Boss Roy Keane admitted that his side didn’t play particularly well despite ending their 14-game winless streak by beating Derby County 1-0 at Portman Road.

Keane said: “I'm obviously pleased - it's much better than losing. It's always nice to win football matches but ironically I don't think we played particularly well. We have definitely played better this season and not got the result.

"That is probably the worst we have played for the last four or five weeks. It wasn't a pretty performance, but we'll obviously take the points.

"We started slowly and when you do that, it can be hard to get going. We were waiting for something to happen, instead of making it happen.

"I'm not sure what Wrighty was doing there but he got among 6ft 4in defenders and got his head on it. He gambled and we needed someone to do something different.

"We didn't play well but the substitutes made a difference in the second half and we perhaps just edged it.”

The Blues boss admits he was worried when Derby had a chance towards the end: "I was concerned when it fell to Bryan Hughes.

"He's a very good, technical player but if we'd conceded again it would have been hard to take. We made hard work of it and could have killed the game off.

"Tamás had a great chance, one-on-one and right in front of goal, but credit to their goalkeeper for making the save.”

The Town manager singled Asmir Begovic out for praise: “I was delighted with our keeper and he again showed he has real presence on the pitch. But I like goalkeepers who stop the ball from going into the back of the net. I'm told that Schmeichel was technically poor but Jesus, he kept the ball out didn't he?”

Keane says he is happy for the supporters after such a long run without wins: “I'm pleased for the fans because they deserved that. It's nice to get that first win but we know we have got a long way to go yet and have to look to move on from this, starting at Reading next week.

“I haven't said much to the players yet - they are probably sick of hearing me talking all the time. At least they can enjoy their Saturday night and their Sunday for the first time in a couple of months.

“But it's still only one win in 15 games, so we will be back on the training ground working hard again first thing on Monday morning.”

Derby manager Nigel Clough revealed his club looked into getting the game called off after losing 16 players through injury. The Rams were only able to name five substitutes.

Clough said: "We were looking into that but obviously if we can get a team out there that's what we have to try and do.

"If at all possible the authorities want you to play the game and we've done that. We don't like calling games off and had faith in the players we had out there to put on a performance and they did that.

"It's a defeat, but it's an encouraging one. I thought we did enough to get something from the game but when you're on a little run like we are things can go against you.

"It was an extremely spirited performance, given we were down to the bare bones, and bitterly disappointing that we should come in on the wrong end of a defeat.

"Bryan Hughes had a very good chance at the far post, their goalkeeper had a very good game and it was a case of the ball not dropping for us at the right times.

“One goal was always going to decide it but generally I thought we defended well. But it would be nice to be able to put two recognised central defenders out for a change.

“If there is such a thing as an encouraging defeat then this was probably it, but having said that I am delighted for Roy Keane. Despite our defeat, I was very pleased to see him finally win.”

Photo: Action Images

Greektractor added 19:37 - Oct 31 KEEEEEEEANO!
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UEFA81 added 19:37 - Oct 31 Still much work to do then. We got lucky today - how long will it last?
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RetroBlue added 19:45 - Oct 31 Its about time we had some luck. ...and how many more games will ITFC be having to play into the 94th, 95th and 96th mins of injury time ???
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Back_The_Boss added 19:58 - Oct 31 3 pts i thought they were never going to come!
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ShefTractor added 20:11 - Oct 31 UEFA81 - you would moan if you won the lottery
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fizzyblue added 20:17 - Oct 31 Hopefully it will last the rest of the season UEFA81 so the rest of us dont have to put up with your moaning..
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ChambersM added 20:36 - Oct 31 THE TOWN ARE GOING UP! THE TOWN ARE GOING UP! Begovic saved us!
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mugsykets added 20:37 - Oct 31 Had a feeling that we would 'win ugly'. After playing so well recently, I thought we were below par today but ground it out. Bit disappointed at certain 'fans' reaction to Trotter's substitution. Please people - don't get on our players' backs, particularly the younger ones. It will be no help to anyone and can only do more harm than good. Having said that, the punters were great today. That last few minutes, I was in the Sir Bobby Robson stand upper, and people were going mad. They were acting like we won a trophy or something. Great atmos, great fun, one of those days that I'm glad I go to Portman Road. Sir Roy of Keane WILL led us to the promised land! You have to believe!

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jakeitfcster added 20:51 - Oct 31 The place was electric after the win. Hopefully the players will now build and we can bring ourselves up the table and see where we are come Jan. I don't think we're gonna win any game easy this year, everyone will have to work hard
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bens_a_blue added 21:13 - Oct 31 Great to finally get a win... Nice touch by Liam Rosenior at the end of the game - walking round and applauding all the fans who have stuck by the team! Also loving Keano's responsed to Radio Suffolk report... "Roy, how will you be celebrating this win tonight?".... "Well... I s'pose I'll have a cuppa tea". LOL
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bluelass7 added 21:14 - Oct 31 well done rk & the boys - you have deserved that. to save time, to them t*ssers who have already posted sarcastic/negative comments and those that will.....get alife or get behind the tractor roy revival UTBs!x
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La_Paz added 21:20 - Oct 31 Yup, some of those same people actually booed when Trotter's name was read out at the beginning as well. To give him credit, he was better than he was at the Watford game so good luck to the lad. I thought we looked lost up front today for much of the game until Pablo came on. Derby kept the ball quite well but ultimately we just had enough to limp over the line. The Upper Bobby was indeed going mental at the end for the first time in a long time. If we can get a bit more luck like today, then maybe this season will start to turn for us. I'm just pleased it's over. BLUE ARMY

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pickles110564 added 21:45 - Oct 31 UEFA81, I see you did not go to the game again then. You are a prize plonker. In Keano we trust. COYB
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donore added 22:03 - Oct 31 Compare & contrast: Lumping the ball into opponents back line will never work - NO control: man-to-man, short and snappy will always produce better football - provided todays players have had a lesson from either Muhren or Thyssen!
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nobbyclark added 22:13 - Oct 31 If we win ugly or good i couldnt give a monkeys. Lets just get out of the bottom three first. Then we can play pretty football when were safe a bit more. I am still in shock for winning lol
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mugsykets added 22:21 - Oct 31 Second home game running -Where the bloomin' heck did the officials get FOUR MINUTES of added time from? The Watford game AND today - NO physio came on, no real hold-ups but FOUR MINUTES added on! I thought we were cursed but... THE CURSE IS LIFTED!! Onwards and upwards. KEEEAAANNNO!
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bluelass7 added 22:29 - Oct 31 UEFA81 you are a GONK! Now where are the other muppets (dirtydingusmagee, callumgarryskeemer etc). Got nothing to say for once you misreable bar stewards?!
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SouperJim added 22:32 - Oct 31 Also mugsy, against swansea we wanted all the time we could get to try and bag a winner, had a similar number of second half subs and a good 3 minutes for a change of official, yet got the same four minutes. In short, we've been stuffed both ways. I swear the fouth official just plucks a number out of his bum each game, as the amount of time added on rarely appears to reflect the length of actual stopages. I thought the ref was generally gutless today, first half penalty looked cast iron from the robson. Also nice to see robbie savage being his usual panto villain self and largely getting away with it. What a prize peanut that bloke really is.

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UEFA81 added 22:49 - Oct 31 I can't see how one win against a poor Derby side can constitute a revival. Sure, it's great to see us register a win at long last but I would wager it will be a long time before we see another. Even 'the great man' himself admits it was the worst we have played in the last four or five weeks. I just can't get enthusiastic or excited about our chances of staying up, the only way that will change is when Keane is gone. Speed the day!

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RobbieScarlatti added 23:09 - Oct 31 I agree that this isn't something to write home about. Poor Derby side and some luck. But i'm just relieved that we have finally got the win and its taken some pressure off of us! It was becoming pressured for the players. Also, some points at last!! Hopefully we can relax now and have some confidence that we can beat teams. Some huge improvements needed mind. One win doesn't mean that the job is done.

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tommyblue added 00:46 - Nov 1 UEFA81 - you are a complete idiot
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matt_the_blue added 01:00 - Nov 1 UEFA81 - I would constitute this as part of a revival when you consider that we played well in 2 out the 3 games and we are now unbeaten in 4. Tell me, do you actually go to games or do you just base your opinions by reading BBC match reports?
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matt_the_blue added 01:09 - Nov 1 That should read 2 out of the 3 games prior to today, sorry.
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OnlyOneSirBobby added 02:56 - Nov 1 like against watford it should read....i would never want to play like watford!!
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blueoveru added 07:53 - Nov 1 well done David Wright , a player that was made to train with the youth team gets keano out of the sticky stuff
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