Ipswich Town manager Paul Lambert insists he is not too disheartened by tonight’s 1-0 defeat at promotion rivals Rotherham United.

Richard Woods' header, following a poorly defended corner at the end of the first half, settled a game that the physical hosts dominated virtually from start to finish.

In the final five minutes, Luke Garbutt forced a flying save out of keeper Daniel Iversen and James Norwood hit the post but had Town claimed anything from this game then it would have been a real smash and grab job.

A first league defeat of 2020 sees the Blues slip out of the automatic promotion spots ahead of Saturday's game against fourth-place Peterborough.

"It wasn't great on the eye football wise," said Lambert. "We lose the game and I have no complaints. It was only in the last 15/20 minutes when we started to get a grip on the game.

"They are stronger than us physically - they are effective at what they do. The ball was more on the air than on the ground. It was always going to be that type of game. Credit to them, they do it well.

"I'm not worried because I don't think there are too many teams who play like that, or certainly play that way as good as that, in this league."

Until the final moments, when Norwood came on to play in a 4-4-2 system, Town created next to nothing as long balls for Kayden Jackson to chase were repeatedly over-hit.

Asked if going direct had been the game plan, Lambert replied: "I said try and play football against it because it's going to come on top of you all the time. I said don't get caught up playing the same because it's not going to benefit us. No, that wasn't the plan. It's just the way the game materialised.

"I thought Norwood did well when he came on, a bit more livelier than what he has been. Garbutt's free-kick was always going to hit the target, but it just wasn't our night.

"It's another game on Saturday, we're at home and our form is still good. I'm not too disappointed. The game was what it was. We'll go again."

Having named the same side for the third successive game, Lambert, who saw Emyr Huws limp off, was asked if he had considered changes for this match.

"Everyone moans when I rotate - what do you want me to do!?" he laughed. "Emyr's injury is different. It's not his knee, it's his ankle. There was never any need for me to change anything."