IPSWICH Town’s recent revival was unceremoniously halted as visitors Hull City recorded a 2-0 victory at Portman Road.

The Blues were unbeaten in three matches and had become a tough nut to crack, drawing six of their previous seven Championship fixtures 1-1.

However, old habits die hard and Paul Lambert’s troops – rock bottom of the table and destined for League One – had no answer to a brace of goals from Kamil Grosicki.

Town are 13 points adrift of safety as second-from-bottom Bolton Wanderers, who they visit next weekend, won 2-1 at Queens Park Rangers.

The first half followed a very familiar pattern. A theme that has dogged the hosts in recent weeks.

They knocked the ball around confidently and crisply but failed to make a breakthrough, despite having a couple of efforts cleared off the line.

At the other end, they paid a heavy price as a lapse in concentration cost them dear.

Hull’s only notable effort of the first period was their goal and, while undoubtedly well-executed, it was a poor one to concede.

Marc Pugh dummied a low ball in from the right and Frazier Campbell rolled it into Grosicki’s path.

Well-placed in front of goal, the striker gobbled up his chance and confidently slotted past fellow Pole Bartosz Bialkowski.

It was an awful start for Town and, on the balance of play during the remainder of the half, they deserved to be on level terms. At least.

Myles Kenlock and Gwion Edwards both curled efforts just off-target from similar positions on the left of the area before the ball fell kindly for Kayden Jackson.

The striker spun and fired a low effort that was stabbed off the line by Eric Lachaj.

Then, just before half-time, Town went agonisingly close again when Alan Judge’s corner was flicked towards the far post but cleared off the line by a Tigers defender.

The Blues were left cursing their missed chances and that sense of frustration intensified four minutes after the break, following another goal for Grosicki.

Jarrod Bowen was the architect, skipping past a couple of challenges down the right and finding his team-mate, who confidently stroked home his second of the afternoon via the left-hand post.

It took the wind out of Town’s sails and although they huffed and puffed and dominated possession, there was little for the home fans to get excited truly about, apart from some incisive passing from substitute Andre Dozzell.

Edwards and Jackson had shots while substitute Collin Quaner had a powerful attempt on target – only to be thwarted by keeper David Marshall.

Hull so nearly grabbed a third in stoppage time when Pugh hit the post from the corner of the box.