as the striker chased a ball down the middle.

In the 55th minute Northampton switched Chukwuemeka for Mark Marshall, then two minutes later Armando Dobra took over from Bennetts.

Edwards took the ball into the box at pace just after the hour mark - with the Blues’ goalless streak having stretched beyond 500 minutes - and got clipped as he did so but stayed on his feet and was eventually was dispossessed.

Town were making little serious headway and so on 67 Jackson and Sears was swapped for Oli Hawkins and Aaron Drinan.

Three minutes after coming on, Hawkins should have pulled a goal back. Ward got round the back on the left and crossed for the former Portsmouth striker, who rose high but headed over the angle of bar and post. While not as clear cut as Vincent-Young’s miss it was another chance the Blues should have taken.

Town’s misery was complete in the 84th minute when keeper Holy came out of his goal to the right of his area but his clearance struck Hoskins and deflected into the middle of the Blues’ half from where Watson shot into an empty net.

In the final minutes, Cobblers sub Danny Rose was booked for clipping Vincent-Young as the right-back broke forwards midway inside the home side’s half.

A minute later, Vincent-Young shot wide in the wake of a corner with the ball appearing to deflect off a defender, however, referee James Bell thought otherwise. The former Colchester United man shot wide again from a further effort from another corner.

Bell’s final whistle confirmed another disappointing result against one of the division’s struggling sides with the game virtually over by half-time as was the case at AFC Wimbledon a week ago.

Having started the second half promisingly following the disastrous first period, the Blues really needed an early goal to give them momentum. And they created the chance they needed but somehow Vincent-Young was unable to take it.

From there, they lost their impetus until the Hawkins opportunity which the big striker will feel he also should have taken. The third goal, Northampton’s only shot of the second half. summed up Town’s evening and the shambolic nature of the performance.

The Blues again failed to score with the new owners, whose takeover was announced two weeks ago tomorrow, yet to see a Town goal. The goalless streak has now stretched to five full games plus 79 minutes of the victory over Bristol Rovers - nine hours all but 12 minutes plus injury time.

The defeat means any lingering hopes the Blues had of making the play-offs are all but over barring mathematical miracles and it will be another season of League One football in 2021/22.

Northampton: Mitchell, Horsfall, Hoskins, Watson, Jones (Rose 82), Kioso, McWilliams, Morris, Mills (c), Jones, Chukwuemeka (Marshall 55). Unused: Harriman, Bolger, Korboa, Miller, Rose, Woods.

Town: Holy, Vincent-Young, Woolfenden, McGuinness, Ward (c), Downes, Dozzell, Bennetts (Dobra 57), Edwards, Sears (Drinan 67), Jackson (Hawkins 67). Unused: Cornell, Chambers, Kenlock, Skuse. Referee: James Bell (Sheffield).

Photo: Pagepix

Fansince72 added 23:18 - Apr 20 Mourinho ? .... he's out of work at the moment and he likes a challenge. 😂
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Vanisleblue2 added 23:20 - Apr 20 Remember when Lambert said the cavalry are coming. If we can just stick close to the Play Offs then we can get KVY, Downes and 9 other players back. Lets be totally honest here- none of these players are worth keeping. They do not have the heart, skill or winning mentality we need. I am dreading the last 4 games of the season because we will probably lose them all score zero goals and finish 17th. It is PATHETIC - what would have happened had supporters been let into the stadiums?

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Carberry added 23:27 - Apr 20 Oh come on Churchmans, we're dealing with footballers here, whose contracts are at an end in a few weeks time. He hasn't dissed anyone, in fact he's gone out of his way not to. They know there will be changes, that's part and parcel of a footballer's life and it is their agents who will be putting their arms around them. These are players who aren't good enough to wear the shirt not workers who can be turned into better professionals - they need to go and these results are the collateral damage which goes with it. And Eddie Howe - have you been finishing off the last of the Christmas sherry?

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churchmans81 added 23:58 - Apr 20 😉 Carberry. However, compare PL's last 11 games in charge = 6 wins, 3 draws and 2 defeats against PC's first 11 games in charge, which is almost exactly the opposite, with exactly the same squad of players. Yes, it's a lacklustre team ... but PC has displayed appalling man management skills and the only bounce there's been since his appointment has been a ‘dead cat' one. Dreadful !!

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RobsonWark added 00:43 - Apr 21 I can't understand why anyone thinks Dozy Dozzell and Wolfenden (he who laughs coming off a pitch after getting beat - was it against Swindon at home) are worth keeping. Neither of those are interested or fit to wear the shirt!
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UhlenbeekDownTheWing added 01:26 - Apr 21 PL's time was at an end, his relationship with the media and fans (and owner) - it was untenable. However, churchmans81 has presented the damning statistics. PL got good form from these players (and I think we all felt there was further untapped potential, given our view of PL), PC has destroyed them and our form. That's on PC.
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therein61 added 06:49 - Apr 21 From A-Z this squad are not fit to wear the shirt and should give this weeks wages to charity while hanging their heads in shame.
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Saxonblue74 added 06:50 - Apr 21 Churchmans81, just maybe Cook (like the rest of us) is bored of these poor little snowflakes who need their egos massaged regularly in order to perform? Lambert faced the press regularly in support of his squad, trying to convince us what a wonderful performance we had all just witnessed. What good did that do? Most need a new club next season yet have not put themselves in the shop window. Just what would it take to make them perform? I have been vocal in my support of this group in the past, blaming poor management, but many have now played under at least 3 managers and shown nothing. There comes a point where I can draw only 1 conclusion, they simply dont have the ability. We've tried the carrot, we've tried the stick, enough is enough.

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churchmans81 added 07:24 - Apr 21 Saxonblue74 👍🏼
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dirtydingusmagee added 07:24 - Apr 21 having had some time to let that result sink in , i really cant see Paul Cook being manager next season, i dont think the new owners will want to gamble on him succeeding with their investmnt, Im not saying ''Cook Out''. I just think the owners will want to see some signs that he is capable of getting them where they want to be.So far PC has not shown anything other than he can talk .Results are now worse than previous managers, with these players. You have to admit that somehow we were still in a promising position to get in playoffs when Lambert left the club, and a newly appointed manager would have been expected to do that bit extra .This hasnt happened its the reverse.So the new owners who never actually appointed Cook must surely be having doubts as to wether he is the man THEY want . If they have doubts ,they wont want to let Cook spend, and then have to bring in a new manager ,who will then want HIS choice of players. So i really dont think PC will be at the helm next season .And certainly these players dont deserve to be at the club beyond this season . IMO.

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Marinersnose added 07:42 - Apr 21 Who will be the manager entrusted by our owners going forward. Will it still be Cook ?
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Linkboy13 added 08:02 - Apr 21 From what i could see there was only one player in our team last night worth keeping and played with a bit of passion and that was Edwards and i think will probably be snapped up by Sunderland in the summer. Although not top of the popularity charts he is one of the few players who looks fit enough for league one football.
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IpswichToon added 09:14 - Apr 21 The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
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JET added 09:26 - Apr 21 THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE OUTRAGE, I DONT EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT THE REST OF THIS DREADFUL SEASON. sorry chambo love u
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IpswichT62OldBoy added 11:07 - Apr 21 Can anyone think of another team that has had such a long slow steady decline? It must get into the fabric of the place, anyone who comes is only a tiny drip in an ocean of mediocrity, it needs draining, dredging and refilling with people who care and can be arzed.
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pops added 11:20 - Apr 21 What an absolute disaster of a game. Woolfy absent for headed goals and McGuiness giving ball away, Dozell has no right foot and gives nothing going forwards but likes going backwards. unable to tackle or head the ball.Just because he is one of ours does not make him a star. Why take short corners with big boys in the box and delivery poor. Nobody wants athrow in ball and why so long to get ball in play? Holy an absolute disaster , does not control his 6 yard box , distribution awful and choices of coming out poor. KVY showed some climpses of what he can do as did Edwads MOM but who else? Wondering about Cook, 12 games no change, lambert got more out of players. Does he need his old coach and perhaps Roberts lacking in coaching knowledge and experience. What does the next four games hold for us, where do we go from here and what do our new owners see now as the futre for manager and players.

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jonju11 added 11:22 - Apr 21 Well another sad night & nail in the coffin of ITFC. We must not forget that we have no divine right to be considered as one of the mighty teams in this division because of our past history. Same applies to Portsmouth & Sunderland. We have to earn the right to be a "big team in the division" & we haven't achieved this for 30 years. Let's hope that PC is the right man for the job & if so give him the time & space to rebuild. Short term fixes just do not work & turn out to be very expensive. Let's hope we can flourish in these final 4 games & give the fans some hope for 2021/2.

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BettyBlue added 11:29 - Apr 21 Paul Cook OUT!
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Razor added 11:45 - Apr 21 What a fantastic opportunity missed with all the results going our way for once. I am not at all happy with the cheeky chappy----he moaned after Saturdays game about giant centre halves so what does he do----put useless Freddie in and still play one up front-----what is wrong with Hawkins----he had a great header in second half which looked a goal all the way. He keeps talking (too much) about the summer but he should be focused on the here and now---I am sure some of the players have already switched off and no longer care. Why do we continue to play a performing clown in goal. We must win AND FOCUS on the last 4 games if nothing else but pride and to stop us being a laughing stock-----on Saturday Nsiala,Chambo,Hawkins Cornell must come in for starters. Finally I am not sure our American friends wlii like what they are seeing so it might just be in the managers interests to get 4 wins as nothing is certain in football.

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KernewekBlue added 11:54 - Apr 21 Complete shambles of a season and a joke team! I really am struggling to know how to process what we have to put up with week after bloomin' week. 529 minutes without a goal, Norwood (who isn't that good anyway) injured yet again and Kayden Jackson, who couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo, sent out as our main striker?!?!? Chr*st on a bike!!! I think I've mentioned in previous posts how I felt it was a little unfair to heap all the blame for our poor shows onto the manager. I now know I really didn't appreciate what a decent job Paul Lambert was doing, getting any results at all out of this bunch of players, but he managed to keep them almost (sort of) competitive and in contention for a play-off spot in League One. I'll refrain from quoting the phrase "BCWYWF" but since Lambert's departure, there has been even less to shout about in terms of positivity on the pitch. Paul Cook is certainly finding out just how terrible this current squad of players really is. No heart, no soul, no drive, no ambition, very little talent, unhappy, underwhelming, unacceptable in a Town shirt and hopefully, out of contract! Whether the new ownership will show patience and now proceed with Cook at the helm for next season must be in question. What isn't in doubt, is that this current crop of senior players needs to be broken up and discarded in favour of a wholesale rebuild.

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WonTheCupin78 added 12:51 - Apr 21 This is 529 minutes without a goal......in Division 3. With hilarious blunders to match. Unacceptable and embarrassing. Thought our lowest point would be the loss against Lincoln a few years back. Wow was I wrong.
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budgieplucker added 13:42 - Apr 21 @linkboy, Gwion Edwards is an epitome of our problem. For all the current criticism this squad is not devoid of some talented footballers. That doesn't mean they are effective footballers at this level. Gwion clearly has talent and showed capability at Championship level as well. However, if you read the account of the Peterborough Chairman on their deliberations to let him go, they felt they couldn't turn down what they considered to be a good offer for a player that struggled to maintain a long run of games due to odd niggling injuries or drop in form. So Gwion if we are lucky may give us one good game in 4. I agree that last night he had a good game and arguably our best player. So if we give him a 7 out of 10 for last nights performance, on average over the last four games he is probably closer to a 5. To dominate this league we need consistent 7 out of tens from most of the players with an 8 or 9 thrown in from time to time. As much as I like Gwion as a player when he is in form I believe he has to be moved on in the summer to make space for a more reliable and consistent performer. And whilst we can also be critical of some of our academy players, young players are likely to be even more inconsistent hence why I don't buy into phrases like throw all the youngsters in. It isn't rocket science that you need to get a good balance of experienced players and youngsters in a side. Amongst the senior pros you have to have the relevant characters to provide the spine, Mowbray, Venus, Magilton and Holland was like having four captains on the pitch at once. Our senior pros really haven't excelled in recent years and our recruitment has been poor with bargain basement buys, not necessarily bad footballers but often let go by other clubs because of the same reason Gwion was let go by Peterborough and some perhaps more injury prone than others. If we want to be the best in this league then we have to be prepared to pay for the best players in critical positions. £5 million for a striker is probably what gets paid for the best in this division e.g. Ivan Toney, Clarke-Harris for probably less than half of that but still a significant fee at this level. When Wolves had ambitions to get out of the Championship they went and spent £30 million on three players a ffp gamble that succeeded. However, whilst I subscribe to the fact that we want to bring our own players through we have to recognise when we need to go above and beyond for critical positions and be prepared to invest. I have watched ITFC since 1967. Putting the likes of Mariner and the Dutchmen aside, One of most effective signings was Marcus Stewart, yes he cost us more than we would normally have paid at that time, but what value for money he proved to be, arguably without him we wouldn't have got promoted or finished 5th in the premiership, look what happened when he got injured the following season.

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norfolkbluey added 14:01 - Apr 21 The Stats tell it all. PL had little or no money to spend but still managed to get results with these current players. PC the funny man has done absolutely diddly squat with the same players. Bad records and memories are not good starting points. If this man can't manage another win in the next four games it says it all. Churchman 81 is absolutely right. I am going to find it very hard to back PC with his record so far. Chopping and changing is a recipe for failure. Stick to a cohort of players, two up front Hawkins and another so we have a target man for crosses into the box. Yes there will have to be a few transfers in the summer but there will still be a few of the current squad here next year under contract. PC's constant tactical ideas are slowly undermining any system he inherited with terrible consequences. We have now lost any hope of getting to the playoffs and must be seen as three points in the bag for our opponents even relegation teams. After last nights result PC has dug deeper into the hole he has made for himself. As a new headmaster in a new school, change nothing in the first year until you can fully assess the task in front. Tweek but nothing more. PL had a lot of faults and he didn't have Culverhouse with him but more than than that he didn't have the money to spend because key players were let go easily and no extra funds to reinvest. I am hoping despite, PC's chaotic start that he will get at least one win before the end of the season, but judging on his current form I cannot realistically see this happening. What will be will be! COYB

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blueboy1981 added 15:36 - Apr 21 How void of reality can some of these posters on here be ? - Frank Lampard as Manager ? - as if he'd be interested ? Some need to wake up tomorrow with hopefully a brain cell intact. Including this shower of players whilst they still have a slim chance. I must say though, maybe Cook is missing his long term Assitant at Wigan - sometimes the strength is in that person .... !! Remember the Lambert / Culverhouse partnership, and Lamberts dismal show ever since that split .... ???

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atty added 15:49 - Apr 21 PC Stop selection of loanees. Stick to your tried and tested 4-2-3-1. Select the players that you want to keep in the positions you want them to play. Any gaps just do the best you can (X) Drop Holy. Cornell KVY Wolfenden Toto(X) Kenlock (X) Downes Nydam Edwards Bishop Dobra Hawkins(X) When fit Wilson, Norwood New: GK, 2 CBS, 2x CM, WM (?) 2x strikers Blimey that's a big ask but is a must, not just for improvement in quality but to build a squad as surely there will be a lot of departures.

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