Ben House’s first-half goal saw Lincoln City win 1-0 at Portman Road for the first time since September 1954, the Blues’ first home league defeat of the season. House headed home from close range in the 24th minute with Town unable to find a way through the Imps’ determined backline, despite creating plenty of second-half chances, failing to score for the first time in League One this season.

Wes Burns, Luke Woolfenden, Freddie Ladapo and Marcus Harness all returned to the Town starting line-up having been subs for the 2-1 win at Morecambe last week.

Woolfenden replaced Richard Keogh at the centre of the defence with the former Derby man dropping to the bench.

Burns was wide on the right with Kyle Edwards also among the subs, while Harness took over as one of the number 10s from Tyreece John-Jules and Ladapo from lone central striker Kayden Jackson with the two players dropping out on the bench.

Aside from Janoi Donacien, who used to wear two but now dons the 44 shirt, Town were numbered one to 11.

Dominic Ball was also back in the squd as a sub having missed out last week due to a gash on his leg.

Lincoln, with ex-Town full-back Mark Kennedy in charge, were unchanged from last week’s 0-0 home draw with Charlton with former Blues midfielder Teddy Bishop absent due to a hamstring injury.

Following a minute’s applause in tribute to former Town boss John Duncan, who died aged 73 last week, the game got under way with the Blues, with Three Lion Berke Bakay watching from the directors’ box, dominating the ball but without breaking into the Lincoln final third.

As the match reached the five-minute mark, the North Stand sang in honour of Pablo Couñago, who has been back at this club this week and was at the game.

On seven, a neat exchange midway inside the Imps half involving Ladapo and Conor Chaplin sent Burns away on goal but the Welshman had strayed offside.

Town still hadn’t come even close to threatening by the 18th minute, too many passes around the area having gone astray, when Donacien suffered a knock in the middle of the Lincoln half having stolen the ball from one of the visitors. After treatment, the defender was able to continue.

The Imps won a corner on 23, then a minute later TJ Eyoma sent over a dangerous ball from the right which Donacien turned behind at the far post.

"George Edmundson put the first corner from the left high and into the stand, but from the second flag-kick the visitors took the lead.

Skipper Regan Poole stopped the under-hit corner from going straight behind, looping the ball into the air. Paudie O’Connor won the subsequent header and sent it to the far post where the unmarked House nodded into the net.

It was a poor goal to concede from a Town perspective with players perhaps also having thought it had gone out of play before Poole’s header.

The Blues started to get going from an attacking perspective as the game approached the half-hour mark, Leif Davis winning a corner on the left from which a Chaplin effort was deflected over. From the subsequent flag-kick, Lee Evans headed powerfully but wide.

Davis created a brilliant chance for Town to level in the 34th minute, the wing-back getting round the outside of his man from Woolfenden's excellent pass before cutting back to Chaplin, who uncharacteristically mis-kicked.

Captain Sam Morsy shot wide from 30 yards a minute later, then on 36 Evans struck a low effort which Imps keeper Carl Rushworth tipped behind for a corner from which Edmundson headed across goal and wide.

After their slow start, Town were beginning to get up a head of steam and were creating chances.

On 40, Davis shot over after a corner from the right had reached him deep on the left of the area.

Two minutes later, Harness was fouled five yards outside the area and Evans hit a free-kick which beat the wall but was snaffled with ease by Rushworth.

In the final scheduled minute of the half, the Welshman was booked for a foul on House just inside the Town half.

A disappointing period from the Blues who saw virtually all of the ball in the early stages without breaking into the final third with too many passes going astray.

Then, for the second week running, they conceded a poor set-piece goal, again the opposition’s first opportunity of the match.

Town subsequently started to look a little more their usual selves and created a number of chances, Chaplin’s the standout opportunity, but while still not overly convincing against a Lincoln side who were making it difficult for them to make attacking headway.

Two minutes after the restart, Evans clipped a cross from the right towards Ladapo but Rushworth claimed just ahead of the Town striker.

A minute later, a mix-up in the Town defence led to Woolfenden having to make an important challenge to concede a corner from which the Imps hit the woodwork. Max Sanders’s corner looped over Christian Walton and House headed against the far post, the ball bouncing kindly for the Blues before being cleared.

Town were continuing to toil, regularly running into challenges or having passes cut out as they sought to break into the final third. On 52, Jack Diamond hit a low shot which Walton saved down to his right.

A minute later, Harness made a strong run to the edge of the box where he appeared to be fouled. The loose ball ran to Chaplin, whose shot was blocked.

Town began to up the pressure with Lincoln unable to get the ball out of their box from a corner with another Chaplin effort saved by Rushworth and a low Evans cross cut out, while there were also penalty shouts for handball and a foul on the ex-Portsmouth forward which came to nothing.

Lincoln claimed a penalty of their own on 57 when Daniel Mandriou went to ground inside the box following a break but looked very clearly to have dived.

Harness shot well over from the edge of the box as the game approached the hour mark, then two minutes later, Burns was found on the right of the area but shot well over on the turn.

Town were continuing to play most of the game in and around the Lincoln area. Edmundson saw a shot blocked and again the Imps had trouble clearing their lines following a corner.

On 66, the Blues carved out an excellent chance to get back on terms. Morsy lifted a ball over a defender to Chaplin on the left, who cut back to Harness, who again shot over.

Town made their first changes as Lincoln prepared to take the goal-kick with John-Jules and Edwards replacing Ladapo and Chaplin. Having made the changes, the Blues found themselves waiting for the Imps, who had made their way to the sidelines for an impromptu drinks break, much to the annoyance of the home support.

Edwards immediately made an impact, bursting down the left and cutting back to Harness, who took too long over the chance and was crowded out. The loose ball fell to Morsy, but his shot struck the offside Burns and John-Jules in any case sent it well over.

On 72, a well-worked move involving Harness and Burns led to Morsy hitting a shot from the edge of the area through to Rushworth.

Three minutes later, after some solid challenges in the middle of the Lincoln half, the ball broke to Edwards, who skipped his way into the area past a couple of defenders before Poole blocked his strike. In the 76th minute, the Imps swapped Mandroiu for Lasse Sorensen.

Three minutes later, the visitors claimed a penalty when House went to ground as he battled with Woolfenden but looked merely to have been outmuscled by the Town defender.

The Blues switched Donacien and Burns for Kane Vincent-Young and Jackson as the game moved into its final 10 minutes.

Evans almost levelled for Town with a fluke in the 81st minute, his free-kick from wide on the left looping over Rushworth and striking the woodwork.

Like Edwards, Jackson made an early impact, breaking down the right at pace but seeing his crosses cut out. On 85, Edmundson’s header bounced weakly to Rushworth from Edwards’s cross following a corner.

House subsequently took the the ground to the frustration of the Town fans, increasingly annoyed by Lincoln time-wasting, however, the goalscorer was substituted moments later with Jordon Garrick taking over, while Town swapped Edmundson for Ball.

Harness and Jackson both had shots blocked as the Blues continued to look for an equaliser, then John-Jules curled a shot well over.

On 89, Jackson crossed low to the far post but Eyoma was there to turn it behind ahead of Davis.

Just prior to the fourth official indicating seven additional minutes, John-Jules hit a shot which very obviously took a deflection before flying wide, however, referee Andy Davies and his assistant awarded a goal-kick.

A minute later, Morsy hit a low effort from the edge of the box which only narrowly beat Rushworth’s right post.

Town continued to press in the remaining minutes but without finding a way through and at the whistle it was the 653 Imps fans who were cheering their first Portman Road win in 68 years, along with manager Kennedy making a triumphant return to Portman Road.

The Blues, who played the second period almost entirely in the Lincoln half having threatened rarely in the first, will be left rueing failing to take their chances with their finishing poor throughout as only five shots on target out of 33 illustrates.

The defeat is Town's second of the season, their first at home in the league in 2022/23, although Colchester previously won in the Carabao Cup, and their second home loss in the league since Kieran McKenna took charge in December.

The result sees the Blues stay second but now only a point ahead of Sheffield Wednesday in third with Plymouth now four points ahead at the top.

Town are next in action at Cambridge United in the Papa Johns Trophy on Tuesday with Derby County at Portman Road in League One on Friday.

Town: Walton, Donacien (Vincent-Young 79), Woolfenden, Edmundson (Ball 85), Burns (Vincent-Young 79), Morsy (c), Evans, Davis, Chaplin (Edwards 66), Harness, Ladapo (John-Jules 67). Unused: Hladky, Keogh.

Lincoln: Rushworth, Poole (c), Jackson, Sanders, O'Connor, House (Garrick 85), Mandroiu (Sorensen 76), Eyoma, Roughan, Virtue, Diamond. Unused: Wright, Vernam, Oakley-Boothe, Robson, Draper. Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire). Att: 27,608 (Lincoln: 653).

Photo: Matchday Images

TimmyH added 17:57 - Oct 15 Well I don't think many expected that result today but the reality is if we start games poorly like we have the last 2 we're playing catch up and today we really didn't have our shooting boots on with too many front players off colour - Harness, Ladapo, Chaplin, Burns etc. We need to limit these sort of results if we're genuine automatic contenders which only time will tell...

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tractorboybig added 17:57 - Oct 15 its the reality check.....
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EssexTractor added 18:03 - Oct 15 Theses results arise every so often after which you go home , frustrated , angry, disappointed. Those feelings actually emerged in the first half when we were ponderous, played sideways too often and unfortunately had a number of players below par. It maybe that he doesn't get any real service or maybe it's because he is just not quite good enough,,Freddie that is ..he caused no problems to the sturdy Lincoln defence. Wes has definitely lost the pace of last season when he would run past his full back. JD usually so dependable was clumsy. Lincoln relied on a mistake which we created for them and suddenly we trailed , so then they basically said “ Let's see how good you are” and planted ten men in defence for the majority of the rest of the match , and that tactic worked well for them . Despite the supposed 33 shots , very few got as far as their keeper, so credit to their plan . And this type of opposition at Portman Raid will be recurrent until May , so patient as all of us would like to be , there needs to be another plan , but that would need a real hold up player at number nine to hold up play and I fear we don't have one . We will recover , we will probably not have 33 shots and not score , but most importantly at home we must start with our foot further down on the accelerator pedal. No real stand out contenders for Man of The Match but the best over the 90 minutes was Leif Davis

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johnwarksshorts added 18:09 - Oct 15 If you asked me before season started that after 14 games we'd be on 30 points with only 2 home defeats I would have bitten your hand off. Yes today was a disappointing result and frustrating, but we're going to have games like this where we dominate possession and the other team nick a goal and sit back with 11 men behind the ball, it's a blip that's all, you'd think with some of the comments on here that we lose every week. Give Lincoln some credit for their game plan sitting back and almost nullifying our right side. We're not going to win every game. Looking forward to Derby on Friday. COYB.

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rgp1 added 18:23 - Oct 15 As Mr Wolf says "I'll huff and I'll puff but today I cannot blow down your house".
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barrystedmunds added 18:24 - Oct 15 We're a long way off the finished article so upsets like this will happen, but teams like Argyle appear to handle this kind of problem, teams sitting back, so much better then us which is quite frustrating. If games were won on possession, we'd be top of the league but they're not and we move on. COYBs
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Gforce added 18:25 - Oct 15 Must start Kyle Edwards on Friday,he's the one player who really made things happen,when he came on.Defences are frightened to death of him.Give the guy a full 90 minutes,he deserves it.
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shortmarine1969 added 18:27 - Oct 15 Not a game we deserved to lose, but we did. Our play over more than a few games can be overly slow and predictable. For all the good stuff he does which is plenty, Woolfy gets the ball and kills it to walking pace more often than not , and then passes it out sideways to the right and this sets a tone for the play forwards..and repeat...!!!. We have also lost the killer right side with Burns not being quite at it at present. Also, the delivery or lack of from the right was frustrating. Forwards are not at it either, not convinced they are the right forwards for the system we play. But we should not lose sight that we are still 2nd and have plenty of games to go, but need to address slow start side of our play, to ensure we do not drop any more points than we need too (as always going to get an odd freak result here and there (hope this was one of those)

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Nomore4 added 18:32 - Oct 15 That was the poorest performance at home under the new ownership by a long way…. Hopefully just a off day. But we face a much better team on Friday. I personally thought Lincoln was the poorest team we've faced at home, certainly this season. A bad day simple. Can't afford many more at home that's for sure.
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warwickblue added 18:34 - Oct 15 I'm not sure that we're giving Lincoln enough credit here. They were strong, well-organised and stuck ruggedly to their game-plan throughout - and they didn't try to kick us off the park. It was just one of those days. If we were still playing now I don't think we'd have scored.
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blueboy1981 added 18:35 - Oct 15 You won't like this - but it's True !! We are NOT as good as many Supporters are making out, and want to believe - there are better Teams in this awful Division 3 than Ipswich Town this season. Much to do …. !!!
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Nomore4 added 18:48 - Oct 15 Warickblue Lincoln was terrible. They posed zero threat throughout the game. We faced more threat playing MK Dons. ITFC was weak today. Big step up needed Friday…..We won't play many more poorer teams at home this season than Lincoln.
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blueboy1981 added 18:53 - Oct 15 For those who obviously watch but don't know the Game - the Game starts in the First Minute, and not after the 45th minute every week ! All too common a trait now to stay serious contenders. False Euphoria will yield nothing, neither will Rotation when it takes the first 45 minutes to acclimatise to the players around you who didn't play in the last game. The required ability level is NOT there in Division 3 - this is not the Premiership, and it rarely even works there. If Rotation worked, why are settled Teams around us, and much smaller Clubs, you know who they are, are not having the same problems … ???

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jas0999 added 18:57 - Oct 15 Great crowd, lots of possession, but a lack of quality up front. Overall, whichever way you look at it, a disappointing and unexpected result against a very poor Lincoln side. We have of course seen this before this season. Despite dominating, we lost at Plymouth, drew at Wednesday and two home draws when we should - like today - should have won. Possession is one thing, but you have to score. Plymouth have no trouble. The lack of a very good striker has always been a concern - today demonstrated that unfortunately. Much for KM to ponder, a win on Friday at home, an absolute must.

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Drifter3012 added 18:59 - Oct 15 The first 20 minutes were the story of the match. Lincoln hunted in packs to start with and we had no rhythm going. They scored 5 minutes later and their game plan was coming to fruition. They then just needed to keep their shape, which they did and that was that. I had hoped that like the Cambridge match the subs would turn it around and I thought Edwards had a good 10 minutes but then faded and Jackson looked lively too but the lack of a decent striker on the bench is killing us. But we are still 2nd and it is only October. Hopefully the lads will be fired up to put Derby to the sword on Friday.

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BeattiesBackPocket added 19:01 - Oct 15 Some of the over reacting from I'm guessing armchair radio listening fans on here is laughable. Why are some so doom and gloom? I've heard not clinical enough well we were top scorers and best goal difference only behind Man City in top 4 leagues before today so that's rubbish, it was just one of those games which we all have in a season. Only issue I have is we should play with that tenacity and urgency from first whistle not just second half same as last week we need to be on the front foot especially at home. Year we went up as champions under Lyall we got slaughtered by a Glenn hoddle Swindon town 4-1 at home and won the league. Onwards and upwards it's now about how we respond.

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therein61 added 19:04 - Oct 15 Maybe a bit of deep heat in the under short garments will get us moving a bit more in the first half as found out today relying on a better 2nd half will not get us promotion, Something needs a damn good shake up in the next few days before an improving Derby visit over to you K.M.
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backwaywhen added 19:10 - Oct 15 Bad day at the office ….. we move on , score first and we would have probably won convincingly , Harris Clarke please from Peterborough in January …. COYBs
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OliveR16 added 19:11 - Oct 15 Ah well, play-offs here we come.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 19:15 - Oct 15 Disappointing, although I had a feeling we would lose today (you can't win 'em all). I had hoped we would at least get a draw. But I don't think we were "unlucky." We simply didn't have the penetration to break Lincoln down. They are a decent side, but we must work out how to beat teams of this level to be top promotion contenders. If we can beat Derby, this will soon be forgotten. But if we lose again, then the negative vibes will take root. And we do seem to lack that powerful/skilful no. 9 with an eye for the goal - someone who can put the ball in the net, rather than passing it on to yet another team member. Anyway: COYB!

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RobsonWark added 19:17 - Oct 15 We had 33 shots on goal and only 5 on target! Lincoln had 3 shots on goal and 2 of them were on target. Shooting practice badly needed on Monday!
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RobsonWark added 19:42 - Oct 15 I could have sworn that the stadium announcer said number 9 Freddie Ladapo when he announced the team before the match...I must have mis-heard because I don't remember seeing him do anything on the pitch today.
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Nomore4 added 19:43 - Oct 15 BBP I'm a season ticket holder in the lower north, not armchair. I know and understand you don't lose games at home to teams in the bottom half of the table. Not if you want to finish top 2.
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Cakeman added 19:45 - Oct 15 Unfortunately all our players had an off day at the same time. Played the first half with very slow passing which often went astray. Didn't look like scoring in the first half but should have had at least Three in the second. We are very predictable now and this needs addressing because teams coming to Portman Road will most likely just try to frustrate us and look to score with a bit of fortune or a break away. Trying to funnel things down to Wes Burns is now expected and to a certain extent he is being nullified and man-marked more than he was last season. It's easy to criticise after the event but why does it take multiple substitutions before we get going?

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FrankMarshall added 19:45 - Oct 15 These are the games that we MUST win and instead of that we lost. I think our team has a great GK, generally solid defence and tough tackling midfield. I don't believe we are strong enough up front though. Response badly needed to what is a truly abysmal result.
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