Town boss Paul Cook admitted his side was beaten by a far better team all over the pitch as they were defeated 2-0 by new League One leaders Rotherham United at Portman Road.

Ben Wiles and Shane Ferguson scored a goal in each half for the Millers, who never looked in any danger of not claiming all three points.

“I’ve got no problems with the result, no problem with anything, crowd reactions or anything else,” Cook said. “The brutal truth tonight was we were beaten by a far better team all over the pitch.

“That’s just a benchmark to this division, to where we want to be and where we want to go as a club. And tonight we were well off it.

“Credit to Rotherham, I knew it was going to be a difficult game, I’ve known [Rotherham manager] Paul [Warne] for a long time, I know what his team brings and tonight they brought everything to the table that makes them such a formidable team in this division.”

He added: “There’s no excuses from me tonight, there’s absolutely none. Saturday, I was really disappointed because we played well at Sunderland and we deserved to win.

“Tonight we deserved what we got, which was nothing out of the game and sometimes you’ve got to make sure that that’s the motivation to drive you on to get better because everything that was good about Rotherham tonight was lacking in us, and that was really disappointing.”

Regarding Rotherham, he added: “They’re a well-oiled machine, what you see is what you get. Solid, great work ethic, great desire from all the players, clear team play, strategy how they play, and they’re very good at it.

“For us tonight, it just proved a little bit difficult. Listen, you can debate the game. You guys watch Ipswich, you have done for a period of time, tonight’s really disappointing because we have made some good strides, there has been positivity about, but we’ve probably dampened that a lot tonight.”

Things for the players to learn from the match? “We’ll see won’t we? Runs are what they are? For us 19 games into a new campaign where there’s been so much optimism around the club, the ticket sales going into Christmas, the fans turning up as they have done again tonight.

“We appreciate it, it’s no use me saying ‘Well done and thanks’ to them because I understand it. I feel exactly what they feel tonight, which is that I’ve watched an Ipswich Town team be second best all over the pitch.”

Quizzed on whether he believes Rotherham are likely to be the best team in the division this season, Cook said: “Good luck to Paul, he’s put together a very strong team, he’s a good guy. He’s got good staff, good players and they’re a very strong team.

“It’s something we aspire to being, so tonight we hold our hands up, we didn’t at Sunderland on Saturday where we felt we deserved to win the game. Certainly tonight we got what we deserved.”

Town are now 13th, eight points off the play-offs and 13 from the Millers and Wycombe in the automatic spots.

Asked whether every missed opportunity puts pressure on future games, Cook said: “Everyone wants to fast-forward, to be promoted. The reality is when we’re doing what we’re trying to do, there are going to be hiccups, there is no doubt about that.

“We’ve recruited a lot of players, we’ve walked into a team tonight that’s good and we’ve felt the full force of them. We acknowledge that, there’s no problem from me with that.”

Given the 13-point gap between the Blues and the Millers and Chairboys, isn’t the top two now going to be a big ask this season?

“Everything’s a reaction to a result in football,” Cook responded. “If we’re going to hopefully build a solid team that will take us forward, the bigger picture is something you must look at and we can’t have the short-term outlook that after a win that we might think we’re getting there and the defeats make you feel like the world’s about to end.

“The reality is we watch our team perform and that will be the biggest indicator of where we’re at. Where we feel we’re at tonight at 10 o’clock after that game, is not a great place, so we have to manage that.”

Town have now failed to score in their last three league games. Is that a concern? “Three games ago we were the highest scorers in the division. We haven’t said to them to stop shooting, we haven’t said stop crossing it, we haven’t said creating chances.

“It is what it is and on nights like tonight, I like to think I’m experienced now and I think sometimes we just say well done to Rotherham, wish them a safe trip him, they’ve travelled down well today, they’ve played really, really well and they’ve gone home with the thoroughly deserved points.

Cook brought on Joe Pigott to join Macauley Bonne in the second half and Cook was asked whether he might consider starting the pairing.

“I’m not going to debate the team selections and formations,” he said. “It’s just a difficult night tonight, we lost Sone Aluko, whose father passed away, which is a really disappointing one because Wes Burns on that right-hand side is out with his hamstring.

“You can debate your team and what’s gone on, there’s no point now. Let’s just have some manners.”

How long might Burns be out for? “I don’t want to debate the players and where we’re at. It’s a disappointing night tonight and we’ve got to bounce back from it.”

Bailey Clements was subbed in the second half and Cook was asked whether he felt it was a tough night for the youngster, who was making his third league appearance.

“Bailey’s been excellent in his three or four games and you’re always going to get tested,” he said.

“Defensively you’re always going to get challenged and Bailey’s come into the team and done really, really excellent. He can certainly hold his head up high.”

Rotherham boss Warne was delighted with his side's evening's work after a setback prior to kick-off.

“It didn't start great when [keeper] Josh Vickers went down with a sore groin about 10 minutes from the end of the warm-up, but in the end it was a really good performance,” he told the Millers official website.

“I'm really proud of my group. I say how much I love my players all the time, but they're great. They take on information and they work so hard out of possession of the ball.

“We sort of suffocated Ipswich really because of our work ethic and we got two good goals, and on another night we could have had another couple.

“As away performances go, I'm really pleased. They're a really good team and Cooky is a brilliant manager who will have success here no doubt, but tonight he was against a really good Rotherham side who managed the game really well.

“They all mean a bit but I think you always feel more engaged with the fans when you know how much effort has gone into coming to the game.

“The 250 or so that have come down in midweek is some effort and you do want to enjoy those moments. I didn't want to go full Jurgen Klopp but I sort of did!

“It is a big win and Oxford is going to be another good test on Saturday and then we have two cup games.”

Photo: TWTD

AlanG296 added 12:29 - Nov 24 It wasn't just all over the pitch that Rotherham were a far better team. They had a far better team in the technical area too, and I expect a far better technical team on the training ground, making them a far better team on the pitch.
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SpiritOfJohn added 13:43 - Nov 24 We knew that Rotherham were going to be a tough outfit but it was noticeable that Cook still tried to pick the best 11 players he has available. Sometimes you have to give more respect to the opposition and select the players who are more likely to compete and do the ugly side of the game. On paper it is nice to have Fraser, Celina and Chaplin starting a match as they are all talented footballers, but in practice against a decent Rotherham team we only needed one of these guys and a couple more grafters like Harper and Idris might have made us harder to roll over.

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ringwoodblue added 14:39 - Nov 24 I didn't expect to beat Rotherham but everyone will be expecting to beat Crewe on Sunday. The haven't won on the road all season but I'm sure we can help them change that.
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Stato added 14:51 - Nov 24 The comparisons to Bobby Robson are embarrassing and shameful. Bobby was starting out in management and was in Div 1 so nothing like Cook who has a lot of experience and we are in Div 3. Why have some fans got no ambition ? The play offs are not out goal. Anything other than promotion is failure
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ChrisFelix added 16:37 - Nov 24 Like so many I wasn't surprised by the result last night. In every season a team has a bad game. The problem has been the games against Burton, Cheltenham, Accrington, Plymouth, Wimbledon, & Sunderland. The minimum of 12 points surrendered in those games wouldn't have mattered at 10 oclock last night. But to make up the difference to the top 6 we need to win 6 or 7 in a row Considering that we have only won 6 all season that's will be a miracle

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Monkey_Blue added 17:07 - Nov 24 BossMan The Robson comparison is also factually incorrect. Robson had a good initial impact, it was the first full season when he was shaping the team where there was a poor run of form. He also didn't have more money than all of his rivals, in fact less than practically all of them. The story has been skewed retrospectively because it's a nice anecdote, but he kept us up before the results dip so had some credit in the bank anyway.

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Linkboy13 added 17:14 - Nov 24 The real top managers in the Premier league see things that are not working and make changes instantly not wait until it's two nil. I remember Thomas Tucels first game for Chelsea when after ten minutes he took off Hudson Adoy because he wasn't carrying out instructions this would never happen at Ipswich they would wait till at least half time or when it's too late.
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Blue_Meanie added 18:20 - Nov 24 Having read your comments twice PC, you appear to be the issue.
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Monkey_Blue added 19:41 - Nov 24 How many championship jobs has Cook been “linked” to since he joined us? He's been knocking around Irish, non league and the bottom two divisions for all but one season with Wigan. I bet Richardson will be heavily linked to a good championship job before Cook is. Even Lambert was linked to the Celtic job. Despite his lower league success clubs above this level see something that makes him unattractive. Mid 50's and can anyone claim this isn't his level?

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bluesince76 added 20:24 - Nov 24 More chance of being relegated under cook then getting promoted has had two teams to work with they can't be all bad the owners have been very patient but it's a results business and I have no faith in cook Cook out please.
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Pilgrimblue added 15:34 - Nov 25 THis was lost in the dressing room. They knew if Donne was closely marked and Morsy was kept quiet they would take control. Cook needs to adapt and work out how to set team up. Piggot shhold have started to deal with their tall CB and our formation would then adjust to 442 to give Donne more room and midfield would provide more width and support to FBs (neither of whom are comfortable getting up the field). Their no 17 had so much room it was easy for them and they knew that attacking our right side would be easy with Clements on his own. As for Fraser, he's a v poor player and not sure what he brings to the team. He failed to go with their player for 2nd goal when Clements was outnumbered.

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dirtydingusmagee added 21:34 - Nov 25 yes we were Paul, so what have you and your team of specialists been doing ?
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