Ipswich Town skipper Luke Chambers admits the players are letting down manager Mick McCarthy with their performances.

The Blues produced an abject display in front of a television audience of almost five million when crashing out of the FA Cup at non-league side Lincoln City last Tuesday.

Town were outplayed in the original meeting between the sides at Portman Road too and, looking bereft of belief, were comfortably beaten 2-0 at Huddersfield on Saturday.

With McCarthy facing increasing criticism from supporters, Chambers said: “We are letting him down at the moment in terms of the performances we are giving in a 90-minute spell, so we need to be doing more for him.

“It is difficult when things aren’t going well but we’ve got another game coming round in a week’s time, we’ve got to work ourselves on the training pitch and start believing in each other’s ability.

“He’s not the only manager in the division where things are tough at the moment, other teams are going through tough, tough runs and we are involved in probably the bottom 10 at the minute who are not playing well, not having the rub of the green or not playing well and are lacking that bit of quality.”

Town have produced some encouraging displays – most notably in the home wins against Bristol City and Blackburn – but any hope this season has quickly been quashed by a flat follow-up performance.

Placed 14th in the Championship table – 11 points adrift of the play-off places and nine above the drop zone – the Blues now face a daunting run of fixtures between now and the end of February.

First, it’s a long trip to Lancashire to face Preston on Saturday. Then come games against Derby (h), Reading (h), Aston Villa (a), Brighton (a), Leeds (h) and Norwich (a).

“We all want what is best for the football club so the boys are doing everything effort-wise but the quality has not been there,” admitted Chambers. “When things aren’t going well there is always going to be a lack of confidence but it’s all in the head. You’ve got to take the opportunity when it comes, you’ve got to make the right decision on the pitch and off the pitch.

“We are paid to play football and we should take the rough with the smooth. We’ve just got to learn we are all very good footballers or else we wouldn’t be playing at this level.

“It is a lot in the mind at the moment and when things are tough that is when you see people’s true character and we need to show a bit more at the moment.”