IT’S the morning after the night before and I’m still coming to terms with a terrible dream. A nightmare.

You’ll never guess what happened.

Red-faced Ipswich, rock bottom of the Championship and having the worst season in memory, suffered yet more humiliation after bowing out of the FA Cup at League One Accrington Stanley. Exactly!

Sadly and distressingly, it turns out my bleary-eyed recollections were more than just a night terror in the small hours of Sunday morning.

I still can’t quite believe it, although in many ways it was hardly a surprise.

Town’s FA Cup record is hideous – unbelievably bad – and, on current form, it would have been more of an upset if they’d been the victors on Saturday, rather than League One Stanley.

However, in the context of this most traumatic of seasons (just two wins and only one since Paul Lambert was appointed in late October), I really thought – hoped – they might give their fans a little something to celebrate.

A sweetener in an otherwise sour campaign (and one that’s leaving an increasingly nasty, bitter aftertaste).

Instead, there was absolutely nothing soothing about the way things panned out at the Crown Ground.

Far from it and the reality is that Town have become a laughing stock. A lost cause, as far as this season goes anyway.

(Excuse the negativity. These columns aren’t good for my mood).

Saturday’s defeat was humiliating and while any cup result will always be secondary to their ongoing quest for survival, it’s sent another wave of negativity washing around Portman Road.

Another kick in the teeth.

Another dent to the players’ rapidly-dwindling confidence and morale.

And another slap in the face for the club’s long-suffering fans, who will no doubt be mocked for their side’s floundering.

Can anyone remember a worse few days in Town’s recent history?

Far from wiping the slate clean and the fresh beginnings of a new year, it’s been an abysmal first week of January.

First came the bodyblow of a 3-2 defeat at home to Millwall, last Tuesday.

A game in which they led and dominated but a result that, barring a miracle, appears to have condemned them to League One football.

Now this.

Another FA Cup exit at the third round, for the ninth year in a row (and the third time in four years they have been eliminated by lower-league opposition), meaning they still haven’t won a match in the competition since 2010.

I feel for Lambert.

Yes, he must shoulder some of the blame because results haven’t improved since he took over.

But it would seem the problems within the club are more deep-rooted than any of us could have envisaged.

That, coupled with a lack of investment, means he’s got an almighty rebuilding job on his hands.

An onerous task and one he might not have accepted, had he known the gravity of the situation in the autumn. Who knows?

The only possible crumb of comfort is that Town are very unlikely to be knocked out in the third round next season.

As a League One side entering at the first hurdle, they’ll have been eliminated long before then…

I told you these columns aren’t good for my mood.