Town’s FA Cup run came to an embarrassing end at the fourth round stage as National League South Maidstone United defeated the Blues 2-1 at Portman Road. The Kent side, 99 places and four divisions below Town, went in front via Lamar Reynolds’s goal two minutes prior to half-time, before the Blues levelled on 56 via Jeremy Sarmiento and from there looked set to go on to win it. But Portman Road was stunned once again by Sam Corne’s second for the Stones and Town huffed and puffed without being able to find another equaliser, and crashed out of the cup.

Boss Kieran McKenna made 10 changes with George Edmundson the only player remaining from Monday’s 1-1 Championship draw away against leaders Leicester City.

Christian Walton was in goal with Dominic Ball at right-back and Cameron Humphreys on the left with Axel Tuanzebe and Edmundson the centre-halves.

Skipper Sam Morsy returned in central midfielder alongside Jack Taylor with Omari Hutchinson and Sarmiento, making his full Town debut, the widemen with Sone Aluko in the middle and Nathan Broadhead the out-and-out striker.

Town named a strong bench but with young striker Gerrard Buabo and keeper Cieran Slicker joining the likes of Wes Burns, Conor Chaplin, Leif Davis and Luke Woolfenden.

For Maidstone, the lowest-ranked side still in the competition with 4,472 fans in the Cobbold Stand, forward Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong returned to the side for the first time since the 1-0 victory over League One Stevenage in the last round and new signing Manny Duku starts.

Former Town defender George Fowler was also in the XI, while one-time Blues trialist Reiss Greenidge was on the bench.

As was to be expected, the Blues dominated from the off and in the second minute Hutchinson crossed from the right, Humphreys knocked back at the far post and Broadhead turned it against Fowler, the ball cannoning off the Wales international and out for a goalkick.

Four minutes later, Sarmiento went very close to his first Portman Road goal, the on-loan Brighton man hitting a low effort from distance which beat Stones keeper Lucas Covolan and struck his right post. The ball bounced out to Hutchinson on the edge of the box to the right but the Chelsea loanee’s rebound was too close to Covolan, who claimed.

It continued to be all Town and in the eighth minute, the Blues hit the woodwork again. Hutchinson cut in from the right and hit a shot which deflected off Sam Corne, wrong-footing Covolan but this time hit the keeper’s left post.

Maidstone made heavy weather of getting the ball clear and Edmundson was able to pick it up on the edge of the area but shot across the face and wide.

Broadhead should have made 1-0 in the 12th minute, Aluko threading it through for the Welshman, who found himself one-on-one with Covolan, but was thwarted by the keeper’s outstretched left leg.

Three minutes later, Hutchinson curled an effort from the edge of the box, which Covolan palmed wide with the game still one-way traffic. From the corner, Edmundson headed over.

On 17, Morsy shot from distance and Covolan pawed wide at his right post with the ball destined for the corner of the net.

Four minutes later, Aluko sent Hutchinson away down the right and the winger cut in and hit another shot, this time a deflection off Paul Appiah diverting it wide.

From the corner, Edmundson should have scored. The defender was given a free header six yards out at the far post, but the ball scuffed off his head and well wide.

Maidstone subsequently had a period of respite and even had a couple of forays forward but without too much concern for Town, before Sarmiento shot over on the turn from 20 yards in the 29th minute. Soon after, Walton had the ball in his hands for the first time after coming off his line to claim a through ball.

Morsy curled over left-footed in the 32nd minute as the Blues continued to look for their opening goal.

Three minutes later, Sarmiento brought the ball forward from inside the Town half before hitting a 20-yard shot which deflected off Appiah and over.

As the game passed the 40-minute mark, Town had two more chances to go in front. First, Sarmiento played in Humphreys on the left of the area, the youngster sending over a low cross which Taylor seemed destined to turn in until Broadhead with his back to goal intervened and hit an effort on the turn which was blocked.

The ball came out to Ball, who played a clever pass in for Aluko, who scuffed well wide from 10 yards out when the veteran should have scored.

Taylor hit another shot which deflected over in the 43rd minute and following the resultant flag-kick, the visitors went in front.

Maidstone broke quickly down the right and a superb ball from the right by Liam Sole played Lamar Reynolds in on goal with Town caught short of numbers at the back and the former Braintree man delicately clipped the ball over the advanced Walton to send the travelling support and bench wild, the players piling on top of one another on the touchline.

There was no time for Town to hit back before referee Anthony Taylor blew his whistle to a huge roar from the Stones fans.

The Blues had been hit by a sucker punch - Maidstone’s only serious attack of the game - having missed innumerable chances to go in front, although their attacks had lost something of their earlier impetus the near the game had got towards half-time.

Ball struck the first shot of the second half four minutes after the restart but hit Aluko and it looped wide.

Maidstone were next to threaten, Town failing to clear their lines on a couple of occasions and allowing an attack to reach the penalty area but Sam Bone’s effort from the area was easy for Walton.

On 52, Broadhead almost played in Hutchinson but the Wales international’s through ball was just too strong and Covolan was able to slide in and clutch it to his chest.

It had been a not entirely convincing opening to the half by the Blues but on 56 they levelled.

Appiah lost possession having brought the ball forward after what looked to be a foul on Aluko just outside the box. Taylor strode forward towards the area and fed Sarmiento to his left and the Ecuadorian international cut in and hit a low shot to Covolan’s right and into the corner of the net.

The on-loan Brighton man’s second goal in a week and first at Portman Road came as a great relief to a Portman Road which had begun to show signs of nervousness.

Town immediately made their first changes, Harry Clarke, Leif Davis and Conor Chaplin replacing Ball, Humphreys and Aluko.

Chaplin wasn’t far away from putting the Blues in front on the hour, Davis playing a now-familiar low corner from the left towards the penalty spot but the Town top scorer shot over.

The Blues continued to dominate and create chances, Sarmiento hitting a low cross from the right against his standing leg and wide, then scuffing another effort through to Covolan.

However, on 66, the non-league side restored their lead. Sarmiento lost possession in the middle of the pitch - with his shirt appearing to have been pulled - giving it to Reynolds on the left from where the earlier goalscorer played a ball inside for Corne, who took it into the box before clinically finishing past Walton. The away fans were again sent into delirium.

Town went about looking for a second equaliser, Wes Burns and Gerrard Buabo replacing Sarmiento and Hutchinson for the final 22 minutes.

Clarke hit a shot which Covolan gathered in the 72nd minute, then two minutes later Burns was fed in on the right of the box by the former Arsenal youngster, but shot across the face of goal and wide.

On 77 the Blues were denied the most stonewall of penalties, Edmundson going past Duku on the left of the box before being tripped. Referee Taylor failed to give the spot-kick and to add insult to injury booked Edmundson for diving. Video replays suggested it was a very poor decision from the Premier League official.

The game continued to played almost entirely in the Maidstone final third, the Blues prodding and probing and looking for openings but all too often finding Maidstone players in their way and Covolan saving from Chaplin.

As the game moved towards the final 10 minutes, Buabo sent a dangerous low ball across the edge of the six-yard box but with no teammate there to add the final touch.

Town almost levelled in 85th minute, Chaplin powering a header goalwards from a corner and Covolan palming into the air. The ball dropped and following an almighty scramble in which no one was able to get in a clean shot, the keeper gratefully dived on it. Play was subsequently delayed due to several Stones players feeling the effects of cramp.

The Blues continued to look for their second goal but without particularly convincing, however, in the final scheduled minute, as the fourth official indicated eight additional minutes, Burns headed goalwards from a Morsy cross and Covolan did well to get across to his top corner and palm over.

The Blues subsequently won a succession of corners but without being able to test the keeper further with the Maidstone defence remaining resolute.

Buabo flicked a header which Covolan saved as time started to run out for an increasingly frustrated-looking Town side.

And with seconds left on the clock, Clarke stood up a cross from the right and Edmundson looped a header into Covolan’s arms.

But Taylor’s final whistle signalled that time had run out for Town and the visiting fans cheered a famous day for their club and a humbling one for the Blues.

The Maidstone players and fans continued their celebrations long after the final whistle, and deservedly so after continuing their remarkable cup run, which has now taken in defeats of sides from Leagues One and Two, and the Championship.

Town were left to rue failing to take the bagful of chances in the first half and then conceding counter-attacking goals, Maidstone’s only two real chances all afternoon.

The shots total of 38-2 illustrated the overall balance of the game but it was Maidstone who made their two count.

Having got back on terms, there seemed only one winner but the Blues for a second time allowed the Stones to break away and score.

From there, the visitors defended steadfastly with Covolan in goal handling confidently, while Town ran out of ideas and lacked a cutting edge, as they did in a number of Championship games over Christmas. A striker, ideally two, is a must before the transfer window closes next Thursday.

The Blues last lost to non-league opposition in 2017 when they were beaten 1-0 at Lincoln and most recently at home when they were defeated 3-2 by Peterborough in 1960.

Town are next in action in the Championship at Preston North End next Saturday afternoon.

Town: Walton, Ball (Clarke 57), Tuanzebe, Edmundson, Humphreys (Davis 57), Morsy (c), Taylor, Hutchinson (Burns 68), Aluko (Chaplin 57), Sarmiento ( Buabo 59), Broadhead. Unused: Slicker, Woolfenden, Travis, Harness.

Maidstone: Covolan, Hoyte (c), Fowler, Appiah, Berkeley-Agyepong (Gurung 63), Corne, Duku, Reynolds (Court 74), Kyprianou, Bone (Iandolo 74), Sole (Greenidge 59). Unused: Earle, Ezennolim, Court, Smith. Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire). Att: 27,763 (4,472).

Photo: Lucy Copsey/Focus Images Ltd/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

DerryfromBury added 18:24 - Jan 27 Congratulations to Maidstone and your supporters, enjoy your day and good luck in the next round. I won't bother the mention those in blue and white who never turned up today, they will know who they are. Totally embarrassing from a top two championship team. Like so many I've been checking the site almost by the hour since the window opened expecting to see what 2 strikers we've signed. What today has shown is, the club cant wait another 48 hours for those 2 signings to materialise. The club could do a lot worse than (although they've probably left it a bit late) then release 2 or 3 fringe players to free up wages if that is proving to be the problem.

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RobsonWark added 18:27 - Jan 27 Could it get any worse. Channel 4 news just said "Could minnows Maidstone Fc pull off one of the greatest shocks in FA Cup history to reach the last 16?".
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ImAbeliever added 18:28 - Jan 27 Hugely embarrassing, Dreadful result. Bin it and move on. I (still) believe 100%.
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ImAbeliever added 18:36 - Jan 27 @blueboy..REALITY still 2nd. Thought you’d left, but glad you haven’t.
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ipswichone added 18:52 - Jan 27 Yes it was embarrassing to lose to maidstone,congratulations to them.sometimes things just don't run for you,luck was definitely on there side first half,with us hitting both posts and crossbar,and kind of felt,not our day.aluko though should have been taken off after twenty minutes,he was our worst player.samiento was superb,as was Hutchinson,thought if we kept samiento on for 90 minutes,would have got a draw,but move on,and forget this game,we are still a good team,just not our day

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GiveusaWave added 19:02 - Jan 27 Good post Derry from Berry. Appalling result and utterly embarassing. The worst result in our history? Yes...I think so. People will still be going on about "remember when Maidstone Utd beat Ipswich in 2024?" 50 years from now (there are entire pages and websites dedicated to Sutton beating Coventry in 1989 and Sutton were in the 5th tier- not 6th at the time) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutton_United_2–1_Coventry_City_(1989) 2 strikers badly..badly needed but I'm very concerned about the quality of players that we've been recently linked with. If we expect strikers who are doing reasonably well in the 3rd or 4th tier to step up and play at top Championship level...we will be sadly mistaken. Strikers rarely (if ever) make that jump and succeed. We've seen how well some of our players have done in the leagues below. I'm seriously concerned (and have been for a while).

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warktheline added 19:09 - Jan 27 Amazing turnout on forum today! Unreal, draw at Leicester and most can’t even be bothered to praise their team sitting 2nd in the championship! Fickle…Sir Bobby was so right!
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Broadbent23 added 19:20 - Jan 27 We are still cursed in the FA Cup. Barrow and Lincoln were bad enough but this result will go down in FA cup history. Colchester v Leeds or Hereford v Newcastle or even Wrexham v Arsenal. The team tried but gave away schoolboy errors. Aluko was not match fit and was not up to the riggers of our playing style. AT and GE were like Laurel and Hardy and mostly to blame for the goals. The only sparks today were OH and JS who tried their best to create a win. SM was not his usual shelf and Taylor was mis firing. Poor Broadhead found his striker role very alien. Generally our pace was too slow and Maidstone stopped most of our chances Credit to Maidstone's goalie for his shot stopping. But two shot Maidstone did well and deserved their win. The result will devalue KM in the short term as this result will resound through football. All in all an entertaining match and hopefully we can rebound and get back to league games. COYB.

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RobsonWark added 19:29 - Jan 27 I'm not even upset about the result today. I think it's funny. I just feel sorry for the ITFC fans who spent there money to support our team today when we made 10 changes to our team. I'm just glad I wasn't there today. Today is a prime example of why I will never buy a ticket for a cup match at Portman Road. 10 changes. 10 individuals on the pitch who have never played with each other week in week out will never be a team.

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Mariner1974 added 19:30 - Jan 27 Embarrassing? Most of your guys should be embarrassed about yourselves and take a long hard look in the mirror. Knee Jerk reactions from fans who so quickly forget how brilliant we’ve been under McKenna and how we got promoted from League One to now sit in the Championship in 2nd place having lost only 3 League games nestled between Leicester & Southampton/Leeds. I understand we have loads of Boomers/ Old Timers too in love with the romance of the FA Cup. Don’t worry, I love the Cup too, but I’m not about to lose it about a game where we played well for a fair amount, but weren't clinical. I spent most of the game having to listen to a bunch of right old moaners around me, picking holes in everything we did even though we were peppering their goal. Was it really that embarrassing to have 78% possession and 38 shots, but get hit on the break by the opposition's two shots? Prebbs007 “A few of them should be sacked…went to King Power on Monday and was so proud. Today I’ve never been so embarassed. A number of these idiots need replacing” Not Knee Jerk at all there? Proud of your team on Monday and now a few days later you want to put them up against the wall and shoot them all? TractorBoyBig - "The worst result and performance of ITFC in it’s history” Really? The Worst Performance in ITFC History? Did you watch any of those games when Alan Judge was running around like a headless chicken and our team looked totally bereft of ideas during the pandemic? I think you may have missed a fair few eras at Portman Road after the Robson Glory years in there somewhere. Bezzer ‘ “I’d question our management team…why don’t they show some emotion on the touchline” Yeh Bezzer…why don’t we question Kieron McKenna and his team who’ve won promotion with us and taken us to 2nd in the Championship on our first season back in it. As for all you numerous pant soilers such as TexasTom, Len Brennan, BlueSkies (change your name to Grey Clouds). Take a breath guys. Yeh we lost a game of football that we dominated for a fair chunk, and yes we shouldn’t have, but come on. You’ve all seen enough games to know that some days Lady Luck doesn’t shine on your side. We could have been 3 or more up in first 15 mins playing some great football and for a fair chunk of the game , and the ball refused to go into the net on far too many occasions. They scored with 2 chances on the break. Smash and grab. It happens sometimes in games like when we frustratingly lost to Lincoln last year. Team parks the bus, score on the break and then just block every shot possible to prevent us scoring. We’ve scored goals when we’ve needed to like both games home and away against Leicester when we could so easily have lost. At Watford where we came back and won… Today we were the better team, bossing the possession and game and got sucker punched on two goals, and they bravely defended for their lives. It happens sometimes, and I’d rather take 6 points against Preston and Sunderland, than dwell on not making the next round of the FA Cup. As much fun as it would be to play in the last 16. JewellintheTown talking rubbish when he said “So many looked outclassed at times by Maidstone”. Outclassed? Really? His point on watching his TV and commenting on hearing Maidstone fans and not ours, was because this was a massive game for them. If there would have been a quicker uptake and more appetite for the game from our regular season ticket holders & fans, then we wouldn’t have needed to give them the charity of the upper tier and 4500 tickets. That’s naive of the club. If you want to progress and you want to bring more money into the club from making the next round, don’t give the opposition the chance to have a crowd so loud and behind them when playing away, that it spurs on the players. If we’d have just given them the usual amount, they wouldn’t have had a chance to drown us out. This was a game attended by a lot of people who don’t normally got to games, and where people end up sitting next to people they wouldn’t usually sit next to, so no wonder there isn’t the same collective atmosphere behind the team as normal. At least everyone was classy enough to clap the Maidstone manager at the end of the game, when he came past and gave his respect to the North Stand. McKenna made a booboo by taking off Sarmiento and Hutchison who were both the class acts on the day, Burns should never have cut off his hair like Samson, & we should have scored far more of our numerous chances. Thanks to the likes of SaxonBlue74 , FreddySteady , JoyousBlue & Steve ITFC Sweden for keeping some perspective, and not being so knee jerk and silly as others. People soiling their pants and obsessing on our need for a striker. Yes we need a new striker to cover Hirst, Ladapo and Scarlett not being around. We all know that. Us repeating it isn’t gonna solve anything. McKenna, Ashton and co are fully aware & are no doubt trying their hardest to nail the reinforcements. We’re a fantastic team this season and last thanks to the belief and philosophy installed by McKenna who’s been a godsend. Let’s take the lessons from today, regroup and go and get the win up at Preston.

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WonTheCupin78 added 19:30 - Jan 27 Some world media outlets talking about this being "the greatest ever upset in world football". We aren't as big a giant as the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea or Man Utd. We are a team that have been massively overperforming who got promotion last season from Division 3. Maidstone deserved their win and we are toothless up front. I hope this result sends a crystal clear message that we need to a couple of premier league strikers on loan right now.

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Thegeniusofmuhren added 19:34 - Jan 27 Took my 7 year old to his first gane today! D'oh! He's a happy go lucky boy so no permanent damage done. That was awful though. Turgid. Real lack of ideas and urgency. Broadhead would struggle to hit himself let alone the target. Probably be the last we see of Aluko, thanks for your service. Humphries should be in the middle, Ball shouldn't be on the pitch and Tuanzebe looked frightened. Both young loanee wingers have no end product and KM probably could've tried a bit of route one football when it wasn't working. Easy being an armchair fan, fully support KM but respect certainly wasn't shown and you can see hwy most of the starting 11 very rarely start. Cup run would've been nice but hey ho.

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Texastom added 19:58 - Jan 27 For some young ones it’s probably put them off for life and for those that can’t afford to go as a family but did today. Been punching above our weight we need to remember where we have come from and not take lesser teams for granted. We haven’t learnt anything from our League 1 days. These teams are well organised and will be up for any challenge. They do their homework, work hard, are focused and put a shift in, we don’t. We think we can just turn up, it’s arrogance. We are great against teams that play open football and think we have over achieved in the Championship for this very reason. Maidstone were singing Premiership you are having a laugh.

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surgery added 20:13 - Jan 27 Watching Aluko today reminded me of the grim days of Premiership class Jonathan Douglas
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Texastom added 20:26 - Jan 27 Broadbent23 comments relating to previous big upsets interesting - all big Clubs playing away. We were playing at home! For that reason I think ours is the biggest shock in English football.
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Texastom added 20:47 - Jan 27 Mariner1974 don’t think you need to write a Joey Barton narrative on your opinion of correction. The whole point in having a Forum is for people to express themselves not suppress them! It’s easy to criticise people who take the lead. Most of the comments on here are valid and yes, it is the worst result on paper on the Clubs history. McKenna - yes he’s been fantastic but a lot of new comers and children coming today for the first time it’s not a great experience or an encouragement for them to come back.

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FarnboroBlue added 21:02 - Jan 27 FA cup is broken, tired off teams making wholesale changes, its not fair on fans in particular and to an extent the players who come in and are expected to perform seamlessly. Perhaps they should make it an opt-in by end of June for next season on proviso starting 11 can only have 3 changes from previous league game (unless exceptional injuries etc.) That way FA know numbers ao can arrange qualifying rounds accordingly. Suspect most teams would play but might change the mindset?

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bobble added 21:05 - Jan 27 great result for both teams...everyones a winner
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fifeblue added 21:24 - Jan 27 Obviously disappointed that Ipswich were not good enough to put the ball in the net from so many chances and fair play to Maidstone who came with a plan and it worked. However, why is it that in the FA Cup there is VAR at Premier grounds and not elsewhere? Had there been VAR at this match the result would have been different: two clear penalties for Ipswich and a foul on an Ipswich player immediately before the second Maidstone goal. I wouldn't say the referee was poor but he missed clear infringements in favour of Maidstone.

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DerryfromBury added 21:26 - Jan 27 The ones who I feel sorry for the most are the youngsters, many of whom it will have been their first time at PR. I'm sure I'm not the only one, but, it was impossible not to notice the number of youngster at todays game and their excitement at just being at the ground.
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BigscarfAl added 21:28 - Jan 27 Can't believe that we didn't win that! Was at the game and have just watched 5 minutes of highlights ....…when it's not your day it isn't your day. Still on a positive note we haven't used any of our luck up!
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londontractorboy57 added 22:21 - Jan 27 Did we lose there's 6 pages of comments whilst we've been playing great football in the league there's only 3 pages find it hard to understand
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foreverthebeat added 22:40 - Jan 27 Don't get me wrong but we played ok dominated look at the stats but do need to finnish 2 shots 2 good finish strikes. Play them 100 times and beat them 99 times but that's the FA CUP good luck Maidstone
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PSGBlue added 22:53 - Jan 27 It’s now been eight hours since the final whistle went and I still feel gutted by the result. Why should this be? Do I care about progressing to the 5th round, not really it’s promotion that I want. If it had been a 2-1 loose away to Bristol City for example, I would not really care. It’s not the fact we have gone out, it’s the fact that through the manager and players we as fans have been left totally humiliated once again. I have had fans of other clubs sending me texts. I have had to endure seeing our defeat against a team 98 places below us on the main BBC News. Tomorrow will see photos of Maidstone players celebrating in the dressing room on the back of the Sunday papers. We will have it shoved down our throats once again at the 5th round draw with the Maidstone players gathered round in their social club. Followed by live coverage of Maidstone in the 5th round with replays of how they beat Ipswich. It was totally unacceptable today as a Championship team to lose to Maidstone at home on National TV. For the first time since the new ownership took control, I feel let down by the team and management. Arguably a good thing as it was a regular occurrence just two years ago. I really hope that lessons have been learnt and we can go out and take three points next week. As already said a proven striker is a must. And with only 18 games to go, no more tinkering with the starting 11, can we start with our strongest team.

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TonyHumesIpswich added 23:10 - Jan 27 @londontractorboy This is a result that will go down in history for all the wrong reasons. If we had beaten Liverpool in the cup there would also be 6 pages of comments. Too angry to post initially but think I'm ready to now. We created chance after chance but like others have said here; nobody to finish. If we had had a decent finisher (Ladapo, Scarlet; even Yengi) this would have been over at half time. How have we let a situation occur where we have lost 4 strikers (Yengi-sold, Hirst-injured, Scarlet- returned from loan, Ladapo-out on loan) ? And we have brought no-one in!! And the player that we look like we are signing? Well off championship standard. Meanwhile a player that some fans said should be given first team time here (Chirewa) is now playing in the Premier League for Wolves!! I feel sorry for the young fans. They'll feel that sense of humiliation that we have all felt before and they'll be reminded of it for years to come. Maidstone mocking us about wanting to be Premier League "Premier League you're having a laugh" will be burned on my memory for years to come.

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