Kenneth Zohore’s 65th minute goal was enough to give Cardiff City a 1-0 victory over the Blues at Portman Road. The Dane netted at the second attempt after initially missing his volley and the ball striking his hand, the visitors having improved after the break after Town had been on top in the first half.

The Blues made five changes to the team which drew 1-1 at Carrow Road on Sunday with Joe Garner and David McGoldrick missing out through injury, and Martyn Waghorn dropping to the bench.

Manager Mick McCarthy stuck with the three-man backline of Cameron Carter-Vickers, skipper Luke Chambers and Adam Webster, while Jordan Spence returned at right wing-back for Dominic Iorfa, who dropped to the bench, and Jonas Knudsen continued on the left.

Cole Skuse was joined by Luke Hyam, making his first league start since May 2016, in midfield with Callum Connolly and Stephen Gleeson among the subs. Mustapha Carayol was a late withdrawal due to illness. Grant Ward, Bersant Celina and Freddie Sears formed a front three.

Cardiff made three changes to the team which beat Middlesbrough 1-0 at the weekend with Armand Traore and Callum Paterson missing out through injury, and Joe Bennett due to illness. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Matthew Connolly and Loic Damour came into the team. Ex-Blues keeper Brian Murphy was among their subs.

The Bluebirds might have gone ahead after a minute at a very quiet and noticeably empty Portman Road with the crowd of 13,205 the lowest for a home league game since 11,596 watched a 3-0 victory over Bradford in September 1998.

After Town had made heavy weather of clearing a corner, the ball fell to Connolly, who scuffed wide when he will feel he ought to have done better.

Marko Grujic shot over the top for the Bluebirds on 12 but chances were virtually non-existent in an opening 20 minutes in which the sides battled to gain the upper hand.

Town began to get on top as the game approached the 25-minute mark, Adam Webster nodding a right-wing Celina cross wide from beyond the far post.

The Blues went nearer to an opening goal on 27 when Sears cleverly fed Ward, who struck a low 20-yard shot which Cardiff keeper Neil Etheridge bundled past his left post.

Following the corner, Spence brought the ball back towards the area from deep before hitting an effort which was blocked and then unconvincingly cleared.

Hyam saw a shot deflect up into Philippines international Etheridge’s hands off Sol Bamba on 36.

A minute later the Blues went close again. Spence sent Sears away on the right and the former West Ham striker, who is without a goal in 30 matches, cut in and hit a shot which looked goal-bound until it deflected wide.

Town continued to look the more likely scorers playing the better football and in the 38th minute Spence flicked a header towards goal but without getting much power on it and Grujic cleared from in front of the line.

Cardiff were forced into a change in the 40th minute, skipper Sean Morrison making way for Greg Halford.

Three minutes later, Skuse played a deft ball into the path of Celina but the on-loan Manchester City’s man’s touch past the advancing Etheridge took the ball out of play.

Town were applauded off at the end of a half in which they had been the better side and had come closest to scoring through Sears, who was unfortunate to see his strike deflect wide.

The Blues had begun to get the upper hand midway through the half and were in control and passing the ball around with increasing confidence at the whistle.

Under-par Cardiff’s only significant chance came in the opening moments through Connolly with Bartosz Bialkowski in the Blues goal untested.

The Bluebirds swapped Grujic for Gary Madine ahead of the second half but it was Town who went closest to a goal in the early moments after the break.

Ward won a corner on the right, Celina whipped it over and Webster headed over at the near post when he will feel he might have done better.

The Blues continued to look the more dangerous side, Ward doing well to find himself space on the right before sending in a low ball which deflected behind off a Town player.

However, Cardiff gradually began to get on top with sub Madine making an impact. On 63 Damour screwed a shot wide from distance.

Two minutes later, the Bluebirds took the lead. Joe Ralls’s freekick was won in the air by Madine and knocked back to Zohore. The Dane missed his first strike but recovered - after the ball inadvertently struck his hand - to slot low to Biakowski’s right.

Zohore went close to a second in the 68th minute but sent his header from Junior Hoilett’s freekick over the bar. On 74 Connolly replaced Hyam for the Blues.

Town hadn’t threatened since the early stages of the second half, but in the 75th minute Celina broke forward before finding Ward on the right. The ex-Spurs man cut in but shot across the face of goal.

Two minutes later, Celina took the ball past two Cardiff defenders not far outside the Bluebirds’ box but shot straight at Etheridge.

Town were beginning to get back on top and in the 78th minute Skuse saw what looked a goal-bound shot blocked.

Moments later Cardiff defender Connolly turned Ward’s dangerous right-wing cross over, prior to Waghorn taking over from Spence, Carter-Vickers moving to right-back. Damour’s 84th minute shot deflected wide, before Kevin Bru replaced Ward for the Blues.

As the game moved into its final scheduled five minutes, Waghorn hit a shot against a defender, then Craig Bryson replaced goalscorer Zahore for the visitors.

In injury time, referee Andy Davies frustrated the Blues’ players by awarding a freekick against Carter-Vickers as he tussled with Halford as a corner came across from the left. Bryson was booked for time-wasting.

The Blues continued to push for an equaliser in the remaining minutes but never convincingly and the referee’s whistle confirmed a first defeat in four, leading to muted boos from some sections of the Town support.

Having been the better side in the first half, the Blues started the second in the same manner but the visitors eventually got on top without ever dominating and eventually profited from the one break in either box, with neither keeper overly tested throughout. Once again Town ended up defeated in a game which had had little in it.

The Blues, who are without a goal in their last three home games and have scored two in their last seven at Portman Road, drop to 14th, below Norwich, who claimed another last-gasp draw against Wolves, now nine points off the top six.

Town are next in action at ninth-placed Preston, who have now lost just once in the league in 18 matches, on Saturday.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence (Waghorn 79), Chambers (c), Webster, Carter-Vickers, Knudsen, Ward (Bru 85), Skuse, Hyam (Connolly 74), Celina, Sears. Unused: M Crowe, Kenlock, Gleeson, Iorfa.

""Cardiff: Etheridge, Morrison (c) (Halford 40), Manga, Ralls, Zohore (Bryson 86), Bamba, Connolly, Mendez-Laing, Damour, Grujic (Madine 46), Hoilett. Unused: Murphy, Feeney, Pilkington, Wildschut. Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire). Att: 13,205 (Cardiff: 371)

Photo: TWTD

itfchorry added 23:48 - Feb 21 Pinewood - was your mate counting the away fans ? !
0

bressinghamblue added 23:57 - Feb 21 Bert, you deserve a medal. There should be nothing but respect for the dwindling number of fans that have not had the stuffing knocked out of them yet. I'm really sorry that I've voted with my feet and my wallet. Normal service will be resumed as soon as MM departs for pastures new :)
6

Taricco_Fan added 23:59 - Feb 21 McCarthy really doesn't help himself, does he? Waghorn - our top scorer - left on the bench. Sears - who can't score and is completely devoid of confidence - starts up top against two centre-halves built like brick outhouses. To all intents and purposes Sears was playing as a lone striker because Celina operates out wide. Isolated and out-muscled. It was embarrassing. The thing is, Cardiff aren't a great side, they're just well-drilled, organised and tough. A typical Warnock team, fit for Championship football. They scored a crappy goal that had been coming since the second half kicked off. McCarthy failed to make the changes early enough to give us a chance to get back into the game. We instantly looked more industrious when Waghorn came on, so why he was benched is beyond me. Poor game, poor crowd. You could cut the apathy at Portman Road with a knife. On the plus side, I felt Ward had a decent game and Skuse played his role well as usual. Celina tried his best to make things happen but there's nobody in this team on the same page as him to link up with. Depressing stuff.

17

Surco72 added 00:13 - Feb 22 Keep saying it those still going are keeping MM in a job , enjoy your night and rest of season . I will return when he is gone
10

Minneapolis_ITFC added 02:55 - Feb 22 And so another year is underway where our season is effectively over while winter is still upon us. If McCarthy and Marcus Evans owned a funeral parlor, no-one would freakin' die. One season out of the last 12 there was an opportunity to do something or a level of interest was evident - for all the others it's been mid-league obscurity and so inconsistent we never really had a chance to be involved where it really mattered. The manager and owner take full responsibility for these series of misadventure. The remainder of what league games remain appear immaterial. Frustrating to see some others giving the FA Cup a go also, other teams possess ambition and desire we can only wish for. For what it's worth - Evans and McCarthy OUT

11

MicksZzzTactics added 04:33 - Feb 22 Trailing 0-1 with 16 minutes to go.... Hyamsyyyy for Connolly ...then with 5 min to go also Ward for Bru???!!! PleaZzze anyone who refuses to acknowledge that Dino McCarthy is not merely tactically 1-dimensional but at very frequent times utterly tactically inept, PleaZzze!!! As considering the many absentees today wouldn't it have been nice & proper to have had for instance Ben Morris on the bench???, Not to mention Mr. Downes Ohhhh I forgot he was lent out to quote "become better elsewhere (i.e in the bloody 2nd division!)" instead of right HERE! And don't get me started on Freddy Sears starting ... aye a very likable 'proper bloke', partly suffering from being played 'out of position'. However that doesn't change the sad FACT that his goal per game (or minutes!) average the last couple of years is absolutely .... ehhhh "off the chart"!!! :-) :-) Soooo in short : Just another "We-adjust-to-THEM-while-keeping-the-HEDGEHOG-approach-and basically-just-try-NICK-it from-a-setpiece!" performance ....on the already biiiig pile of more or less precisely such breathtaking Dino-led games! Ahhh and although Cardiff was FAR from their best today, obviously it has to be mentioned that nevertheless ITFC was credited with a lofty 16 "shots" today! .... Uhuuu! :-) :-) .... But ehhhh considering the awesome "clinicalness" of our frightening starting XI today, well despairingly only 2, repeat 2 of those were "On Target" (9 were blocked & 5 were "off target")!

12

prebbs007 added 06:24 - Feb 22 More dross from Dino's chest of BS. One up front. Top scorer on bench. Striker (no goals in about 856 games) not in 18 Sunday starts Wednesday. WTF ????? Another record low attendance shows the contempt in which you are held Mcmuck. Go away. Very very far away. Season OVER 😫😫😫
13

bluehook added 06:41 - Feb 22 I wonder if MM would be so pleased with our performances if his personal 💰 was results related?
7

warktheline added 06:48 - Feb 22 As predicted ! We wouldn't beat Norwich! Moore 'we got lucky' isn't even Championship level! Hasn't scored to date!!!!!! 14 th at best! Oh look how did we get there! Play off candidates wasn't we! What a joke! I wish I could predict an early McCarthy exit!
7

ivegottheblues added 06:54 - Feb 22 Why do you guys keep going through the turnstiles to keep MM in his job? You are making a contribution to the downfall of this once great club
9

massivemole added 07:58 - Feb 22 Freddie Sears starts and surprise surprise, before it hits you between the eyes, Ipswich fail to score, didn't see that coming.
5

Ipswichbusiness added 08:08 - Feb 22 Poor starting line-up, inept performance, uninspired substitutions, no goals or points; is that how you earn a new contract? What do you have to do to be sacked?
8

GiveusaWave added 08:10 - Feb 22 Sears: 1132 minutes without a goal. 0.6 shots per game and 0.1 aerials won out of all competed for. 6.13 average rating and only 3 players are below him in the ratings for the entire championship (Aaron Wilbraham, Luke Varney and Matty Taylor). How long can MIck keep the faith with him? (All stats from who scored.com).
5

carrickblue added 08:42 - Feb 22 fed up, cant even bring myself to watch the highlights! did not even bother to keep track on the game and just looked at the final score! That's a first for me! Had enough.
7

Gcon added 09:09 - Feb 22 Pretty scrappy game but we played better than them and deserved something from our efforts. Bar the odd game, it's undeniable that we pass the ball much better this season and the team continue to put in spirited performances. The problem is that people point the finger at the manager in a decline. The real issue here is with the ownership and management of the club. Attendance has been in decline since ME bought the club, it's not a recent thing. Managers come and go, and if fans continue to point their fingers at the mangers rather than the ownership nothing will change. I implore the Mick haters to recognise this because if you don't, and we allow Marcus Evans to get away with just changing manager once in a while then we will only ever be in terminal decline. There is a complete disconnection between the club and the community. Are there examples of clubs that successfully have an element of supporter ownership/control? We are not the most attractive proposition to a single, billionaire type of owner, particularly as the club don't own the ground, but surely a consortium of local business owners backed by supporters is an option.

-7

Lightningboy added 10:25 - Feb 22 McCarthy was never Ipswich material from day 1 - he was just a cowboy builder brought in to cover over a few big cracks. I'm just worried that when McCarthy goes the disastrous managerial appointments will continue under our dimwit owner.
17

midastouch added 10:26 - Feb 22 @ Gcon I think Marcus has to get the next one right and give them funds too if not it will only end badly (but I'm not confident he will given his track record of past appointments), if it goes badly wrong again (he must be drinking in last chance saloon here before fans need to seriously consider doing a Portsmouth or Bradford). I'd be prepared to give him one more chance to get in somebody else but he needs to back them with funds. If he gives Mick another 3 years or he gets in somebody and they are on a hiding to nothing with no proper backing or funds then we really need to be prepared to step up and do whatever we can along some of the lines you suggest in your last paragraph.

2

cat added 10:41 - Feb 22 Nice thoughts Gcon, but to supporters like myself, it's all about what happens on the pitch, tactic's, style/system and above all show some frigging intent. We have always been a selling club in the 40+ years I've been around and Ive no problem with that. Yes we are massively in debt, but that debts being managed, if we were in financial trouble then all hell would be breaking loose on here. Money has been invested in the academy and that's looking positive, cause that's our best hope of achieving something anytime soon. Just a bit of entertainment and a better match day experience (specially at home) surely ain't to much to ask for, probably more so in these barron times, but McCarthy's not capable of delivering that on a sustainable basis, despite the slight improvements this season. The fact of the matter is, attendances are continuing to fall, and from my point of view that's down to McCarthy.

8

Kirbmeister added 10:57 - Feb 22 May cannot come soon enough. McCarthy's contract definitely won't be extended. We can then appoint a fresh new manager who will hopefully get a bit of money to spent and clear the dead wood. Until then we're going to have to suffer what's ahead.
5

blackcat added 11:01 - Feb 22 We have a decent enough team all the right kind of players to make a winning outfit, The problem is the Manager who has no idea the Arthur Daley of football even looks like him! Use those players correctly and all could be good. However and if it wasn't already the case before Sunday I believe it is now that MM wants us to end the season as low as possible then he cam blame the fans one more time before he Fs off. Evans needs to sack him now but I don't hold my breath for it. The fans need to stay away until this is over and we have our Club back

8

brittaniaman added 11:27 - Feb 22 12,834 Ipswich fans last night , Probably less than that, because around me there were lots of empty seats and I know they are season ticket holders !!! If Dino does stay it will be probably be a lot Less than that next season ?? So Marcus Evans sort your problems out Now !!!!! When Cardiff scored I see Dino use his favourite word again, but this time he was facing the bench, thank goodness.

4

grubbyoik added 12:18 - Feb 22 I thought we created more last night when Webster surged into midfield and Celina had a free role in the attacking half.. when this happened our link up play with Freddy and Ward came to life.. I thought Hyam gave our midfield a refreshingly aggressiveness .. Spence is not a wingback.. he's not brave or able to beat a man.. neither is Knudsen. So I whilst we have nothing to play for I would try: Drian with Freddy or Morris up top I would give Celina licence to roam and link up play a no.10 I would try Webster in midfield alongside Hyam I would use Kenlock as a wingback Oh and take my place in the dugout..

2

Gcon added 12:52 - Feb 22 midastouch - There is nothing to suggest he will give a new manager funds though. The perfect time to do so would have been in MM's second or third year, after he had proven himself and when we had cash in the bank from player sales. That didn't happen so I have no confidence in it ever happening.
2

Razor added 13:05 - Feb 22 What is the point of Freddie Sears? Waghorn and Connolly rested----is the man mad--clearly this proves the case. As a positive thought back 3 looked good and Hyam played well and we performed better than I dared hope for when I saw the team. Cardiff very poor and got lucky when something dropped in box for them, which never happenned for us.sadly.
2

blythburgh_blue added 13:09 - Feb 22 After Sunday there can be no way back for Mick McCarthy
2

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls