Ipswich Town 1-1 Birmingham City: Tractor Boys relegated to League One

Ipswich forward Collin Quaner reacts to a missed chance as their relegation to League One was confirmed

Ipswich Town boss Paul Lambert said the club's relegation is "gut-wrenching for everybody" after their drop to League One was confirmed.

The Tractor Boys became the first team to be relegated in the English Football League this season following a 1-1 draw with Birmingham City.

Lambert thanked the Ipswich fans for their support after the club's fate was sealed with four matches still to play.

"You saw the reception at the end of the game, that was incredible. I've been involved in some unbelievable moments in my career, that's as good as it gets for me, that's how emotional it was," said Lambert.

• Relive Saturday's EFL action as it happened

"The support is unbelievable, I'm gutted for them, I'm gutted for the players and I'm gutted for all the staff here at Portman Road.

"I've always believed [we could stay up], everyone who knows me knows I'm a realist but I'd always believed we could do well. You've got to analyse the disappointment and then try to plan what will happen next year.

"It's gut-wrenching, it's horrible. But we have great things to look forward to."

It has been a dire campaign for the Suffolk side, who sacked boss Paul Hurst after just one league win from his 14 games in charge.

Replacement Lambert proved unable to turn the club's fortunes around and admitted before Saturday's game that relegation to the third tier, for the first time since 1957, had been hanging over the club's head "for months".

The hosts went into the game knowing that anything less than a win would see their 17-year stay in the second tier come to an end, but they fell behind after just seven minutes when Lukas Jutkiewicz hammered home from close range.

Gwion Edwards levelled for Ipswich straight after the break before Alan Judge hit the post for the home side, with the draw keeping Birmingham six points above the bottom three.

Relegation means Ipswich will face Lincoln City in a league game for the first time since 1961 next season after the Imps secured promotion from League Two on Saturday with a 1-1 draw against Cheltenham Town.

Birmingham City manager Garry Monk told BBC Radio WM 95.6:

"Commiserations to Ipswich as a football club. It's a tough day for them. They came out fighting and gave everything.

"We had the chances to win the game. Even in the second half we had three really good chances and we didn't take them.

"You can't afford to do that if you want to take the three points. We weren't clinical enough today."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Ipswich

• 33Bialkowski
• 27Emmanuel
• 4ChambersBooked at 45mins
• 39CollinsBooked at 42minsSubstituted forNsialaat 60'minutesBooked at 81mins
• 30Kenlock
• 23DozzellSubstituted forJacksonat 45'minutes
• 8SkuseBooked at 44mins
• 15Bishop
• 7EdwardsBooked at 31mins
• 45Quaner
• 31Judge

Substitutes

• 1Gerken
• 6Chalobah
• 9Jackson
• 21Downes
• 22Nsiala
• 41Bree
• 42El Mizouni

Birmingham

• 1Camp
• 5Colin
• 12Dean
• 28Morrison
• 3Pedersen
• 23JotaSubstituted forMahoneyat 70'minutes
• 20Gardner
• 26DavisBooked at 80mins
• 18MrabtiSubstituted forMaghomaat 90+1'minutes
• 9Adams
• 10Jutkiewicz

Substitutes

• 4Roberts
• 7Mahoney
• 8Gardner
• 11Vassell
• 19Maghoma
• 27Trueman
• 45Harding

Referee:

Jeremy Simpson

Attendance:

17,248

Match Stats

Home TeamIpswichAway TeamBirmingham

Possession

Home57%

Away43%

Shots

Home12

Away17

Shots on Target

Home3

Away5

Corners

Home7

Away5

Fouls

Home18

Away14

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Ipswich Town 1, Birmingham City 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Ipswich Town 1, Birmingham City 1.

Posted at 90'+2'

Attempt blocked. Gwion Edwards (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.

Substitution

Posted at 90'+1'

Substitution, Birmingham City. Jacques Maghoma replaces Kerim Mrabti.

Posted at 89'

Offside, Ipswich Town. Kayden Jackson tries a through ball, but Collin Quaner is caught offside.

Posted at 87'

Corner, Ipswich Town. Conceded by Connor Mahoney.

Posted at 87'

Attempt blocked. Myles Kenlock (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.

Posted at 86'

Attempt saved. Alan Judge (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Kayden Jackson.

Posted at 84'

Attempt blocked. Gwion Edwards (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Cole Skuse.

Posted at 83'

Foul by Aristote Nsiala (Ipswich Town).

Posted at 83'

Che Adams (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Booking

Posted at 81'

Aristote Nsiala (Ipswich Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Aristote Nsiala (Ipswich Town).

Posted at 81'

Connor Mahoney (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Booking

Posted at 80'

David Davis (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 80'

Gwion Edwards (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 80'

Foul by David Davis (Birmingham City).

Posted at 79'

Foul by Myles Kenlock (Ipswich Town).

Posted at 79'

Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 78'

Attempt missed. Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Connor Mahoney with a cross following a corner.

Posted at 77'

Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Myles Kenlock.

Posted at 76'

Foul by Collin Quaner (Ipswich Town).

Posted at 76'

Harlee Dean (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 76'

Kayden Jackson (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 76'

Foul by Michael Morrison (Birmingham City).

Posted at 74'

Corner, Ipswich Town. Conceded by Harlee Dean.

Posted at 74'

Attempt blocked. Alan Judge (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 72'

Joshua Emmanuel (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 72'

Foul by David Davis (Birmingham City).

Posted at 71'

Foul by Kayden Jackson (Ipswich Town).

Posted at 71'

Michael Morrison (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 70'

Substitution, Birmingham City. Connor Mahoney replaces Jota.

Posted at 70'

Foul by Luke Chambers (Ipswich Town).

Posted at 70'

Michael Morrison (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 69'

Corner, Ipswich Town. Conceded by David Davis.

Posted at 64'

Foul by Myles Kenlock (Ipswich Town).

Posted at 64'

Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 63'

Cole Skuse (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 63'

Foul by Gary Gardner (Birmingham City).

Posted at 62'

Attempt missed. Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Kerim Mrabti.

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