Aston Villa inflicted Town’s heaviest home defeat in precisely seven years as the Blues were beaten 4-0 having had Grant Ward sent off just prior to half-time. Ex-Blue Conor Hourihane put the Villans ahead on 25 and then in the second half, after Ward had been dismissed for catching Neil Taylor with a high boot, Lewis Grabban scored on 57 and 78 and sub Henri Lansbury in the 82nd minute.

Bersant Celina returned to an otherwise unchanged Town side having missed the trip to Nottingham Forest last week as he was ill, with caretaker-boss Bryan Klug in charge at Portman Road for the first time.

The on-loan Manchester City man came into the side for Ben Morris, who dropped out of the 18, and lined-up just off main striker Martyn Waghorn.

For Villa, ex-Blue Hourihane and Birkir Bjarnason came into the team for Robert Snodgrass, who was among the subs, and Jonathan Kodjia, who was injured.

Town, with pop star Ed Sheeran watching from the stand, created the first chance of the game in the fourth minute when Waghorn found Ward was a cross-field pass. As a Villa defender slipped, the right wing-back crossed and the ball reached Myles Kenlock in space beyond the far post but the left wing-back scuffed well wide when he had a good opportunity to net his first senior goal.

Villa first threatened on 13 when Hourihane sent over a freekick which Bartosz Bialkowski punched as he was foul by Mile Jedinak. The keeper looked to take a knock on the hip but was OK to carry on.

As the game approached the 20-minute mark Jordan Spence’s cross from the right eventually found Tristan Nydam, who teed-up Jonas Knudsen, but the Danish international’s shot was blocked. Nydam subsequently whipped over another cross but ahead of his team-mates.

In the 21st minute Hourihane struck a powerful effort from distance which stand-in skipper Cole Skuse deflected over.

While Villa had had most of the ball, Town had looked the more dangerous side but in the 25th minute the visitors took the lead in slightly fortuitous circumstances.

Lewis Grabban cut in from the left and hit a shot which deflected of Skuse and struck Bialkowski’s right post. The ball rebounded straight to Hourihane, who tapped home his 11th goal of the season from close range.

Town looked to hit straight back, Ward broke away on the left of the box but his low cross was cut out.

Hourihane curled a freekick over at the other end in the 40th minute with chances rare at both ends.

Two minutes later, the Blues were reduced to 10 men when Ward was sent off for catching Taylor with a high boot. The dismissal seemed a touch harsh on the former Spurs man as his eyes were firmly on the ball as he looked to take it down on the turn from a Luke Hyam header and inadvertently caught the Villa left-back with his studs.

One or two Villa players tried to rather unnecessarily square up to Ward before referee Simon Hooper issued his card and the disconsolate Ward made his way along the touchline to the tunnel.

There was little of note in the remaining minutes - aside from boos directed towards Taylor - before the break.

The half-time scoreline was tough on the Blues who had been looked the more dangerous side prior to the goal.

Going by the letter of the law the red card may have been justified as Ward caught Taylor well up his leg, however, there was no malice and he was trying to take the ball down rather than make a tackle. There was certainly no intention to injure the Villa player.

The Blues, who had switched to a 4-4-1 system for the remaining minutes of the half, had an uphill battle if they were going to take anything from the game in the second period.

Villa’s Birkir Bjarnason scuffed wide three minutes after the restart, then Josh Onomah hit a low effort which Bialkowski, named Town’s Player of the Year for the third season in a row earlier in the afternoon, tipped wide.

Celina made way for Freddie Sears in the 56th minute with Villa having had most of the ball since the break but without creating a serious chance.

But within a minute they had doubled their lead. The ball was played into Grabban’s feet on the right of the box, the former Norwich man turned his man and hit a shot to Bialkowski’s right and into the net off the inside of the post.

Waghorn hit a low effort which Villa keeper Sam Johnstone claimed with little trouble on the hour, but the visitors were dominating and looking likely to add to their lead.

On 62 Bjarnason shot wide from distance on the right, then three minutes later Villa, keen to improve their goal difference as they continue to target an automatic promotion spot, swapped Taylor for striker Scott Hogan.

Spence made a strong run from deep in the 66th minute and threaded through a pass which was only just beyond Waghorn.

Three minutes later, Bjarnason smashed into the side-netting to Bialkowski’s right, then Nydam was replaced by Callum Connolly for the Blues, Hourihane by Henri Lansbury for Villa and then, after Onomah had shot wide, Hyam by Ben Folami for Town.

Villa made it 3-0 in the 78th minute when Skuse was sold short by Carter-Vickers five yards outside the area on the Town left and Onomah stole possession. The on-loan Tottenham man fed Grabban, who lashed his second of the game into the net, again off the inside of Bialkowski’s right post.

Villa’s fourth of the game came only four minutes later. Bjarnason crossed from the left and the untracked Lansbury headed home from close range.

The Midlanders continued to look for more goals, Hogan shooting not too far wide in the final scheduled minute, then in injury time the former Brentford man shot over on the turn.

But the scoreline remained at 4-0, Town’s heaviest home loss since the 5-1 defeat to Norwich, coincidentally seven years ago to the day.

Despite having gone behind the Blues were very much in the game until the red card. From there it was always going to be tough for Town against one of the division’s top sides, however, caretaker-manager Klug won’t be pleased with the manner in which some of the goals were conceded.

Town, who are now 14th, play their final away game at Reading next Saturday before Middlesbrough visit Portman Road on the final day of the season, a fortnight tomorrow.

Villa: Johnstone, Elmohamady, Chester, Jedinak, Taylor (Hogan 65), Bjarnason, Hourihane (Lansbury 74), Whelan, Onomah, Grealish, Grabban (Adomah 83). Unused: Bunn, Samba, Snodgrass, Bree.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Carter-Vickers, Knudsen, Ward, Skuse (c), Hyam (Folami 76), Nydam (Connolly 74), Kenlock, Celina (Sears 56), Waghorn. Unused: M Crowe, Gleeson, Carayol, Smith. Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire). Att: 20,034 (Villa: 1,981).

Photo: TWTD

afcfee added 18:03 - Apr 21 Careful what you wish for...
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Karlosfandangal added 18:04 - Apr 21 Can see why MM played that sort of football......it nice to play open football but be prepared to lose more than we win. New manager new ideas but it still needs money to buy players who can attack 3 shots at goal and only one on target not good enough at home, However was always going to be hard against Villa Klug doing a great job with the academy but not the man for me as next town manager

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TimmyH added 18:06 - Apr 21 Villa aren't that great...fairly good at home but away you don't know what you'll get from them and if Bolton and Norwich can turn them over it proves the point, I think a few get carried away as they have been a top league club for many years. When all players are fit and we have a new manager with new ethics to hopefully change the style of play with a few new additions (he said) and a new buzz around the ground with a few more bums on seats we have to hope for a new horizon...but as jas0999 has stated the squad needs to be strengthened so that means Evans doing his bit, we can get near to a starting 11 which is okay but that's not enough to carry you through a long season.

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RoyalAscotBlue added 18:07 - Apr 21 A gate of over 20,000 says everything that needed to be said.
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MicksZzzTactics added 18:07 - Apr 21 A regular spanking in the end...and it shows what dire straits MM & ME has left the club in at moment... that is when the CURRENT (and thus still largely in crucial need of being "deprogrammed" from MM's brainwashing) loanees-heavy & mediocracy-laden squad are trying not to play the first 70+ minutes of every contest the dreaded MM anti-football 'Hedgehog Way'!!! The weather looked great today at PR... but for the rest of ITFC... ohhh well 'Maybe Next Time' as they saying goes. According to WhoScored.com's player ratings https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1193239/Live/England-Championship-2017-2018-Ip SkuZzzy &KnudZzzy are the 2 'Proper Blokes' with the least reason to hang his head today. Well done MM-adoring Cole & the needlessly way-too-openmouthed MM-loving Jonas :-) :-) Cause there were several of shall we say: Less than stellar ratings among 'The Lads' today, including the usual defensive strong man CV and uhuu! even our usual true "live saver" King Bart?! as well the latter got the first real subpar rating on this very thorough & NEUTRAL site that I can recall in a very very long time! As for some of 'WhoScored.com's other renowned dissected game stats like say 'Total Shots' (3-21 & we had ONE on target!) + 'Accurate Passes' (256-601!) in particular.... well my advice: Stay away from looking at them until bedtime or time for your Valium!!! lol But as said on the starting lineup article: 1) I'm inclined to believe it *appears to be* that our 'Captain Calamity' is really in part throwing his "assumed" weight (and future wannabe-manager aspirations lol) around way to much with the uncomfortable-of-spotlight Mr. Klug . Looking at today's game squad not to mention the actual starting XI....Sigh! Sigh! Whether Rambo Chambo indeed has any saying or doing in it or not as I speculate ,well it simply wasn't a very daring or futuristic experimental starting XI was it? especially considering we yet again are an Championship "Also Ran" and have nothing put pride left to pay for this campaign??? Alas so much for going 'All-In' in stuffing the squad with top-motivated youngsters and probable future players ... particularly not only *on behalf of* of soon-to-be-gone loanees, but also of Has-Been 'Mickities'! Obviously it's not for me to say who on the sideline eventually decided it was hmmmm "UBER CLEVER" to bring on the MM-brainwashed, confidence-bereft and with little future here Freddie "No Goals" Sears in 56th minute.... and not the confident & exciting-looking Carayol or even Folami, back then. But that stood out for me as being a unmistakable poor and also just fundamentally a very akin to a MM-esque pure "Proper Bloke" type of decision!!! 2) Although the game in itself turned out be a HUGE downer, for me personally it was nevertheless great consolatory "fun" to watch this live on 'BeIN Sport Arabic' today', with their truly dead-awesome Arabic commentary & partly wacky player pronunciations. :-) :-)

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grumpyoldman added 18:11 - Apr 21 I left the ground today with a large smile on my face, yes we lost were outplayed and got what we deserved but I had been back to my club. There are signs that we have a few very good young players at the club. The singing when we were 3-0 then 4-0 down was fantastic, that is real support of a team. My hands stung with the clapping my voice was croaky at the end but I was content.

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FinnishBlue added 18:22 - Apr 21 Res card changed everything, before that it was quite even. But why to start with that formation if only one proper centre back (C-V) was available? You can't score against Villa with only two or three offensive minded player.
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Bert added 18:24 - Apr 21 Perhaps Ed Sheehan was there today to look us over as an investment.
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Dissboyitfc added 18:24 - Apr 21 Anybody who is happy with a loss, so they can say, 'be careful what you wish for" or words to that effect are not supporters in any shape or fame and should be ashamed of themselves! I have a feeling these people will be glad to see us relegated so they can be smug say it again! Nothing worse than people who call themselves supporters who celebrate a loss. If you loved MM so much follow him to his next team and leave ipswich to the real supporters who want to get behind our team! I am excited for the future!

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LWNR2013 added 18:29 - Apr 21 An honest performance. Stayed til the 93rd minute
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meekreech added 18:52 - Apr 21 Today was a foresight of what is going to be the norm next season . Looking to play exciting football but failing to remember to defend and giving the ball away in silly places where opponents get the scoring chances . A successful season next year will be if relegation is avoided . As to the support today it is a pity the team were not given that level earlier this year when it would probably have helped rather than being given the poor atmosphere which gave the players no encouragement !

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blue75 added 19:00 - Apr 21 Meekreech the atmosphere today has always been there it was the standard of football that prevented it!! Today at least we tried 11 vs 11 we weren't out played your negative ways are not needed surprised you didn't say careful what you wish for!! If you have nothing nice t say about Mr Klugs teams best you say nothing at all!!
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Seri added 19:06 - Apr 21 I rather take a blow like this than nicking something out of a disastrous performance and then having to listen MM telling me that the lads were great and that it was a good game after all. Bad results like this will make things change to the better. Before or later. That's what the game is all about. COYB.
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Felstow1978 added 19:13 - Apr 21 Clearly there's still a cohort of anally repressed "fans" on here whose digit appears super-glued to the down vote button.
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senduntd added 19:22 - Apr 21 Fulham will marmelise them.
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blueboy1981 added 19:29 - Apr 21 I think it's fair to say if MM was still here, there is more than a chance we could, and probably would, have had a point from each of our last to games - but that is where my concession ends. Bryan Klug is a damn good Coach, but is not interested, as stated, in the Managers job, and it shows with continuing with much of MM's policy of playing loan players, five defenders (at Home !!) and the like. He is only holding the fort for a few games, and really doesn't even look like changing much, if anything. We need the new Manager in as soon as possible, and for him (whomsoever that may be) to start with a completely blank sheet - that's what it has to be. No easy task for anyone, that's why whoever it may be, we have to be 100% behind him and the Club, and stick with our belief. The crowd today showed that MM going was the right move - the sending off was somewhat unfortunate, but happened, and didn't help one bit, but today's game has gone. Don't bank on Bart being here next season ... !! Onwards, Upwards, and Forwards. COME ON YOU BLUES

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blueboy1981 added 19:31 - Apr 21 ...... should read : - 'TWO' - of course - not 'to'.
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blueboy1981 added 19:36 - Apr 21 The 'Happy Clappers' will forever be 'happy' - how SAD that they will be 'happy' this Saturday evening because we LOST..... ?? Worst part of it all - is they call themselves 'real' Supporters. They are an abject joke - nothing more, nothing less - and they know who they are, no names need mentioning.
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blueboy1981 added 19:36 - Apr 21 The 'Happy Clappers' will forever be 'happy' - how SAD that they will be 'happy' this Saturday evening because we LOST..... ?? Worst part of it all - is they call themselves 'real' Supporters. They are an abject joke - nothing more, nothing less - and they know who they are, no names need mentioning.
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JCBLUE added 19:52 - Apr 21 Blueboy, your comments are frankly disgraceful. By all means air an opinion, but please concentrate on the team matters and stop constantly having a go at fellow supporters. Irrespective of individual views about MM, now is the time for supporters to unite behind our club. TWTD used to be a joy to visit, you am a few others are destroying the site with your stupid comments.

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Bert added 19:55 - Apr 21 Same old sad posts from those who like to score points and monopolise and abuse this site.
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Lightningboy added 20:00 - Apr 21 If it is to be Mowbray then the sooner the better - Blackburn should be top 2 now so hopefully the outcome of that approach will happen in a couple of weeks. If it's Cowley then the delay could go on for another 5/6 weeks or so if Lincoln get to the play-off final. I'd still rather wait for either of them (or gamble on Kuqi) than take someone off the merry-go-round like Pardew etc. Great turn out today btw 👏🏻

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Hegansheroes added 20:00 - Apr 21 The size of the crowd was an indication of how unpopular MCCarthy was. He just about destroyed the fan base. T he man I believe is unemployable. Talking to a WBA and a Leeds supporter the other day neither want him any where near their clubs The crowd were brilliant today but poor Klug really has got a hard job taking over this appalling team from the imbecile. PS Barnsley don't want him either

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blueboy1981 added 20:04 - Apr 21 JCBLUE ........ hit a nerve ? - if the cap fits - WEAR IT.
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finidi added 20:07 - Apr 21 I was at the game today so was Marcus Evans as saw his car at the gate. I did not leave with a smile but was saddened by how far this once great club has fallen. Whoever comes id goaln has a huge task! players short of confidence not wanting to take risks, thought the formation was wrong though with Waghorn chasing lost causes. The one player who looked like he could unlock them was Celina who unfortunately had to make way after the sending off! A word for a player who got a lot of stick in Knudsen who I thought was the pick getting his body in way of shots and made some good blocks, his only error was getting turned by Grabban for the second goal. Yes the atmosphere was good for the last ten minutes or so but by this time a lot of fans had left.

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