Paul Kitson kept up his excellent scoring record in the second string after Richard himself had grabbed a header from a Leon Britton corner before his 75th minute expulsion.
Roger Cross admits that he doesn't know why the 20-year-old was sent off for a second yellow card, even after consultation with Glenn Roeder and Paul Goddard, who watched from the stands.
"It was a disgusting decision and we don't know what he was supposed to have done," says Roger. "We went one short when we really needed him."
Roger feels the defeat was more than avoidable and adds: "We were going fine until four minutes from the end of the first half, and there was a misunderstanding between Foxe and Bywater which gifted them a goal - and then they got another before the break.
"And three minutes before the end of the game someone drifted in for a free header after a free kick, and there was no way back.
"But there is no way we deserved to lose the game and I am very disappointed."
Of the individual performances, he says: "Adam Newton did very well in the first half, while John Moncur and Paul Kitson also played very well.
"Paul's goal was an excellent left foot shot from an acute angle and was the best of the night."
With Steve Bywater in goal, the 1,252 Ipswich fans were deprived of seeing of seeing former Portman Road favourite Craig Forrest between the sticks.
Team: Bywater, Minto, Potts, Foxe, Soma, Newton, Ferrante, Moncur (Johnson), Britton, Kitson, Garcia. Subs unused: Eastwood, Clark, Uddin, Forrest.