Town’s long wait for a league victory at the Abbey Stadium continues after the Blues were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Cambridge United. Harvey Knibbs gave the U’s the lead on 24, before Town keeper Christian Walton saved a penalty from Joe Ironside eight minutes later. The Blues made three changes at the break and one of those subs, Kyle Edwards, created an equaliser for Freddie Ladapo nine minutes after the restart but Kieran McKenna’s men were unable to find a winning goal.

Town named the same team which beat Morecambe 4-0 at Portman Road 11 days ago with Leif Davis and Wes Burns both fit enough to start having returned to training following minor knocks in midweek.

Davis was in his usual role wide on the left with Burns on the right with Harry Clarke, George Edmundson, Richard Keogh at the back and Walton in goal.

Skipper Sam Morsy was alongside Lee Evans in the centre of midfield with Nathan Broadhead and 15-goal top scorer Conor Chaplin behind central striker Ladapo.

Cambridge made one change from the side which drew 0-0 at Lincoln last week with Knibbs coming into the side for Ben Worman, who dropped to the bench.

Former Blues midfielder Paul Digby skippered, while ex-Town forward Jack Lankester was on the bench alongside one-time Portman Road trialist Shilow Tracey.

Ryan Bennett, released by the Blues' academy at 16, and Suffolk-born Michael Morrison started at the heart of their defence, their first starts for the U’s at the Abbey Stadium since joining - in Morrison’s case rejoining - the club earlier in the month.

Town started on top and in the third minute Chaplin scuffed a volley from the left of the area after a very long Clarke throw from the right had reached him. Another two minutes later also reached the forward but he was unable to get in a shot.

The game quickly settled into a pattern, Cambridge sitting back in their half of the field as the Blues looked to find a way through them.

On 16, Broadhead, Davis and Chaplin interchanged on the edge of the area on the left as they sought to find space to shoot with the latter eventually hitting an effort which was blocked.

Five minutes later, Evans scuffed a free-kick from 30 yards wide, Clarke having been caught by Digby as he took the ball past the former Town man.

Aside from Walton catching a cross, Cambridge had shown nothing going forward but in the 24th minute they went in front via their first shot of the afternoon.

Edmundson miscontrolled the ball out of play on the Town left and from the throw, Digby played it to Knibbs, who brought it forward down the middle before hitting a powerful shot which beat Walton to his right.

Three minutes after taking the lead, the home side had another opportunity, Knibbs digging out a cross from the left towards Joe Ironside at the far post. Home fans claimed the striker had been fouled by Davis but the linesman’s flag was raised, saving referee Sam Barrott a decision.

But just after the half hour, with Town still to recover from conceding the goal, the U’s were awarded a penalty.

Edmundson clumsily felled Conor McGrandles in the area on the left but play continued and Knibbs found the net. However, referee Barrott had already blown and pointed to spot, much to the home side’s frustration.

Ironside took the kick and hit it low and hard to Walton’s right but the keeper got across to brilliantly tip it round the post. The Blues number one celebrated as he might as his teammates congratulated him.

From the flag-kick, Cambridge claimed another penalty but the ball clearly hit Keogh’s back rather than hand.

On 40, Morsy was booked for bodychecking Knibbs midway inside the Cambridge half with the Blues still huffing and puffing against a determined backline, while the home side were presenting more of a threat on their forays forward.

The half-time whistle was met with cheers and applause by the home fans and by one or two boos from the Town support.

Having started in control but without being able to create a serious chance, the Blues had allowed Knibbs a free shot at goal at a time when the U's had shown nothing going forward.

The Blues seemed to be rocked by conceding and Cambridge would have doubled their lead had referee Barrott allowed play to continue after Edmundson’s foul rather than immediately pointing to the spot. Fortunately for Town he did and Walton made a very impressive penalty stop.

Town had most of the ball in the Cambridge half in the latter stages of the half but without finding a way through the massed ranks of the Cambridge defence with home keeper Dimitar Mitov still to make a save.

The Blues made three changes at the break, at least some of them likely to have been forced by injury. Davis, who had been a doubt going into the match, Evans, who had undergone treatment during the opening period, and Clarke replaced by Edwards, harshly red-carded at the Abbey earlier in the season in a Papa Johns Trophy tie, Marcus Harness and Janoi Donacien.

Town went about looking for a goal, Ladapo looping an early header into Mitov’s arms from a right-sided cross.

On 50, an Edwards shot from just outside the area on the left deflected wide for a Town corner in front of their fans.

However, in the aftermath of the flag-kick, the ball was cleared and Keogh found himself in a foot race with Sam Smith, which the Cambridge man won. But the veteran defender used all his experience and guile to slow the striker up and Walton dived in at his feet to claim, taking a boot to the head for his trouble. After treatment, the Town keeper was able to continue.

Edwards, who scored twice against the U’s at Portman Road in the 3-0 win earlier in the season, had had an impact since coming on and in the 54th minute, the winger created the Blues’ equaliser.

The former West Brom man tricked his way round the outside of Liam Bennett, not for the first time, before sending over a cross which Ladapo steered across Mitov and just inside the post. The striker celebrated his 14th goal of the season with the travelling 1,400 fans behind the goal.

Just before the hour, Burns was tripped on the right by James Brophy, just outside the area. Chaplin smashed the free-kick through a crowd of players, Mitov blocked and the ball fell kindly for Cambridge, who cleared.

Two minutes later, a Chaplin shot from just outside the area caught a defender on its way wide with the Blues well on top and playing at a higher tempo in the first period. From the corner, Edmundson won the ball in the air but couldn’t make a clean contact.

Town almost made it 2-1 in the 63rd minute, Harness clipping over a cross from the right for Ladapo, who flicked a header towards the far post where Chaplin just failed to get a touch as he slid in.

The Blues continued to dominate and on 66, after a long spell of Town possession, was fed in on the right of the box but shot high and wide from a tight angle.

Cambridge were forced into a change four minutes later after Lloyd Jones suffered a knock, George Williams taking over on the left of the home side’s back three.

On 73, Burns was played in down the right by Harness, but the Welshman’s cross flew across the six-yard box too high for anyone to get a touch. As the U’s prepared to restart, Town swapped Chaplin for George Hirst.

The on-loan Leicester man was involved immediately, chasing a Morsy pass played into the right of the area and cutting across to Broadhead, who got a touch but while colliding with Mitov, who claimed and required treatment for a knock to his hand before continuing.

In the 76th minute, Donacien was played in on the right of the box and chipped over a cross which took a deflection and looped goalwards but Mitov was able to stop it, not entirely comfortably before claiming.

Soon after, Cambridge won a corner and subsequently kept the ball in and around the area with the Blues struggling to clear their lines but eventually getting the ball away.

In the 81st minute, Town switched Broadhead for Cameron Humphreys, while the U’s replaced Ironside with Tracey.

With the game in six minutes of injury time, Liam Bennett broke away on the Cambridge right and sent over a teasing cross, but no teammate had reached the area. Soon after, following a U’s free-kick not far outside the Town area, Digby was booked for pulling back Harness as Town counter-attacked.

The Blues continued to look for a winner, a Edwards corner was cleared as was a Donacien long throw with the Cambridge defence remaining resolute.

Town, whose only win at the Abbey remains a League Cup win in 1993, had been much better after the break and the equaliser, excellently created by Edwards, coming as early as it did gave them ample opportunity to push on for the winner.

But, while they dominated, the Blues didn’t create too many further clear-cut opportunities with Broadhead’s chance from Hirst’s cut-back perhaps the best, while the U’s remained a regular threat on the break.

Another draw against opposition they ought to be beating sees the Blues lose ground on the teams behind them, fourth-placed Derby and Bolton in fifth both having won. Town are now only two points ahead with the Rams having a game in hand on them and the Trotters having played a match more.

Sheffield Wednesday’s 1-0 home victory over Plymouth means the Owls are now top on goal difference ahead of the Pilgrims with Town six points behind ahead of Wednesday’s visit to Portman Road next Saturday.

Cambridge: Mitov, Digby (c), Jones (Williams 70), Brophy, Ironside (Tracey 81), Smith, R Bennett, Morrison, McGrandles, Knibbs, L Bennett. Unused: Mannion, Haunstrup, Lankester, Okedina, Worman.

Town: Walton, Clarke (Donacien 46), Keogh, Edmundson, Burns, Morsy (c), Evans (Harness 46), Davis (Edwards 46), Chaplin (Hirst 73), Broadhead (Humphreys 81), Ladapo. Unused: Hladky, Jackson. Referee: Sam Barrott (West Riding). Att: 7,154 (Town: 1,485).

Photo: Matchday Images

surgery added 17:30 - Feb 4 Oh hang on, he's a rookie manager who's learning the trade. He's bound to make mistakes. So why doesn't he Fock off to some non league club and learn the trade there
-10

Nobbysnuts added 17:32 - Feb 4 We don't have the best squad in the league...we are not the best team in the league and clearly we do not have the best manager in the league.. hence we will not get promotion. Simple. We are garbage
6

billlm added 17:33 - Feb 4 The ref gave us a break today, should have been 2-0, Dreadful form, Others on good form, Can't see him turning it bit of a slog to finish 3-6, Can't see us doing anything in the playoffs physcoligicaly we're not right, Probably another season in league one,
14

HopefulBlue69 added 17:34 - Feb 4 I wonder when we get knocked out of the play-offs in first round, will KM quit and go to the first team that offers him a job or will the owners pull the trigger.... Let's hope our best players do engineer a move away "as the gave it there best shot"....
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VitalSigns added 17:36 - Feb 4 I really hope in the post match interview with the manager that he starts to tell some home truths about the under performance of the players. They need a rocket up their ar@e. Please don't start whinging about how much we deserved to win and start quoting possession stats or how the ref robbed us as frankly Im getting embarrassed with it. Secondly a change of tactics has been needed for some time. That doesn't mean hoof ball but we can be more direct and for the love of God encourage our creative players to run at the opposition and get early balls into the box. This near obsession with tiki-taka style football is achieving nothing. We aren't Barcelona ! Whinge over. Had to vent my spleen.

18

algarvefan added 17:38 - Feb 4 What are some of you sniffing? Honest to God, we are 6 points off the top 2 and yet top 2 is over!! There are 17 games left to play yet!!! If you watched the game like I did today, you will know that performance just wasn't good enough, the manager and the players know that. Do any of you seriously think sacking the manager now will somehow get us promoted??? The only thing I would say is that I think KMcK should be given the opportunity to take us up, I believe still that he will.

2

blueboy1981 added 17:41 - Feb 4 Now will certain people believe there is MUCH TO DO ? - or will they stay deluded, and believe otherwise ? This is simply not good enough to achieve what we want, and need to do to justify the input of our Owners - as you will see …. !!!
11

Suffolkboy added 17:42 - Feb 4 McKenna has done a good+job ,and ,particularly compared to many seasons past , produced a side playing football to enjoy , admire( at this level) and respect in many ways . What he hasn't done is to get this lot thinking for themselves , producing impish invention, and stepping occasionally outside the rigorous coaching and skill sets of the training ground ! If you look closely at each player , assess generously the present skill and talent levels, build in some allowance for missing potential then I'd hazard many a supporter would express disappointment with both team and individual performances . Where is the devilment , where is the ‘extraordinary' , where is the even occasional superfluity of self confidence , the obvious determination to improve on technique : do we see any individual actually genuinely angry ,either with himself or the ‘failures ‘ of those around ? Frustration expressed ,emotional drive and even personal inadequacy can and should lead to all round improvement . Some of our professionals do not appear to be convinced they can do the job, come up with the answer , fulfil the expectation of either team mates or supporters , and produce lamentable failure in the final result ,and for team mates and increasingly slightly intemperate supporters ! Come on KM , decide when you're going to actually read the ‘riot act ‘ , and maybe even ,unusually for you , in public ! You and we are being very much let down by YOUR squad , your side , your chosen individuals . We've no right to win every game but what we currently witness is way below either your or our expectations – and there needs to be a real ‘Wake Up ‘ call ! Long time, increasingly ‘ impatient ‘ supporter . COYB

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multiplescoregasms added 17:44 - Feb 4 He's not the Messiah. He's just a very naughty boy.
10

barrystedmunds added 17:46 - Feb 4 What were “sniffing” is the demise of our chances of promotion! Our form, as the stats suggest since October, has been less than inspiring and certainly not promotion winning. A blip, this isn't and the queue behind us is shortening with every game!
12

midastouch added 17:47 - Feb 4 Insufficient. Our form is a real cause for concern. We just can't seem to string a good run of results. Most of the other teams around us are winning much more regularly than we are. Unless we can turn around quickly the Play Offs are looking increasingly likely.
5

surgery added 17:47 - Feb 4 Yeah 17 games yet to play which judging by some recent results will see us slipping further down the league
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Billysherlockblue added 17:52 - Feb 4 Im pissed off . Not at the draw but our application. Terrible. Shocking. I said we needed a centre half at any cost. We didnt but the application of our players today was disgraceful. No overly blaming mck but hes gone too buddy buddy with some players. Morsy has had a great first 15 ish games but needs to be dropped as hes 2 touching every ball now .too slow. We'll prob beat sheff wed but cant grind out a tough game against lesser quality. All because we dont leave it all on the pitch. Passion. Play for the badge to win. How hard can it be. Morsy HAVE A PLAYERS MEETING AND SORT IT OUT. Rant over but warrented.

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AlanG296 added 17:55 - Feb 4 Always a gamble appointing a manager and appointing McKenna in his first managerial post, with no experience at third tier level, but experience of developing young players at two of the biggest clubs in the country, a bit of coaching the first team at one of those clubs for failing managers. Was optimistic that he would learn enough on the job to be a success here, but to date he looks more and more like a development training ground coach where results are not the priority. The dearth of third tier experience in his staff doesn't help. Still apparently super Kieron McKenna knows exactly what we need.

7

itsonlyme added 17:58 - Feb 4 Clearly we are not going to finish in top two so look forward to the playoffs boys!
3

blueboy1981 added 17:58 - Feb 4 Sorry McK - but Naivety and Inexperience is showing - along with your blind belief in Rotation - Rotation maybe feasible and productive in the Premiership, But this is Bog Standard DIVISION THREE …. !!! And we can't even ‘crack that' … !!!
15

Ipswichbusiness added 17:59 - Feb 4 Lincoln H 0-1 Cheltenham H 1-1 Fleetwood H 1-1 Cambridge A 1-1 In all cases we were playing mid/lower league sides which we should have beaten. Note, not the best sides, not the Boltons or Barnsleys. If we had won all those games we would be nine points better off and top of the League.
12

Bert added 18:00 - Feb 4 Sadly, a poor first half and only fleeting moments of decent play in the second. Keogh slow and ponderous, Morsy slow and wayward and no sparkle from anywhere except for Edwards. Walton earned his keep today. Plenty of time to turn our erratic form around but alarm bells are ringing.
7

Nobbysnuts added 18:01 - Feb 4 My faith in KM has now gone...he has the noose around his neck...just waiting for our American owners to kick the chair away... rabbit caught in the headlights...without a doubt...
4

BrandonsBlues added 18:05 - Feb 4 Where the hell do we start with that then. Not good enough all over the pitch. Morsy had a poor game as did Evans. Keogh was absolutely useless, completely lost all use of his limbs and needed to hire a taxi every time they got on the attack. Get him gone because we clearly missed someone that could run against Cambridge today. Where were Wolfie and burgess, being saved for the Burnley game? My preferred defence has got to be Wolfie Clarke and donacien. Considering Clarke is a versatile defender why not use him and donacien together and see how they play? Plan B? Against a team that stick 11 men behind a ball we need to be quicker and stick the ball on the floor. Crosses and balls in the box were not working at all as Cambridge had too many men back, At least we brought on subs at half time for the first time, clearly McKenna knew he had messed up with the players he put out originally. If he wants more defensive options we need to bring baggott back, Imo a much better defender than Keogh and a lot younger. Keogh was brought in to give experience to the team but all he has done is hindered them, got brought on at the start of the season to " see out games" and that also went horribly wrong when that happened. However, The only way is up boys, we need to find some form and go back to the Ipswich we saw at the start of the season. Winning games and defensively strong. COYB ⚪🔵

5

Help added 18:05 - Feb 4 So wrong selection from the outset. Keough should never be selected for the team again. Why Clarke got taken off and not moved into the back 2 to replace Keough so Donacien could come on I do not know. Morsy and Evans drop so far back we have no midfield. Why do Evans and Morsy drop right in front of the back two just to pass it back to them. Why cant either turn with the ball and move up the pitch. There has been a large gap in midfield all season because of the middle two playing centre backs. Also why can we not start driving the ball up field quickly (and I dont mean hoof), instead of the slow laborious give the opposition time to bring 11 back to defend. Also we defend in zones, the opposition defend man to man. We give teams to much time to get the ball under control before we are on them. Also Morsy and others to many passes are short of pace or length. Why do our players wait for the ball to come to them, rather than come to the ball especially when like Morsy they are passed to short. Finally why can someone not shoot from outside the box, please.

18

KMcBlue added 18:05 - Feb 4 I like McK a lot. He has many good attributes but I wouldn't be averse to a new appointment. Yes, it's a gamble, but a new manager 'bounce' of several wins on the trot and we could be back in business. I've watched the same errors now all season. He's had time to address it. If we do not gamble the season will fizzle out for sure. Many of us thought it was that bit of extra 'quality' needed in the window, but that hasn't changed anything. We can be unplayable one week and pedestrian and weak the next. No consistency. No Plan B.

8

joyousblue added 18:06 - Feb 4 I think ill change allegience to shamrock rovers , not because of the club i love , the club i follow home and away , but because of you moaners , i accept the disapointment ,but theres a load of you saying sack the manager what crap you are , you probably were the ones saying what a great manager kieron was, when we were doing well ,in history i guess you lot inroman times said i love you cesar then finished him , my god if you had a choice robson would have been sacked , then no history , you make me feel ashamed to be a blue , what is one comment he will be sacked tonight , what crap , who is gonna replace him then klopp Hes not doing well , many will say get butcher in , my hero and always will be , but he did nothing , yes we spent money , but it guarantees money if you booed today be ashamed , at the end of the season we will go up AND YOU MOANERSwilll be saying how great is our manager , actually no you go and support shamrock ill support tge club i love in good and bad

0

Positive_Vibes added 18:07 - Feb 4 This season was the first time I truly believed we would be promoted. Unfortunately, that optimism has been replaced with a realisation that we will likely be spending another year in League One. :-( We started the season with a style of play that was new and refreshing, high press, high tempo.. But that is now just one dimensional.. everyone knows how we will line up.. everyone knows we'll switch our forwards after 65-70 mins.. There is no element of surprise anymore. We pass the ball around at the back very slowly.. often getting caught in possession.. Why can't we pass quickly.. even switching quickly from one side to the other.. we just slowly and predictably pass short.. Like others have said, why don't we ever make runs into the box.. run at their players and draw a foul? Give teams something else to worry about rather than watch us pass from side to side on the edge or their box, rarely even trying a long range shot.. We don't have a plan B! We don't know how to play any other formation and our predictability is costing us points every week now. If we make the playoffs.. and it is becoming an “if”, we will need to have something else up our sleeve! I'm a lifelong Town fan and I'm desperate for us to reach the heights that we all strive for. Kieran McKenna is the best Manager we've had in a long long time. Whilst his level headedness has been a positive quality up to now, I really need him to get angry and passionate about these poor results.. Put some fire in the belly of this team! We need a kick up the backside, some fresh ideas on the pitch, move the ball far more sharply, a varied formation.. (dare I say 2 up front) and run at the opposition into their box, draw some fouls, take more shots! COYB! We have the quality in the dressing room, we have a good Manager, we have supportive owners and we have the best fans in the league!! Let's make this happen!!

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blues1 added 18:12 - Feb 4 Rimsy the half time subs completely changed the way the game was going. So id say that was what they were about
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