MERCIFULLY, I've been lucky in love.

Barring a playground kiss chase scandal when my then 'girlfriend' set off in pursuit of a so-called friend, I'm thankful and relieved to say I've never been cheated on or let down.

Sadly, however, I can't say the same with regards another great love of my life - football.

And in the case of Ipswich Town's underwhelming 1-0 home defeat against Oxford United on Saturday, it felt like a case of being dropped from a great height. From lofty expectations before kick-off to an achingly familiar feeling of anti-climax afterwards.

The relationships metaphor is relevant because, as with any affair of the heart, there are bound to be highs and lows. Bumps in the road are par for the course.

I can deal with that and to expect anything less would be unrealistic.

What makes it harder to deal with, though, is when a low follows a real high. When you realise you've misjudged something or misread a situation.

That's how I felt at the weekend, having been so buoyed by the previous weekend's swashbuckling 4-1 victory against Burton Albion.

After that one, I naively felt a corner had been turned; that it was the start of something special.

Sadly, however, it proved a false dawn and normal service was resumed on Saturday.

To be fair, Town played pretty well in the first half and looked the more likely winners, despite being behind at the break.

Having bossed possession and created a couple of decent chances, I fully expected them to turn things round.

Instead, their performance level plummeted. Rather than pressing on, they petered out.

They ran out of ideas and the boos at the final whistle reflected the sense of frustration and impatience all of us are feeling.

After the shambles against Peterborough United, I felt angry, hurt and betrayed.

On this occasion, it was more a case of sadness; being flat and underwhelmed.

Town aren't a bad side in their division but they're an average one.

They lack star quality and their league position - eighth, on the cusp of the play-offs but not quite good enough - is a fair reflection of what's in grave danger of being a season of underachievement.

That's the stark reality and not me being disloyal.

Even the most positive, optimistic fan would struggle to produce a counter-argument. What possible evidence is there to suggest otherwise?

Kayden Jackson's late red card added salt to the wound - tantamount to the final insult blurted out at the end of a blazing row.

I didn't see the alleged stamp but, if it happened, what a crazy thing to do.

It was an inexcusable act and one that will prove costly, with the strike's three-match ban coinciding with James Norwood's injury.

But without making excuses, it was one borne out of sheer frustration. A feeling of dejection and helplessness that we can all relate to right now.

A match that promised so much ultimately delivered so little, in the same way that a season that promised so much is now in danger of drifting away.

And for those of us who care, that's a pretty heartbreaking thing to come to terms with.