Town are down to fourth in League One following a bizarre 5-3 defeat at Lincoln City. Harry Anderson put the Imps ahead on six, Luke Garbutt levelled for Town in the 32nd minute before Tyler Walker restored the home side’s lead in first-half injury time. A Harry Toffolo own goal restored parity in the 59th minute before Walker’s second made it 3-2 on 72, then Michael Bostwick added a fourth in the 79th minute. Will Keane pulled one back for the Blues four minutes later but Jake Hesketh cemented the Imps’ win in injury time.

Boss Paul Lambert made three changes from the team which drew 0-0 with Gillingham on Boxing Day with Andre Dozzell and Flynn Downes returning to the midfield and skipper Luke Chambers at the back.

The Blues, playing their final game of the decade, again lined-up in a 4-4-2 system with Chambers - returning from his one-match ban - alongside Luke Woolfenden at the heart of the defence and Garbutt and Janoi Donacien the full-backs. Will Norris continued in goal.

Dozzell and Downes were in the centre of midfield with Gwion Edwards on the right and Alan Judge on the left with James Norwood and Kayden Jackson up front.

Cole Skuse and Jon Nolan were missing from the squad having not travelled after suffering minor knocks on Boxing Day, while Toto Nsiala was also left out of the 18 having started the Gillingham match.

Lincoln, who were unchanged from their 1-0 Boxing Day defeat at Oxford, included former Town loanee Callum Connolly among their subs.

Imps defender Michael O’Connor headed a freekick from the left straight at Norris in the fifth minute after a scruffy opening spell.

And a minute later, the home side went in front. Hesketh broke towards the area and played a clever reverse pass into the path of Harry Anderson, who took it on and hit a shot across Norris and into the corner of the net.

The Blues, who again had made a slow start, looked to get back into it and on 10, after Edwards had picked up a loose ball midway inside the Lincoln half, Norwood saw a shot blocked by Neal Eardley, then Garbutt blazed over.

A minute later Downes scuffed wide from the edge of the box after breaking through a crowd of players as the Blues showed signs of getting into some rhythm.

Town claimed a penalty in the 14th minute when Jackson beat Josh Vickers to the ball on the byline and appeared to be upended by the keeper. Jackson was adamant he had been fouled but referee James Oldham and his assistant weren’t interested and the Blues were awarded a corner.

Two minutes later, Imps midfielder Joe Morrell, who was born in Ipswich, struck a shot from the edge of the box which Norris gathered at the second attempt.

The Blues were getting on top and having most of the ball but without creating a clear-cut opportunity, while Lincoln were presenting a greater danger on the break.

As the game reached the half-hour mark Town began to build up a head of steam, Downes hitting a shot which was deflected wide from the edge of the box. From the corner, Chambers nodded it back across goal to Edwards, whose header was unconvincingly punched away by Vickers.

A Blues equaliser was looking more and more on the cards and in the 32nd minute it came. Dozzell, who after a quiet start was increasingly involved, was fouled 25 yards out just to the right. Garbutt took the freekick and brilliantly curled it into the bottom left corner of Vickers’s net giving the keeper no chance.

It was the on-loan Everton man’s sixth goal of the season and a freekick every bit as good as his similar set-piece strike against Tranmere earlier in the season.

Lincoln came back into the game following the Town leveller but without seriously threatening before the Blues were forced into a change. Donacien had undergone treatment on a knee problem earlier in the half and was clearly being hampered by the knock. On 41 the St Lucia-born full-back made way with Sears taking over on the right of midfield with Edwards going to right-back.

Within two minutes, Edwards was booked after Jorge Grant went to ground after very little if any contact as he looked to turn away from the Welshman.

From the freekick, the home side went very close to going back in front. The ball was eventually played to Grant, who crossed from the left to Anderson who stabbed off the outside of the near post from a few feet out.

But the Imps support didn’t have to wait too much longer for a second goal. With the game in injury time, a long ball sent Walker away on his own in the Town half from where he looped the ball over Norris who had advanced well out of his goal and under the bar.

There was no time for the Blues to hit back before referee Oldham brought the half to a close.

Town had again started slowly and found themselves behind before they had got going. However, they subsequently got themselves on top and deserved their goal when it came.

But they allowed the impetus to swing back to the Imps in the final minutes of the half and conceded another poor goal from a defensive perspective.

Sears was yellow-carded for pulling back Grant soon after the restart, then Dozzell joined him in the book for much the same offence on Hesketh as Lincoln broke.

On 51 Lincoln’s Bostwick was also cautioned for a blatant pull on Jackson as he broke into the area with the offence committed just outside the box. Some referees might have deemed the foul worthy of more than a yellow card with Jackson otherwise in on goal. Garbutt took the freekick but hit the wall.

Two minutes later, a Lincoln freekick at the other end caused problems for the Blues who failed to clear the danger and Norris was forced to save Hesketh’s low effort from just inside the box and Garbutt belted the loose ball away.

Lincoln had made much the stronger start to the second half, however, Jackson’s pace was beginning to cause more problems. On 57 Cian Bolger and Jackson collided on the edge of the box with referee Oldham awarding the foul against the Town man when the decision might well have been given the other way.

The Blues hadn’t had an opportunity since the restart but a minute before the hour mark they levelled for a second time.

Sears did well to latch on to a loose Lincoln pass on the Town right and won a corner which Judge sent on from the right. Woolfenden appeared to get a flick at the near post and toffolo inadvertently nodded into his own net.

Having got back on terms for a second time the Blues began to pass the ball around both greater confidence.

On 62 a Jackson effort inside the box was blocked by Bostwick after a Norwood knockdown following a spell of Town possession.

Moments later, Jackson was sent away on goal but with the linesman’s flag raised, before the Blues switched Edwards for James Wilson with the former Lincoln man going to centre-half and Woolfenden to right-back.

Town again allowed the momentum to swing back to the home side and in the 72nd minute they went in front for a third time. Morrell was allowed to run unchallenged into the area on the right before cutting back to the far post where the completely unmarked Walker stroked his second of the game into the net.

Keane replaced Norwood for the final 14 minutes with the home side growing in confidence and the Blues looking ragged having allowed the Imps to get on top for a third time.

Town’s hopes of taking anything from the game appeared to be extinguished in the 79th minute when Morrell’s low ball into the box following a corner from the right somehow found Bostwick, who turned in off the far post and then Norris.

The Blues continued to search for something from the game and on 81 Garbutt hit a shot from the edge of the box which deflected wide.

And two minutes later, Town reduced the deficit to one when, after a well-worked move down the right, Woolfenden played the ball inside to Keane, who shot across Vickers and into the corner of the net.

As the fourth official raised his board announcing five additional minutes the Blues were putting the Imps under pressure with crosses flying into the box and the home side just about repelling the danger.

However, the game’s eighth goal was to go to Lincoln with Town caught by sucker punch break. Skipper Chambers was caught two against one as the Imps broke and Hesketh stroked the winner past Norris to seal what had been a bizarre afternoon at Sincil Bank.

The final whistle sounded soon afterwards to confirm the Blues’ third League One defeat on an afternoon when almost everything hit at goal seemed to go in at both ends with the game hardly an eight-goal thriller.

Town, who last conceded five in a 5-1 defeat at Reading in September 2015, have now lost three of their last four games with their winless League One run now stretching to seven.

Having gone behind after a slow start, the Blues got on terms and on top but failed to make their ascendency at that point tell and then conceded Lincoln’s poor second goal. Neither the defence nor keeper Norris will be keen to watch it back.

It was much the same story in the second half, Town having again got back on terms with the game there for the taking when they allowed Lincoln back into it and conceded the third and fourth with big questions again to be asked about the defending.

Keane’s goal gave Town a chance of what at that stage had seemed an unlikely point and the fifth Imps goal was down to the Blues throwing everyone forward in the closing stages.

Town, whose early season defensive frugality seemed light years away from this afternoon’s performance, are now down to fourth in the table with a trip to leaders Wycombe, who lost 4-1 at home to Coventry, on Wednesday.

Lincoln: Vickers, Toffolo, Bolger, Bostwick, Eardley (c), Morrell, O’Connor (Chapman 82), Anderson, Hesketh, Grant, Walker. Unused: Smith, Payne, Connolly, Melbourne, Lewis, Akinde.

Town: Norris, Donacien (Sears 41), Woolfenden, Chambers (c), Garbutt, Dozzell, Downes, Edwards (Wilson 64), Judge, Norwood (Keane 76), Jackson. Unused: Holy, El Mizouni, Kenlock, Huws, Keane. Referee: James Oldham (Derbyshire). Att: 10,012.

Photo: Pagepix

grumpyoldman added 19:40 - Dec 29 I have not been to many games recently but as it's a nice break from Christmas I decided to go to two games, Boxing Day and today. Watching paint dry summed up the first match, today's was a totally different matter, entertaining goals and a good atmosphere, due to grandson organising the buying the tickets we ended up at the other end of the ground from the blue army. None of our players seemed to care as much as Lincoln, they had an urgency about them we played a more pedestrian game, yes there were a few nice passes but with no end product. They carried a threat we were too predictable, passing it around for no reason instead of trying a shot. Downes was IMO our man of the match, others should such as Edwards, feel ashamed when they pick up their wages. Without passion a player is nothing, even clod hoppers like Chambers who I am not a fan of at least seems to care whether we win or lose. Listening to Mick Mills on Saturday summed up the rotation system succinctly, if you know you will play regularly without really trying why would you play well because even when you give your best you may still be dropped for the next game.

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Fatboy added 19:54 - Dec 29 We started today with a different back four from Thursday and then changed it twice during the match (once due to injury but once by moving the CB to RB and bringing on another CB - Lincoln scored twice soon after). Add to that the constantly rotating midfield and it's no surprise that the players seem to be strangers to each other. Lincoln played the same 11 as on Boxing Day and it showed.

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dirtydingusmagee added 19:56 - Dec 29 grumpy, its been like that a long time unfortunately, respect for attending and to all the other fans that have done so this season, shame the GREAT support given is not rewarded by performances from those being paid . Last season it kept get shoved down fans throats that poor support was to blame for shocking performances on pitch ........well really,
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dirtydingusmagee added 20:09 - Dec 29 from top to third from bottom on form , that didnt happen overnight , !
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SickParrot added 20:13 - Dec 29 27 points from our first 11 games and 10 from the last 11. The 27 from the first 11 was much more than the performances deserved, the 10 from the last 11 more accurately reflects our performance levels. Promotion now looks unlikely unless we make good signings in January and Lambert goes back to basics. We must have a settled team with the best players available in their proper position and the formation that best suits those players.

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dirtydingusmagee added 20:18 - Dec 29 Hope Phil is being kept supplied with festive food and drink if he is camped outside the dressing room waiting for Lambert to come out. I reckon our Paul has climbed out of the window and disappeared into the night. Rather rude if you ask me .
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Saxonblue74 added 20:18 - Dec 29 Lambert has spoken, same post match bull as usual.
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stevelincsexile added 20:53 - Dec 29 Took my 11year old granddaughter with her Ipswich shirt new hat and scarf to her first match today. I asked her if she enjoyed the game, she said yes very exciting. I asked her how she thought Ipswich played, she said ok I suppose but in her own words she's asked me why we don't pass to our men more, why do we not shoot at the goal more, why are we not closer to there men when they shoot at goal to stop them scoring and whycan we not kick the ball very well when we hit across the penalty box? Simple game isn't it.

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bobble added 21:39 - Dec 29 seems to be some bad medicine lurking around the club since the dark lords days, there clearly needs to be a smoking ceremony on the pitch to cleanse out the negative spirits....
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londontractorboy57 added 22:18 - Dec 29 Seasons Greetings Blueboy flushed out of the undergrowth at last.
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cat added 22:22 - Dec 29 Not good. We have to stick with Lambert and hope his got the guile to turn it around. Not to many complaints with the starting 11, with the exception of Holy (who's ours) in the sticks. Failure to finish top 6, then a massive player cull is called for, starting with the old guard and pretty much everyone one else who's failed to contribute much over tte last 2 seasons.
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ringwoodblue added 22:27 - Dec 29 Stevelincsexile - you need to introduce your granddaughter to Lambo as she seems to know more about football than he does!
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portmanteau added 22:47 - Dec 29 Can't see ME firing PL and paying him off. PL for all his raving is probably not going to resign and lose this lucrative job. Result stalemate. Its all up to the players now. Sadly though, Wycombe will have other ideas so the revival has to wait a bit longer but hey we are 4th for chrissakes.
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runningout added 22:51 - Dec 29 Those mentioning ex manager (Burley) ‘Remember the end of his reign' and Butcher etc Please stop.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 23:17 - Dec 29 @runningout are you kidding? Sheepshanks shouldn't have been so quick to spend money on two new stands before buying better players and establishing ourselves in the premier league first! He bought in the second season a European champion in George and an up and coming Italian keeper that most fans were very happy with? You can't moan at his pedigree with buying Johnson, Stewart, heirederson, Mowbray, Wilnis, Magilton, Holland etc etc so get a grip!! With the best of intentions Sheepshanks spending on two new stands was the reason we went tits up

1

shakytown added 01:19 - Dec 30 The biggest sign of our problems is the number of yellow cards we are receiving. 1 We are slow as a team and get caught out far to easily. 2 We don't play as a team and do not support each other with or without possession. 3 To many payers playing out of position. 4 Worst of all there is a group who just do not seem to care if we lose or not.
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Minneapolis_ITFC added 02:45 - Dec 30 The two teams should know each other well, it's strengths and weaknesses. Those F.A. Cup games just recent and two / three years back when they eliminated us. But to conceded five today to this opposition was I don't know, completely unacceptable if that it the best term, if not bizarre. I realize Lambert isn't entirely to blame for all the negative aspects of what occurs out there but as team coach he has to undertake the lions share of culpability for his record thus far since replacing Hurst. Guess some still insist he's the man for the job and blowing sunshine up it's ass but I'll beg to differ once again. Believe Lambert made comment post-game about where his future lies after this and / or how long he expects to remain on the payroll here. Too much ambiguity. : Not enough faith in the team or his abilities to maintain (or finally reach) a promotion chance in the weeks and months ahead.

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ITFCsince73 added 08:05 - Dec 30 Chambo out.
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Facefacts added 09:53 - Dec 30 Sad to see us concede so many goals but we had been hit by injuries to defensive players (Nolan, Skuse) including one during the first half, Donacien. I don't blame Paul Lambert for this. We would have been more solid with those three on the pitch for the duration. Thought we looked quality going forward and Lincoln were really scared of our attacks and free kicks and cormers but we just couldn't defend. Defence needs the protection of one or two midfielders and didn't get it. Hated seeing the Lincoln supporters keeping the ball until another ball was supplied then they threw it back to make two balls on the pitch. it's cheating pure and simple. I think we are picking up bookings through not being clever enough. Edwards is ok but can't tackle cleverly enough to be a right back. Because of the level of cheating and conning of refs that has now spread like cancer through the football league. Why doesn't Jackson get the free kicks and penalties he deserves, teams are petrified of his pace and he should be one of the regulars. Judge has a good game. Likewise Garbutt, Downes and Dozzell. Norwood keep working. All the defenders looked panicked and keeper Norris should probably go back to his club if we can get an emergency loan should Holy get injured. As i say, sad, but there were encouraging signs.

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Razor added 10:29 - Dec 30 Why do we spend over a year getting Huws fit and then leave him on the bench? Is our squad actually as good as we think it is? We had a lot of luck and narrow victories early in the season. Why do we rotate, even in the game? If we do not act now will this blip continue?
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