Ipswich Town’s terrible run in the FA Cup continued as the Blues lost 1-0 on the road against Accrington Stanley at the Crown Ground.

Town have not won an FA Cup game since 2010 with their last victory a 2-1 win against Blackpool nine years ago, and they have now been eliminated from the competition by lower league opposition in three of the last four seasons.

In the first ever competitive meeting between Ipswich and Accrington, it was the home side who looked to catch the defence off guard as a corner came swinging into the centre of the box, but Freddie Sears cleared the danger after two minutes.

Town keeper Bartosz Bialkowski got bumped by Stanley striker Andy Mangan as he chased down a long ball and after an exchange of words, the referee restored order.

In the eighth minute, Paul Lambert’s men had their first meaningful attack with new loan signing Callum Elder, fresh from Leicester, linking up with Sears to make a run down the right but the 29-year-old wasted his delivery across goal.

Flynn Downes made a dart down the middle, only to see his burst of pace come to nothing as Accrington intercepted the ball and launched a counter-attack.

Stanley’s Sam Finley then unleashed the first shot on goal, which was comfortably collected by Bialkowski.

It was Gwion Edwards’s turn to try and spark a chance for Town and as the ball fell awkwardly in front of him, he released a wild drive into the Crown Ground car park with 18 minutes gone.

Bialkowski was made to work again soon after as Jordan Clark fired a low drive from the right but the Polish stopper was equal to it.

Tempers flared between the two sides after an altercation between Downes and Finley and for his intimidating reaction, the Brentwood-born youngster received a yellow card.

Approaching the half-hour mark, Clark caused problems for Town’s defence as he raced across the byline with quick feet until they were halted by a critical challenge from Toto Nsiala to clear for a corner, which came to no trouble.

Nsiala was forced to deny Clark again and the power of the Stanley midfielder’s shot was so vicious, the rebound inadvertently launched a counter-attack for Town, but Sears misread the path of the ball, as he ran underneath a high, awkward bounce.

In the 37th minute, Sears sprinted forward in search of support and he was joined by ex-Stanley striker Kayden Jackson, who followed the play through to Jon Nolan. Nolan had time and space for a strike from distance but again, the ball was way off-target.

At the other end shortly afterwards, Bialkowski was again forced to deny Clark as he tipped a low strike at his near post before keeping Town in the game again as he made a quick move to cancel out an attack from Finley.

Accrington were awarded a freekick with two minutes to the break after Downes and Clark collided in the middle of the pitch but that chance was given away by the home side with a high ball running out of play.

Sears desperately ran forward again on the right and cut inside to try and bend a shot into the far bottom corner but it was no problem for Stanley keeper Connor Ripley.

Accrington’s star-man Clark made the last move of the half to try and steal a half-time lead but his header fell wide of Bialkowski’s right post as the two sides went into the changing rooms goalless.

When play resumed, Town made a change as Downes came off for Teddy Bishop, and the 22-year-old had the first strike of the second half.

After Town’s freekick from the left was headed out, Bishop blasted a drive from distance, which curled wide to the left.

Bishop continued to make an impact as he surged forward and laid the ball off to the left wing, where Town earned a corner. Again, it came to nothing as a sea of heads deflected the ball out of Accrington’s area.

As the hour mark approached, Stanley attempted to catch Town out with route one football but Nsiala, was on hand to stop Accrington striker Billy Kee with a professional foul.

Bishop’s introduction much improved the visitors' style of play as he inspired more ball movement from across the midfield with two more attempts.

He dragged a left-footed effort across the face of the goal before failing to find the target from distance yet again.

Jon Nolan then found inspiration to have a go at pulling the Blues in front and his hard shot across the grass was parried away by Ripley with just over 20 minutes to play.

Town conceded a freekick in a dangerous position from the left in the 74th minute from which they fell behind.

Stanley captain Sean McConville posted a high arching ball to the far post, which was headed back across goal by Ben Richards-Everton for Kee to nod into an open net.

Sears burst into life again in the last 10 minutes to try and salvage an equaliser but he was denied a hero's goal once again by Ripley having been played in by Bishop.

The Blues pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages but once again their FA Cup campaign ends at the first hurdle, and as so often to lower league opposition. The Blues are now 14 games without a win in the competition they won in 1978.

Town's season of woe shows no sign of an upturn with their next fixture the visit of fellow strugglers Rotherham to Portman Road next Saturday.

Accrington: Ripley, Johnson, Hughes, Richards-Everton, Clark, McConville, Finley, Sykes, Mangan (Brown 66), Barlaser, Kee. Unused: Maxted, Williams, Mingoia, Perritt, Conneely, Watson.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Pennington, Nsiala, Elder, Nolan (Harrison 80), Edwards, Downes (Bishop 46), Dozzell, Sears, Jackson (Keane 66). Unused: Gerken, Chambers, Kenlock, Lankester. Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire) . Att: 2,869 (Town: 1,224).

Photo: Action Images

markytitfc added 18:10 - Jan 5 Robmonkey007 If he puts 5 to 6 million of his "own" money in each year, which is classed as a "loss", how the hell does his personal wealth increase each year. Think a bit harder. He isn't losing a penny!
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Skip73 added 18:11 - Jan 5 My Dad says if I dont drink milk, when I grow up I wont even be good enough to play for Ipswich Town! Ipswich Town, who are they? Exactly!!
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runningout added 18:12 - Jan 5 This game has smacked the ones like me that never give up. Not saying I will and I won't ever do so. Changes must be made to the club structure now, and a major investigation into the murder of our great club
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robmonkey007 added 18:13 - Jan 5 Marky tit F.C. ....how much of your salary do you put in? There's no one lining up to buy the club....and when there is, I'm sure he'll sell. But until then, we need his cash....not him necessarily, just the funds. No club without it.
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robmonkey007 added 18:15 - Jan 5 And I'm sure he has many business ventures....think about it.
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Crimmo added 18:19 - Jan 5 First comment. Anybody else think Lambert has got off fairly lightly so far? Admittedly a tough job after Hurst but he's failed to galvanise the team or even make us hard to beat, has stuck with a terrible defence & in my eyes the football isn't any better, certainly not any more effective. I had hoped for better & at the moment am unsure why some fans seem so worries about Lambert leaving at the end of the season...he's hardly hot property!

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alfromcol added 18:30 - Jan 5 As Lambert has said several times, we are light weight and as long as v poor players like Spence continue to give away free kicks we will get punished by bigger teams. Can't heap all the blame on the owner, a lot of us wanted McCarthy out and were happy to see a younger manager appointed who had had success, albeit at a lower level. However, it turned into a disasterous appointment. Although facts are hard to come by, but it is highly likely that Hurst gave Evans the go ahead to sell Waghorn, Webster and Garner so that he could bring in his bargains from the lower divisions. A bad error as we now know. Lambert now has to pick up the pieces and with the constraints of the transfer system this isn't easy, money or no money. Hoping PL is up for the long term challenge. Protests against Evans are pointless unless there is a buyer in the wings - anyone there?

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Kirbmeister added 18:33 - Jan 5 Crimmo - you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear. Didn't you hear Lambert's interview on Radio Suffolk? He is absolutely fuming. What is he supposed to do with this crock of absolute sh**e??
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markytitfc added 18:35 - Jan 5 Robmonkey I never said we didn't need his cash, just that he is not losing any He has loads of other businesses, do your research on companies house and I put my fair share into our dying club thank you
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markytitfc added 18:35 - Jan 5 Robmonkey I never said we didn't need his cash, just that he is not losing any He has loads of other businesses, do your research on companies house and I put my fair share into our dying club thank you
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Gilesy added 18:38 - Jan 5 Marktitfc. Let's try and stay within the realm of maths shall we? It is possible to get richer every year and still make a loss with Ipswich. Without Ipswich, he'd get ever richer every year. I don't quite follow your logic.
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robmonkey007 added 18:38 - Jan 5 Ok.....so if he leaves in the morning, how does the club recover and progress?
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Dissboyitfc added 18:39 - Jan 5 feel really sick tonight, a real pain to the stomach! not sure why any of the mm lovers would mention his name tonight? lets face it had we of won a couple of cup games in his time here, tonights pain would of been less, its these terrible records we keep creating, just embarrassing we are the laughing stock of the football world. There are some on here who are loving this, so they can come out with their love for MM. I am glad he has left! No regrets at all, because we will rise again and be better for it! I am no lover of evans, but to blame him for todays inept performance is totally wrong. missed too many chances and stupid mistakes in vulnerable areas! PL must believe we have no other RB at the club, the last good RB we had was David Wright, wonder was he playing in our last FA cup run? Dont care what the bookies said, we should of been able to beat them!

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Crimmo added 18:53 - Jan 5 Kirbmeister..my comment was prior to hearing Lambert's interview. Glad to hear him being so honest, wanted him to do it a few games ago but understand him trying to be positive and encouraging the players. Never expected a silk purse, was just hoping for a slight improvement after Hurst. Still think Lambert may do alright in the long term.
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ronnyd added 18:56 - Jan 5 It seems that Lambert is not the Messiah that a lot of us have prayed for. To keep playing defenders that make the same mistakes week in, week out, smacks of managerial ineptitude.
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Kirbmeister added 18:57 - Jan 5 Crimmo - no probs we all just want our old club back.
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ChrisFelix added 18:58 - Jan 5 On football focus today the Accrington chairman appeared. With the old ipswich we would have seen a cobbold or Sheepshank join him. Our current chairman / owner very few would recognise, let alone appear on TV. Doesn't this sum up ITFC in the Marcus Evans era
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blueboy1981 added 18:58 - Jan 5 Don't blame Evans for everything - he didn't decide to play one up front for 80 minutes today.... !! Don't blame Lambert he hasn't been here long enough to make a Silk Purse out of a Pigs Ear .... !! Blame the effort and attitude of SOME of the players, who aren't up to it, and obviously never will be. Concentration being an obvious failing for more than just Spence - he being notorious for such in every game. Step forward the others. It could be construed that Evans has been 'mugged' by more than one Manager ? - will we ever know the truth of what goes on behind the scenes. However, I remind again that spending doesn't guarantee success, as Evans will know - and it can be achieved without such - before we blame Evans yet again. What other choice do we have in terms of Club ownership ? - WE DON'T - and aren't likely to either. Paul Lambert is right when he says the Club has to be rebuilt - no other option. Ship out all those who are constantly proving, game after game, they are not up to it - as was proved yet again today beyond any reasonable doubt. PlAYERS - move up a gear - OR MOVE OUT - starting NOW ! Disgusted that we are so inept.

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Grumpyoldgit added 19:04 - Jan 5 The whole club at first team level is an embarrassing mess. Decisions on and off the pitch are poor and have been for a while now. We never learn..where's the passion,pride and fight gone. That's the bare minimum any supporter at any club has a right to expect. This season has been bad enough but I fear it will get worse before it gets better. It pains me to see the club i have supported for over 50 years in such a state. I genuinely am beginning to fear for the club's future now as it's difficult to see a way out of this under the current ownership. I will still support the club because it's my club and I care along with thousands of others. It's hurting at the moment. I wonder if Mr Evans is hurting as much. We probably will never know

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corkblue added 19:11 - Jan 5 PL - when out shopping in the transfer window, please do not bring in another bunch of lightweights!
4

runaround added 19:12 - Jan 5 Embarrassing, not good enough but unfortunately totally predictable. The club has been sleepwalking towards this state for the past 3 years. Kudos to the town fans who went today, as a single parent father away games are beyond me financially but I wish I could have been there. We deserve better. I fear how far the club might fall & I don't think we have yet hit rock bottom

4

blueboy1981 added 19:12 - Jan 5 Swn98 .......... all we ask is for you to be truthful, you make it so,so, obvious that you are not hurting at all, like many of us genuinely are - you are gloating - and you know it...... !! A 'True Blue' would NOT do that - therefore don't try to convince us otherwise. You've actually got what you wished for ..... is the TRUTH of it all.
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Roola added 19:14 - Jan 5 I don't often post on here but read everyone's comments post games. Today I just had to contribute, maybe as part of a mourning process. Where do I start? I watched today's game, and I'm trying to work out what emotions I actually feel/felt... Embarrassment - Our club used to be exciting and a threat, people would actually be nervous of playing against us. NO MORE Anger - I'm angry that we have ownership that seems deluded that we can remain in the championship by spending a pittance... I know it's his money and he can do what he wants with it but you don't buy a football club to make a fortune, you do it because you care about the club and want to see it succeed... Much as people spout off that Marcus Evans puts in money each year to balance the books, he could buy a Sunday team and do the same... There are other owners in the championship with far less wealth than Evans' 8-900 million that have spent big and are reaping the rewards. I don't want to support a club on a Marcus Evans life support machine, I want the excitement of competing. Apathy - at the same time as being angry, in creeps apathy. I used to be so emotionally involved in every result but now I'm finding myself losing the passion, losing the emotional link to the club, it's like I'm falling out of love with Ipswich Town. All of this stems from the top. They don't want to bring in high earners because they feel it will upset the current wage hierarchy so we stay in a rut of average and below average players. This club needs a complete clear out and a rebuild from the bottom up, Marcus Evans is living in the past if he thinks we can compete for promotion on a shoestring budget, he needs to invest! Have a clear out, Change the wages and show some intent or leave. I thought this post would make me feel better but I just feel more angry.

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wychyblue added 19:15 - Jan 5 Been to the game today . Plosives were teddy bishop in the second half and Elder is definitely miles better than Knudsen . Spence continues to be poor . I have done some work up at Everton academy and know that Pennington is believed to have more potential at right back . The solution is there . If it proves not to be the solution to that position it cannot be any worse . Why not try . Why not try a different set up . I know PL keeps saying the results will come but there is not much sign of them coming soon as it is . Hopefully next weeks midfield might involve skuse / bishop and huws . Or am I wishful thinking

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Dissboyitfc added 19:17 - Jan 5 Pl's made 3 Baffling decisions today(a) dropping kenlock (b) not dropping Spence and (c) why only 1 up top? STRANGE!!!! Kenlock plays well gets dropped, spence poor week in week out and keeps his place??? its almost a tradition now, if you are the RB at Ipswich you have to stay there no matter what!
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