The Tigers fell to their heaviest ever defeat at the KC Stadium this evening as they were hammered 5-2 by Ipswich Town.

Things had started brightly with Dean Windass putting City in front, but the home side collapsed embarrassingly before Windass added his second with a late penalty.

There were two changes to the startling line up as Phil Brown opted to drop Michael Turner and David Livermore.

Andy Dawson came in for Turner as Damien Delaney reverted to his favoured centre back role while Dean Marney came in for Livermore.

There was no place in the 16 for Nick Barmby while for Ipswich, former Tiger Jon Walters started on the bench.

City should have taken the lead inside a minute. Ian Ashbee played Nicky Forster in down the left and when his low cross found Stuart Elliott, he could only fire over from a decent position.

Ashbee then won City a free kick which was taken quickly and when the ball fell to Damien Delaney on the edge of the box, he shot wide from 20 yards.

The Tigers won a seventh minute corner when Elliott's ball in was cut out before it could reach Windass, but Marney's delivery was poor.

It had been all City but Ipswich were given a chance to threaten when they were awarded a free kick. Owen Garvan delivered to the back post for Jason De Vos to nod the ball back, but Francis Jeffers couldn't keep his shot down.

Jeffers was almost in again on 11 minutes following Coles' poor back header, but Boaz Myhill reacted well to smother the danger.

Marney was certainly in the wars early on. First a fierce shot struck his head before he suffered another head injury after challenging for a high ball with De Vos, but he was well enough to carry on.

Elliott won a free kick by the left corner flag when he was brought down by David Wright. Marney delivered to Delaney beyond the far post and the centre back at least forced a save from Lewis Price.

Ray Parlour then went close with a shot from the edge of the box, but it flew just over the bar.

City took the lead on 22 minutes. Sam Ricketts crossed deep for Elliott whose looping header from 12 yards came back off the bar and fell to Dean Windass [pictured], who crashed home into an empty net with Price lying helplessly on the ground.

But the lead lasted only two minutes. A long ball over the top caught out Delaney and although Jeffers did his best to mess it up, he eventually finished past an exposed Myhill.

The Tigers responded by winning a free kick on the right as Ricketts was brought down by Gary Roberts who was booked for the foul. Marney delivered but the ball was too long for Delaney who couldn't keep it in play.

Forster then had a chance after latching on to Windass' flick, but his tame shot was easily saved by Price.

The former Ipswich man then won City a corner after a run down the left. This time Dawson took it, but again the delivery was poor.

City created another chance on the half hour when Forster crossed from the right for Windass, but his header was saved by Price.

Coles then conceded a free kick when he brought down Jeffers on the right edge of the box. Roberts delivered with his left foot, but Dawson cleared at the near post.

Marney was unlucky on 36 minutes following some neat control, but his volley looped just over the bar with Price beaten.

Ipswich took the lead five minutes before the break. Poor defending from Coles allowed Jeffers and then Alan Lee the possession they needed to feed Jamie Peters on the left side of the box and his shot deflected off Ricketts and into the net.

City could have levelled deep into added time, but Windass blasted his far post volley well wide.

Half Time: Tigers 1-2 Ipswich

Ipswich went further in front four minutes into the second half. Lee muscled his way past Coles before finishing across Myhill and into the bottom corner.

City almost gifted a fourth to the visitors as a result of Coles' poor back header, but Myhill showed some nifty footwork to beat the onrushing Lee.

Delaney was booked on 61 minutes after a foul on Lee before City made their first change. John Welsh came on for Ray Parlour.

From the resulting free kick Ipswich went 4-1 up. Coles gifted the ball to Jason De Vos who tapped home from three yards.

Myhill then made a tremendous save from Garvan as the visitors threatened to run riot.

City were fast resembling a shambles as Peters went close with a low shot before Darryl Duffy replaced Elliott and Turner replaced Coles.

The exodus of fans had started long before substitute Danny Haynes had struck in the 80th minute to put the visitors 5-1 up.

City were awarded a penalty on 82 minutes when John Welsh [pictured] was tripped in the box. Windass stepped up to take the spot kick and sent Price the wrong way with a well placed kick.

The fans that were left in the stadium tried to rally their side into a comeback and Windass almost completed his hat-trick but was denied by a fine last-ditch block.

A poor pass from Delaney allowed substitute Walters to race through on goal, but the striker fired wide.

As the game entered added time, Myhill saved with his legs to prevent Haynes adding a sixth.

The final whistle was greeted by a chorus of boos as the Tigers dropped back into the relegation zone courtesy of goal difference.

Tigers (4-3-3) Boaz Myhill; Sam Ricketts, Danny Coles (Turner 66), Damien Delaney, Andy Dawson; Dean Marney, Ian Ashbee [captain], Ray Parlour (Welsh 61); Nicky Forster, Dean Windass, Stuart Elliott (Duffy 66).

Subs: Matt Duke, Michael Turner, John Welsh, Darryl Duffy, Jon Parkin.

Bookings: Delaney 61

Ipswich Town (4-4-2) Lewis Price; David Wright, Alex Bruce, Jason De Vos [captain], Dan Harding;  Jamie Peters (Haynes 72), Owen Garvan, Sylvain Legwinski, Gary Roberts; Alan Lee (Richards 80), Francis Jeffers (Walters 62).

Subs: Shane Supple, Matt Richards, George O'Callaghan, Danny Haynes, Jon Walters.

Bookings: Roberts 25

This was the Tigers heaviest home league defeat since they lost by the same scoreline to Carlisle United at Boothferry Park on 9 December 1995 - the game after Dean Windass left City to join Aberdeen.

The only other occasion that City have lost a home league game by a 2-5 margin was against Bradford City at the Anlaby Road Ground on 20 February 1936.

It is the heaviest home defeat in any competition since Chelsea won 6-1 at Boothferry Park in the Third Round of the FA Cup on 11 December 1999. Gus Poyet hit a hat-trick and Dennis Wise the sixth. They are now, of course, the management team at Leeds United - one of only two teams below the Tigers in the Championship table after tonight's game.