PAUL Lambert admitted Blackburn Rovers let down their supporters in last night’s ‘unacceptable’ 2-0 defeat at Ipswich Town.

Rovers went down with a whimper after Hope Akpan’s brainless foul on Luke Chambers in the box allowed Daryl Murphy to notch the first of his two goals.

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Up until that point Lambert’s much-changed side had been Ipswich’s equals in what had developed into a turgid contest.

But after Murphy converted from the spot they failed to test Bartosz Bialkowski again to the dismay of the 214 fans who had made the nine-hour round journey to Portman Road.

The traveling blue and white army have now witnessed just two draws and two goals from their side’s last eight winless away league matches.

And Rovers boss Lambert said: “There were a lot of people coming a long distance to watch us and that’s not acceptable. Definitely.

“They’ve come the length and breadth of the country and to come all the way down here on a Tuesday night and to not even really test the water in the second half was disappointing.

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“And to lose the goals we did was equally so disappointing.

 “Their goalkeeper made two good saves in the first half and I thought we started the game pretty well.

“There was nothing in the game at all at half-time but did we look as if we were going to win or get back into it after the penalty? Listen, it wasn’t there.”

Rovers remain seven points clear of the relegation places going into their final match in a run of 11 in 36 days away to Brentford on Saturday.

But Ipswich’s fifth victory in their last seven home Championship outings moved them up to eighth and within one point of the play-offs.

Their manager Mick McCarthy said: “It was a tough, hard-fought game, they had the better of the start but we got into the game and ended up deserved winners.

“It took a penalty to change the course of it. I haven’t seen it back but Paul has said he has no complaints.

“We just had to stick with it. We’ve been there before. Don’t concede and you’ll always have a chance.

“I heard all the ironic cheers when all those headers were going on in the first 10 minutes but I tell you, if you lose that scrap in the Championship then you lose the game.

“It’s always going to be a scrap at this time of a season because there is pressure on all of us to get points.

“It’s the same in every walk of life. When there’s a bit of angst you don’t perform as well I guess. It doesn’t really matter at this stage, it’s about winning the game.”