Boss Kieran McKenna’s 100 per cent home record with Town came to an end as the Blues were frustrated by Cheltenham, the game ending 0-0. McKenna’s side dominated for most of the match and created enough chances to have claimed the three points.

Bersant Celina, Conor Chaplin and Tom Carroll returned to an XI otherwise unchanged from the 3-0 home victory over Burton Albion on Saturday.

Carroll joined skipper Morsy in the centre of the midfield with Lee Evans having picked up a knee problem late on at the weekend.

Celina and Chaplin started behind Kayden Jackson, who was the central striker having scored one and assisted two against the Brewers. Sone Aluko and Joe Pigott dropped to the bench with James Norwood not in the 18.

Cheltenham, at Portman Road for the first time since a 3-1 Southern League defeat in March 1938, make four changes from their weekend 5-5 draw at Wycombe Wanderers with Lewis Freestone, Reece Hutchinson, Charlie Colkett and Andy Williams in for Ben Williams, who is among only five subs, and William Boyle, Callum Wright and Kion Etete, who are out of the squad.

After the two teams had taken a knee to applause, the Blues got off to a positive start with Chaplin shooting wide from 25 yards in the third minute.

Town should have gone ahead two minutes later when Celina brought the ball forward on the left before sending over a cross which somehow reached one-time Cheltenham loanee Wes Burns breaking towards the far post from where the Welshman was unable to keep his shot down.

Celina continued to be in the thick of the action and on 12, after exchanging passes with Dominic Thompson in the Blues’ half, the Kosovan international brought the ball to the edge of the box before shooting not far over the Robins’ goal.

Town were dominating and in the 17th minute Chaplin twice went close. First the former Barnsley and Portsmouth man hit a sharply-taken shot against a defender from a Burns cross from the right, then when the ball was returned from the other flank sent a diving header towards the corner of the net which visiting keeper Owen Evans palmed away to his right.

Within a minute, Celina shot in to the side-netting, then Chaplin struck an effort which hit a defender and looped up into keeper Evans’s arms.

In the 21st minute, Jackson broke away on the left and sent over a cross which was just too high for Chaplin despite the diminutive forward’s best efforts.

There was a scare for the Blues soon afterwards when keeper Christian Walton played a pass straight to Robins midfielder Elliot Bonds 25 yards out from where he shot over.

Jackson curled a weak effort into Evans’s arms in the 27th minute with the Blues maintaining their dominance.

Morsy felt he should have been awarded a penalty two minutes later when Carroll, having a very impressive game in the centre of midfield, miscued a half-volley from the edge of the area well wide following a corner on the left.

Celina, who had taken the flag-kick, picked up the ball and hit a low shot which deflected out to Morsy, who was crowded out as he looked to shoot, illegally according to the Egyptian international but not referee Andy Davies.

Town continued to look for the opening goal, Burns shooting over from the right of the box in the 37th minute from Morsy’s pass.

On 44 Burns turned a cross from the right against a Cheltenham defender, who he claimed had stopped it with a hand. Referee Davies said otherwise but from the corner Town went close yet again, Luke Woolfenden flicking a head just over the bar.

As the half moved into its final scheduled minute, Chaplin volleyed over from just outside the box.

That was the last chance of a first half entirely dominated by the Blues with the shot count of 13-1 and possession percentage of 69-31 illustrating Town’s control of the match.

The Blues had passed the ball around slickly and at a tempo and had created enough openings to be ahead, albeit without forcing visiting keeper Evans into too many big saves.

Cheltenham, who beat Town 2-1 at Whaddon Road earlier in the season, had defended determinedly but had shown next to nothing going forward.

Comedian Omid Djalili was interviewed over the PA at half-time having moved to Ipswich during the lockdown and having become a regular at Town this season.

The Chelsea fan paid tribute to new boss Kieran McKenna, then Town’s great side of the 1970s and early 1980s - “Everyone’s second favourite team” - and some of those players, including the late Kevin Beattie and Paul Mariner, before giving his version of the Shefki Kuqi swan dive goal celebration, to the amusement of the Portman Road faithful.

Town made a scruffy start to the second half with the visitors looking potentially threatening but without being able to carve out a chance.

The Blues quickly restored their earlier dominance and on 52, Jackson cut a ball back from the right to the edge of the six-yard box but no Town player was on hand to add the final touch.

Just before the hour, with the Portman Road crowd upping the volume as they got behind their side, Chaplin looked to have played in Jackson but the ball hit the striker’s heel.

On 64 Colkett was shown the first yellow card of the game for a late tackle on Burns after the wing-back had been played in on the right by Morsy. From Celina’s free-kick, the ball flashed across the face and somehow wide.

Moments later, Town swapped Thompson and Jackson for Kane Vincent-Young and Macauley Bonne, then on 71 Cheltenham switched Hutchinson with Ben Williams.

A minute later, Andy Williams shot straight at Walton with the visitors showing more going forward than earlier in the game with the Blues less in control.

Freestone was booked for an agricultural tackle on Chaplin, then on 74 Aaron Ramsey, who a few minutes earlier had spent a lengthy period down injured following what looked a minor collision with Burns, was replaced by Wright.

Town hearts were in mouths in the 77th minute when an Alfie May free-kick from the left flew through a crowd of players and was blocked in front of the line before being grabbed by Walton.

But the Blues began to settle again and a minute later, following a corner, Chaplin crossed from the left and the ball fell to Bonne beyond the far post but the on-loan QPR man shot over.

The excellent but tiring Carroll was replaced by Pigott in the 79th minute, then on 82 Chaplin shot over when stretching from a Vincent-Young ball from the left 25 yards out. Two minutes later, Ben Williams was booked for preventing Town from taking a throw-in.

In the 86th minute Pigott and Celina both went for a Burns low ball in from the right with the former AFC Wimbledon man getting there first but with his first touch badly letting him down when a first-time shot looked the better option.

Town continued to push as the game moved into its final moments but not overly convincingly, while Cheltenham looked to waste time and stop the game from having any flow.

The announcement of six additional minutes led to a roar from the Blues support, but it was the Robins who were next to go close, Andy Williams volleying wide from beyond the far post.

Williams subsequently took the turf, much to the frustration of the Town team. Edmundson tried to pull him up but only succeeded in pulling him along the grass, then Woolfenden was confronted by Robins skipper Charlie Raglan. Once order was restored, the latter pair were booked as the Sir Bobby Robson Stand chanted ‘Boring, boring Cheltenham’.

The game was coming to a scruffy end with the Blues not particularly looking like finding the goal they’d been searching for all game.

Deep in injury time, a Celina corner from the left only reached Chaplin, who hooked over, the last chance of the game.

A frustrating night for Town as manager McKenna’s 100 per cent home record ended. In the first half the Blues dominated and they were well on top for most of the second period, although while having scrappier periods and running out of ideas towards the end.

Cheltenham, who have now drawn seven in their last 10, defended resolutely and battled for their point, but Town really had enough chances to have had the game won but on too many occasions keeper Evans wasn’t forced into a save.

One positive for Town was the clean sheet, the fifth in a row, matching a club league record achieved previously in August and September 2019, in March and April 2013 and during the same period in 1997.

The Blues, who travel to face Morecambe on Saturday, remain ninth, still four points away from the play-offs.

Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Burns, Morsy (c), Carroll (Pigott 79), Thompson (Vincent-Young 66), Celina, Chaplin, Jackson (Bonne 66). Unused: Hladky, Burgess, Bakinson, Aluko.

Cheltenham: Evans, Pollock, Raglan (c), Freestone, May, A Williams, Blair, Hutchinson (B Williams 71), Bonds, Ramsey (Wright 74), Colkett (Long 88). Unused: Flinders, Soule. Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire). Att: 21,318 (Cheltenham: 251).

Photo: Matchday Images

Reuser_Who added 22:51 - Feb 22 blues1. I agree, Joe Pigott hasn't really been given a chance but to be honest, I haven't really seen anything from him to suggests he warrants one. I also feel he's not the type of striker McKenna needs for his style of play. Perhaps time will prove me wrong
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Bert added 22:54 - Feb 22 What a horrible, boring outfit Cheltenham proved to be tonight. Incapable of getting out of their half for the first 45 minutes and bloody minded, cheating in the second half, This is why we have to get out of this league and play teams who want to play football and entertain. In my opinion, Burton played an attractive game of football. Cheltenham had no intention of doing so. The ref. was decent !

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TimmyH added 23:03 - Feb 22 Pigott had enough time tonight to balls up a chance and get in the way of Celina and that was bout as close as we came to scoring in the 2nd half...all I've seen and heard about Pigott this season is that he can hold the ball up well and bring others into play, forget about goals though. He was favourite with the bookies before the season started to be top scorer in league one (chortle)...I've wanted him to get some minutes on the pitch recently but he just doesn't seem to take his chance. Anyway forget about tonight...we must win on Saturday and looking more likely that we have to beat (not draw) upcoming play-off candidates.

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Bluroo added 23:03 - Feb 22 Annoying result, wasted some real chances tonight. On the plus side we still haven't conceded in February, that's 5 clean sheets on the bounce now. It's a bit weird watching us, not feeling nervous!
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Bazza8564 added 23:03 - Feb 22 Bert, spot on, I thought th ref was decent too. We looked tired to be honest, moved the ball very quickly first 25 minutes then gradually ran out of steam. Burns looks like the WB role is taking it out of him, plays well for 55 minutes then he struggles, thats no criticism given teh work he gets through. I was disappointed to see Jackson come off, I would have liked to have seen him play wide like saturday rather than as a 9, I dont think thats his game. Either way, its no disaster but puts pressure on teh next two away games, we need a win saturday for sure

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cat added 23:21 - Feb 22 One of them nights unfortunately but Cheltenham were never going to come here and play us off park. I'd have started Piggott to give us some height up top. No point putting crosses in with no height on the pitch. Saving grace is other results went our way. Away win on Saturday should settle a few nerves.
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Umros added 23:30 - Feb 22 Shame we can't put the ex non leaguers who are just spoilers of the great game to the sword, 1 point out of 6 out of the likes of such dross will cost us. Pleased to see the ref actually letting play go tonight for the non fouls where they fein a dive, just needed to clamp down on the time wasting a bit as an improvement which is pathetic and robbing the paying customer of entertainment.

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eddiespearitt03 added 23:34 - Feb 22 If we want to be a Championship club then this team needs to win games like this. This was 2 points lost. We need a prolific goal scorer asap.
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yorkieblue62 added 23:42 - Feb 22 Why change a winning team for the sake of rotation, especially to go back to just one recognised striker. Pigott needs to start to get his confidence up & if that's not working then make a change with at least 30 mins to go, probably using Simpson
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VanDusen added 23:43 - Feb 22 Disappointing but not the end of the world especially with that first half performance. It's a game we would have lost at the end in the past but instead we at least got out with a clean sheet. I'll travel to Morecambe on Friday confident we can put it right up there. What was also refreshing tonight was to see a ref who let play flow rather than constantly blowing up - almost forgotten what that was like! Not often you see it but the officials got 90% or more right tonight - and no, I didn't think it was a handball penalty and it was right up my end where I could see it.

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PhilR added 23:54 - Feb 22 Just seemed strange to change an effective front line for this game. Jackson was so effective against Burton with Pigott and Celina, looked lost tonight by comparison. Our challenge has been our effectiveness up front, creating chances from free play - putting 2 strikers on later, they just got in each other's way. I would really like to see some consistency in our front players - I don't remember Mariner, Gates and Brazil being rotated out, they were effective whoever they played against. And we really need to work out how to make corners threatening. Dominating possession, lovely to see our players comfortable on the ball. Just need to turn it into lots of goals.

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PhilR added 23:56 - Feb 22 I mean Aluko!
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therein61 added 06:16 - Feb 23 Simpson could be the answer against div 1 defences, we had a bad night at the office but a point is better than non onto Saturday COYB
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Nobbysnuts added 06:19 - Feb 23 Poor result...I'm sorry but if you can't beat Cheltenham at home then the playoffs are not going to be achieved...simple.
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Saxonblue74 added 06:54 - Feb 23 Umros, you make a good point. 1 point from Cheltenham could cost us dearly. It's interesting to look at the form tables, apart from last 20 games where we sit in 7th we've been top 6 for the last 30 games. Those dropped points from our poor start to the season could cost dearly.
0

Help added 07:52 - Feb 23 amazing first half, all over them, passing, winning 2nd balls, 50/50's going our way, but not the goal we needed. Second half we lost the momentum, they gained more belief. Game should have been over at half time but was not. Seemed to lack bodies in the box for the number of crosses coming in. Positives the first half, a clean sheet, negatives no goals, 2 points dropped and a chance to be so much closer to the top 6. Pick ourselves up and move on to Saturday, where 3 points are very much needed now.

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mathiemagic added 09:01 - Feb 23 Suspect that will be that with regards the play-offs. A type of game you know will happen every season no matter the division, better than the opposition for 90% of the game but cant put the ball in the net and either lose or drop 2 points. Due to our woeful start to the season it now feels like a defeat. 7th place is looming large i sadly predict...... #COYB
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herfie added 09:21 - Feb 23 Disappointing and frustrating. But, with similar to face in the next two games, it's vital that KMcK's analytical skills are deployed to max effect. Need to arrive at the most effective goal scoring solution - which might well include Simpson.
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blueboy1981 added 09:29 - Feb 23 Impotent Final Third - has to be said - possession and build up fine then NOTHING, and what few chances created - MISSED !! If we are serious contenders these games must yield WINS at Home. Mark me down as you will - but it's TRUE !!
2

blueboy1981 added 09:37 - Feb 23 Powder Puff up Front !! - bring Simpson into the squad and make him feel part of the Club. He knows where the Goal is, he's proved that - whereas our other Strikers seem to have forgotten.
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gosblue added 09:50 - Feb 23 If I was an opposition coach doing my pre-match analysis of Ipswich it may look a bit like this: They will be on the front foot from the kick off where they'll have 70% possession. We need to defend deep and work like devils. After about 30 minutes they'll run out of ideas and we'll be able to get into the game more. That has been the pattern for so many games now. We managed to spoil Burton's plans by scoring early. Cheltenham soaked up the pressure for half-an-hour then on about 35 they had seven players in and around our box for a free-kick and that to me signalled the inevitable change in dynamics. When we do our planning we need to factor in that teams will have a go at some point and we need to get better at hitting them on the break. Bolton was a prime example. We failed to exploit the huge spaces Bolton left behind their high back line. As for Cheltenham, several of their players were nursing cramp even when the ball was in play. It wasn't all fakery. They won't have been run around like that very often. Again, we failed to capitalise. The pluses are we created enough chances to have won 3 or 4-nil, we rarely look like conceding these days. COYB

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Linkboy13 added 10:14 - Feb 23 Looks like McKenna will on the lookout for a couple of strikers in the summer. We looked more threatening with Jackson up front on his own in the first half. Bonne and Pigott up front looked completely passionless time is running out for Pigott im afraid not seeing this brilliant hold up play i keep hearing about dosent win anything in the air and gets knocked off the ball far too easily for a big man. Bonne is lacking in confidence but that doesn't stop him from showing some commitment. Start of the season he was playing up front on his own he's not capable of that now.

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TimmyH added 10:31 - Feb 23 All those who down voted me on my 2nd post - was it a good performance other than the opening 20 minutes?...it wasn't! Cheltenham had the measure of us in the 2nd half and defensively were well organised with their bank of 5 midfielders across the width of the pitch and we were just suffocated for creativity... Personally need to see more of Aluko as he's had limited time over the last few games and Simpson is worth some minutes as an alternative to what we have as an attacking threat.

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SussexTractor added 10:31 - Feb 23 It might be better to play a settled front two in combination i.e. Option 1 - Pigott and Jackson and Option 2 - Bonne and Norwood. Start with either option but do not keep mixing them up and change both if substitutions are made. The actual shots on target last night were only 4 despite all the dominance, which is not good enough, but it needs the strikers working together in their positional play. This is the missing ingredient.

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Orraman added 11:10 - Feb 23 Games like this show exactly why we need to get out of this division as soon as possible. Teams like Cheltenham, Accrington, Morecambe and a few others who have reached the height of their ambition by getting into League 1 and hopefully staying there are on a totally different level to the likes of us. Shows why Sunderland are still stuck down here after several seasons,as were Leeds several years ago. all they want to do is stifle good football by fake injuries and blatant time wasting although it has to be said that Oxford were as bad as anyone else this season so it seems to suit their game plan. Have to give credit to teams like Burton who try to play a fair and open game. I still hold out hope for a playoff place because after Morecambe and Fleetwood we then play teams with a bit more quality about them and who will play the game, giving us a chance to play our game

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