Saints fast fading hopes of automatic promotion died with yet another poor defensive performance and yet another strange choice of defence in the starting line up, now we need to look to cement our Automatic promotion spot.

It was yet again another strange team selection from Russell Martin, only one member of the back four from Saturday starting in the same position they did against Boro.

Kyle Walker Peters was dropped to the bench, Jack Stephens moved to left back and Jan Bednarek coming back into the centre of defence, almost a complete shake up, but of course Jack Stephens was still in the side.

Saints started the game well, but it was Ipswich who drew first blood and again it was our defence found wanting, Bree had come into the middle and left Davis alone on our right hand side, Bree was never going to get across to block him and the Ipswich man hit a hard shot, yes it was right in the top corner, but Bazunu should really not be letting shots like that in.

But the lead would last barely a minute as Adam Armstrong found Joe Aribo who helped the ball across goal for Che Adams to fire home from close range.

But it got better, a sublime ball from Stuart Armstrong found his namesake Adam who fired home across the keeper and now after just 23 minutes we were in control of the game.

Ryan Fraser almost made in 3-1 with a shot across goal that missed the post by inches, so at the break Saints were good value for their 2-1 lead.

In the second half initially Saints started well and Taylor Harwood-Bellis had a header well saved by the home keeper at full stretch, but then the game turned.

The warming signs were there before the equaliser, the Saints defence was at sixes & sevens as the home side struck the post, the warnings were not heeded, with 25 minutes to go Russell Martin had not used a substitute, Ipswich had used one in the first half. but made two more changes on 61 minutes and it soon paid off with Broadhead one of those brought on finding acres of space in the box and firing home in the 68th minute.

Now we were on the back foot, but the first chance wasn't to bring on fresh legs at the back or in midfield, but to replace Ryan Fraser with David Brooks.

Opinion on this was divided, on one hand we needed to win the game so a brave attacking decision, but on the other hand we also needed to keep things tight and bring on fresh legs, second change was Sam Edozie for Che Adams, still no fresh legs were we needed them and the home side were looking to catch us on the break.

Finally on 82 minutes we got the fresh legs of Smallbone & Rothwell, but Ipswich went long and James Bree was caught out and as the player got behind him he went down, it looked a harsh foul, but he would have been through on goal so the red card came out for Bree.

You would have thought at this point that Kyle Walker Peters might have made a late cameo, to add pace at the back and also an attacking threat, but no such tactical decision was made.

There fore it was no surprise that Ipswich won it in the 97th minute, the last of the 7 being played by the ref, once again tired legs were caught out, a man out wide on our right with plenty of time to pick his man, that man was Sarmiento who had so much time he was able to fall over, pick himself up and prod the ball home with not a Saints defender getting near him.

So a good 65 minutes went to pot in the final part of the game, once again puzzling team selections by the manager and a failure to use substitutions effectively.

We had no leadership on or off the pitch, Jack Stephens appeared to have a very fluid role as left back, frequently moving into the centre of the midfield. was this tactical or evidence of a team in total disarray, either way it ultimately cost us dearly as we failed to mark men at crucial times and paid the price.

There is a lot of anger on social media at the moment and of course there would be as it is a big disappointment to blow automatic promotion with still 8 games left to play, but perhaps we need to use it as a wakeup call, there were those that predicted doom & gloom back in August and indeed again in September, but the reality is we still live to fight another day, albeit that other day is now the play offs.

We now have to cement 4th position in the league, but first ensure that we are in the play offs long before the end of the season, as it stands Coventry are the team in 7th with 7 games left to play, the most points they can get is 81, that is 7 points more that the 74 we are on at the moment, win two games out of our last 8 and we should be home and dry, especially if one of those games is the game in a weeks time against Coventry at St Mary's.

Indeed with Coventry hosting Leeds on Saturday if they lose that one and we win at Blackburn, then a play off spot could be secured with a draw at St Mary's next Tuesday.

Photo: Action Images

AmericanSaint added 14:09 - Apr 3 onetowatch - I agree that Stuey is a key player, but he is also a seasoned pro and gets paid very well to make a decision like that. And I can make that statement because if he made that pass and we score it is 3-1 and we go on to win the game. As I noted there were 3 things that I felt were behind us losing that game and this was one of them. I agree with you that leaving KWP on the bench was critical too, but only if he started and I think he could have played 75 minutes. I am worried that KWP looks at this game and says to himself, I am the best defender on this team and I am left out of potentially the most crucial game of the season. What is going on in his head now? I just think RM made a real hash of this game management from start to finish.

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