Wretched Town suffered yet another embarrassing FA Cup exit as first-half goals from Jordan Stevens and Robbie Gotts saw League Two Barrow to a 2-0 second-round replay victory at Holker Street. The Blues deserved little more having been woeful in a first half in which Stevens netted on 26 and Gotts nine minutes later. Town huffed and puffed after the break but never looked like getting back into the match.

Interim manager John McGreal made eight changes to the Blues side with only Christian Walton, Kane Vincent-Young and Cameron Burgess remaining from Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Wigan.

Walton continued in goal behind a back four of, from the right, Vincent-Young, Toto Nsiala, Burgess and Matt Penney.

In midfield, Idris El Mizouni and Tom Carroll were in the centre with Scott Fraser on the left and Sone Aluko, who skippered, on the right. Up front, James Norwood started alongside Kayden Jackson.

Among those on the bench are captain Sam Morsy, Conor Chaplin and Janoi Donacien, while Ben Morris was included in the first-team squad for the first time since the Coventry game in March 2020, the final match before that season was suspended due to the pandemic.

Young midfielder Cameron Humphreys was due to be in the squad but was left out as his room-mate has Covid, according to Blues legend Terry Butcher, who was part of the team covering the game live for ITV4

League Two Barrow made two changes with Josh Gordon and Matt Platt coming into the team for Ozzy Zanzala and Mark Ellis, who dropped to the bench.

Prior to kick-off both teams took a knee aside from Aluko and Nsiala, who both raised an arm.

Barrow saw most of the ball in the early stages and on five Gordon got behind Burgess on the right but screwed his shot well wide.

The Bluebirds continued to dominate the ball and in the 12th minute came close to going in front when Patrick Brough crossed from the left after a flowing move from halfway and Gotts shot just over from the edge of the area.

Barrow felt they should have been awarded a penalty in the 19th minute when Burgess sent Gordon flying as he cleared after dallying not realising the Barrow striker was behind him. The Town defender looked to have got something on the ball as well as the player but some referees might have given it.

The Blues had shown very little with the home side controlling the game and in the 26th minute they went in front with their first goal in open play in seven matches.

A corner was played short to Gott, who laid it to Stevens on the edge of the box from where he smashed a shot into the net off El Mizouni. It was all the League Two side deserved with the Blues yet to get going.

Barrow threatened again on the half hour when Gotts shot not too far wide at the near post from a right-sided cross.

The Blues continued to labour and in the 35th minute the home side doubled their lead. Stevens crossed from the left, Brough couldn’t direct it goalwards but it dropped to Gotts, who smashed into the net to make it 2-0.

The scoreline far from flattered the Cumbrians, who had been much the better side with the Blues having shown nothing.

Town finally threatened as the half reached its final minutes, a Fraser free-kick from the right leading to a corner from which Burgess flicked a header well wide, much to his frustration.

The half-time whistle was greeted by cheers from the home side who thoroughly deserved their two-goal lead with the Blues as bad as they’ve been at any point over the last few seasons.

Town had been embarrassingly schooled by League Two’s 19th-place team, who had passed the ball around tidily and created the game’s only chances.

The Blues had struggled to keep hold of the ball, had carved out nothing in front of goal and had looked shaky at the back.

It was little surprise that McGreal made changes at the break with skipper Morsy and Luke Woolfenden taking over from Fraser and Carroll as he moved the team into a 3-5-2 system with Aluko ahead of El Mizouni and Morsy in the centre.

Town threatened within a minute of the restart, Norwood stabbing wide from inside the area.

On 48 sub Woolfenden headed wide after a corner which had been played to the edge of the box had been looped back towards the post.

In the 54th minute Morsy hit a well-struck shot from just outside the box which home keeper Paul Farman saved down to his left and then claimed ahead of Jackson as the striker sought to follow-up, suffering a knock which required treatment as he did so.

Farman, who was in goal for Lincoln when they beat Town in the FA Cup at Sincil Bank in 2017, was eventually OK to carry on.

Barrow created their first opportunities of the second half in the 58th minute, First, Ollie Banks’s shot was blocked then Stevens sent his volley over the bar.

Just after the hour, Norwood chased a long ball down the middle but Farman was quickly off his line to claim in front of the striker.

On 66 Morsy was shown the game’s first yellow card for a late challenge on Banks inside the centre circle. Two minutes later, Norwood was swapped for Joe Pigott after a frustrating evening.

In the 72nd minute Nsiala went down clearly in pain after colliding with Gordon and required treatment for what looked like a twisted knee. The centre-half eventually gingerly made his way to the touchline and was replaced by Donacien, while Chaplin took over from Aluko. On 79, Barrow swapped Stevens for Josh Kay and Connor Brown for Remeao Hutton.

Any momentum the Blues might have built up in the early minutes of the half had well and truly dissipated with the game petering out as a contest given the home’s side’s two-goal lead and the succession of substitutions preventing any flow.

However, in the 80th minute, Vincent-Young sent a low ball across the Bluebirds area but with no one on hand to add a final touch.

Town were seeing a fair bit of the ball but without finding a way through the Barrow XI, who by now were happy to sit on their lead. On 87 Pigott shot into the ground and through to Farman.

Morsy showed his frustration a minute later by dragging a Barrow player to his feet as he was on the ground waiting for treatment and was fortunate not to be shown a second yellow card.

As the match moved into six minutes of injury time, Pigott rose to head a Donacien cross from the right towards goal but Farman was again able to save with little fanfare.

The Blues kept pushing in the final minutes but with little conviction and cheers from the home fans rang around the ground at the final whistle after a famous and deserved cup upset.

Another FA Cup horror show - as was the case with then-non-league Lincoln in 2017 in front of TV cameras - to go with Town’s worst.

After an abject first-half display, the Blues improved after the break but never put Barrow under real pressure and Farman in goal had a quiet evening.

The Bluebirds progress to round three and an away tie at Barnsley, while the Blues will be without a game on Saturday 8th January with their league match with AFC Wimbledon off as the Dons are also in FA Cup action.

Town, led either by McGreal or perhaps a new manager, are next in action on Saturday when Sunderland are at Portman Road when the Blues will have to be very much better if they’re to take anything from the game.

Barrow: Farman, Brown (Hutton 79), Brough, Platt, Gordon (Zanzala 82), White, J Jones, Gotts (Ellis 90), Grayson, Banks (c), Stevens (Kay 79). Unused: Lillis, Taylor, M Jones, Beadling, James.

Town: Walton, Vincent-Young, Nsiala (Donacien 75), Burgess, Penney, Aluko (c) (Chaplin 75), El Mizouni, Carroll (Woolfenden 46), Fraser (Morsy 46), Jackson, Norwood (Pigott 68). Unused: Hladky, Kenlock, Morris. Referee: James Bell (Sheffield). Att: 2,756 (Town: 202).

Photo: Pagepix

BlueandTruesince82 added 22:26 - Dec 15 It really was awful. 1st half was dire. Worst town performance I think I've ever seen. Worse than Lincoln in 2017. Awful.
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KiwiTractor added 22:26 - Dec 15 Wouldn't be unhappy to see the following leave the club... Hladky Penney Nsiala Fraser Edwards Harper Carroll Barry Nolan Pigott Jackson
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TB42 added 22:27 - Dec 15 If I was on the new manager short list, I would pull my application immediately!!!! Whoever takes the job has more than the metaphorical mountain to climb with this lot….
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TimmyH added 22:27 - Dec 15 I wonder if it's possible to get jetlag on a 45 minute flight?...that's one possible excuse, it looked like it.
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tractorboy2421 added 22:28 - Dec 15 If we performed like this at our work, we would get stopped our pay & told to fook off, yet these clowns just swan around week after week not giving a toss about our club. We find it embarrassing, yet the Muppets making it embarrassing DONT ... I will never be ashamed of my club, but I am of these clowns wearing our colours
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DaGremloid added 22:28 - Dec 15 Cook bought most of these players. They were built up as the best squad we've had for years. Those who are saying Cook shouldn't have been sacked - look at the clowns he bought. Except for 2 maybe 3 they are Sunday league quality.
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Michael101 added 22:28 - Dec 15 On Saturday I think we should play 5_5_4 that way we might have a change against Sunderland
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richardpaul added 22:29 - Dec 15 Just watched the match on tv The players on the field were NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE what a shambles Never mind aspirations to the Championship We'll soon be fighting a relegation battle ABOLUTE SH--E Forgive my language but the question is Where do we go from here ?
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Gcon added 22:30 - Dec 15 Intrigued to see that Anthony Barry has, in the last couple of hours, superseded Neil Harris as the favourite for the Town job. He looks an interesting choice.
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Orraman added 22:31 - Dec 15 All I can say after that is “Well done Barrow”. A team who only returned to league football 2 years ago after 40 years in non-league, managed by someone who the majority of posters on this site would say “No thanks” when replacing Cook. A squad of players who are virtual unknowns to all of us - and what happens? They play us off the park. Resolute in defence, sharp, incisive passing, quick on the break and dangerous with it and they showed much more of their cojones than our team of total wasters. They are probably on 10% of our squad's wages, but they show steel and desire. We had a decent, if not great squad under Lambert and all it needed was tweaking with a few strategic signings and we would probably be in the mess we are in now. Just what is the point of Scott Fraser, Joe Pigott, Lee Evans and Sam Morsy who all came with good cv's from their previous clubs. They have certainly done nothing at Ipswich. I would keep Edmundson, Burgess, Aluko, Burns and Chaplin and the rest should just be put on the transfer list. If we don't go up this season, which seems highly unlikely, we can almost certainly say goodbye to Bonne, Celina and Walton and without the input from these three this season we would already be in a relegation battle. It's not too late but whoever gets the job will need impressive man management and motivational skills. Can it be done? I love ITFC and will be optimistic until mathematically impossible.

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ringwoodblue added 22:31 - Dec 15 We don't need a manager, we need a miracle worker to do anything with this sorry excuse for a team. I'm not really that surprised that we lost but it was our performance and the manner of the defeat that really gets me
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Lightningboy added 22:33 - Dec 15 Each and every one of them - not fit to wear our badge - do they actually give a stuff?
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runaround added 22:33 - Dec 15 Pathetic, embarrassing and out of order “performance “ from the players tonight. We're not up for it from first whistle to last whistle. Feel for the fans who traveled as they deserve better than that. Also feel for McGreal as that performance I was disrespectful to him as a coach. New manager needed ASAP to put the fear of god up these players
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tractorboy2421 added 22:34 - Dec 15 I just had to go through watching this siht & then have my m8's texting me to rightly rip me to flucking pieces, going to love going to work tomorrow smfh.... So looking forward to the weekend
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markchips added 22:35 - Dec 15 I sat down to watch the match with no expectations and was not surprised by the result. Carroll, Jackson, Nsiala and Penney were simply dreadful. I expect Fraser will be off to Swansea so can't be bothered. Once half the team had decided to not turn up it was Barrow's game to lose. I have said this before but too many weak players . Better to employ workers to complement the few skilled players. This match had a real stench of a number of players who know in their own minds that once a new manager is appointed they will be put out to grass. Someone wrote earlier that they wanted Kenlock to come on for Penney. Apart from him being ineligible , that just about sums up where we are at the moment. Penney is a classic example. There were reasons why Sheffield Wednesday did not renew his contract and played him rarely. If we are to improve we cannot afford to employ other team,s cast offs. Boy has the new management team got a job on their hands. They will have to be ruthless. Well done to all the travelling supporters , what a credit you are to the club. What a shame we can't say the same about the players.

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Saxonblue74 added 22:38 - Dec 15 Dagremloid, 6 out of 10 outfield players in the 2nd half were not Cook signings. They were however all as bad as each other. Put Burns, Celina, Coulson, Edmondson, Bonne, Edwards (maybe) and Evans in tonight, all Cook signings, and that may have looked different!
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TimmyH added 22:38 - Dec 15 Yes Anthony Barry is now 2nd favourite for the appointment and Tuchel at Chelsea trying to get him to stay...been an influential man their.
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surgery added 22:38 - Dec 15 And just to top it all we had the sidekick laughing his head off
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PSGBlue added 22:38 - Dec 15 As I briefly mentioned in the chat room. The heroic travelling fans should take players place on the plane and stick the bunch of ITFC wasters on the bus. I hear they do a good cup of team at Birmingham services at 03.30 am, I started watching ITFC in 1977 and this has got to be the lowest of the lows, even outstripping the 9-0 stuffing by Man Utd. This was Barrow in Furness who just played us off the park in the first half. Gutless and embarrassing to say the least! I pity the poor scapegoat who comes out tomorrow to do the usual pathetic ‘we are all hurting and must do better' speech!

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yorkieblue62 added 22:39 - Dec 15 Abandon hope 78,at this rate we might be in the Eastern Counties league in 6 years time. Worst I can remember in 65 years. Sluggish not the word. I am 73 and was faster than most of those players in tonights 5 a side.
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RobsonWark added 22:40 - Dec 15 I remember reading about some Americans buying London Bridge in the 1960s and shipping it to America brick by brick and rebuilding it back in Arizona thinking they were buying Tower Bridge. I wonder if our American friends thought they were buying Ipswich Wanderers and ended up with our club Ipswich Town?
3

SickParrot added 22:44 - Dec 15 How many more times will the players be allowed to embarrass the club. If only Ashton had the balls to terminate the contracts of players who don't want to be here or who fail to give 100%. Of the players that Cook signed the only ones I would keep are Walton, Edmondson, Burns, Chaplin, Bonne and Celina. I would also get rid of Jackson. The new manager has one hell of a mess to sort out.

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KernewekBlue added 22:44 - Dec 15 Kayden Jackson? What has he EVER done for this team?? I remember a couple of seasons back, lip-reading one of the Bristol City defender's comments to him on the pitch, when he was once again perfectly executing his headless-chicken-routine, running around aimlessly without contributing to a performance, as usual... "F'ing amateur" Those two words sum him up very neatly. Why is he anywhere near a football pitch wearing our shirt? Why? He brings nothing to the party! As for the others who graced the pitch with their presences tonight in a Town shirt, I can only marvel at the sheer depths to which the collective, as a whole, has sunk. That, tonight, was a complete shambles of a non-performance... just what the hell is going on with this club. We need a new man at the helm quicksmart to arrest this awful run before we end up staring down the barrel of League Two. What on earth can we expect when we come up against Sunderland now? I shudder to think of the possibilities! Oh, and one more thing, Bluearmy_81 is correct, whether you like it or not... Marcus Evans killed our club. Not tonight, not 2 weeks ago, not 2 seasons ago... he consigned us to years of misery and slow decline as soon as he took control. The man is a menace, a cankerous carbuncle, a clueless spiv, a sly chancer, who took this once proud club, stripped it of any hope and any real talent it had, pushed his boot down on it's neck and ground it's face into the dust while we all stood by and watched. End of story.

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Umros added 22:45 - Dec 15 Each time you think this is an all time low another follows. Or fun being a Town fan is it ? How the likes of Jackson, penny and Nsialla can even pull a shirt on is beyond me. Are we any further forward with this squad than the last ? Will we attract a decent manager or will they run a mile .....I would. After this and similar gutless performances with players more interested in hair cuts and boot colours I never thought I'd say it but Warnock intil End of season to ship out the softees .....which will Be tricky in itself ! Pathetic

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ChrisR added 22:47 - Dec 15 And what an uninspiring group our temporary coaches look , JM looks and sounds so blank , and I know poor KD is very unwell , but neither of them would seem capable of inspiring or leading this very ordinary bunch of players that Cook and Hurst has saddled us with . I'm sure most would be happy to leave tomorrow , with their contracts paid off!
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