Managers Roy Keane and Gordon Strachan were agreed that Town deserved their 3-1 opening day victory at Middlesbrough. Tommy Smith, Tamas Priskin and Jon Stead netted the goals for the Blues in the second half after Scott McDonald had put the home side in front before the break. Keane also said he hopes to make two signings this week.

Keane was delighted to get off to a winning start, particularly after last season’s 14-game winless run, and was pleased with the performance: “I thought we played well, I had a good feeling before the game. There was good energy amongst the players, a good spirit and pre-season went OK.

“We’ve lost a lot of players and sometimes that creates its own little bit of spirit. I thought we deserved to win the game, we got stronger as it went on.”

The Blues boss wasn’t particularly concerned when Boro went in front: “We were quite relaxed even at half-time, although disappointed with the goal, but I felt we came back into it.

“We started the second half very, very well and should have had a penalty, David Norris was a yard inside the box, but there was good energy and we looked a threat.

“Having said that, Middlesbrough had a few chances, but what we didn’t do last year was take the chances we had, but today we did, with Tamas and Steady scoring two very good goals.

“That will be the difference as to whether we’re going to be competing near the top half of the table. You get these chances and you have to take them and we did that today, but it’s just one game.”

Keane was happy with the performances of his young players but was concerned about new additions to the injury list with Carlos Edwards limping off with a groin injury and likely to be out for a few weeks, Mark Kennedy suffering a hamstring problem and Gareth McAuley and Grant Leadbitter both complaining of back injuries.

The Blues boss says he will consider withdrawing McAuley from the Northern Ireland squad: "We will have to look at pulling Gareth out of the international game this week. Hopefully Tamás and Márton come back from their game without any problems because we are a week into the season and we are already down to the bare bones.

"I haven't even thought about my team for Tuesday, other than to say that the youngsters will be involved."

Keane said he is hoping to make two signings before the Carling Cup tie at Exeter, but played down links with Wigan striker Jason Scotland, although reports elsewhere claim the Trinidad and Tobago international will join Town on Monday.

Boro boss Strachan similarly felt that the Blues were the better side on the day: “I thought the best team won.

“First half we were all right but then I thought the deflection was a bit unfair, it was going well wide, but after that we really needed to settle down for five minutes and we didn’t do that.”

Strachan thought his team ought to have made more of their second half opportunities: “At 2-1 we had two massive chances one-for-one but we didn’t take them, so we’ll have to blame ourselves for getting beat and say well done to Ipswich for doing well and taking their chances.”

Photo: Action Images

Hermann_eats_puffin added 00:15 - Aug 8 Congratulations to the whole team today and you've made my weekend. In the same way as it took time for the likes of Sir Robson, Burley and Alex Furguson time to build the sides they wanted I think that the same case applies to Keane. He appears to analyse all of the time and whilst we as fans from the sidelines to not necessarily always appreciate certain decisions that's probably because we're not involved with the players on the training ground week in week out which makes Keane far better placed to make decisions than us. I think that a smaller squad is good for team morale and it's fantastic to see us reverting to a great Town tradition of bringing through the home grown talent. Whilst I can only give praise for the entire team/squad today I would also say that it's fantastic to see Priskin on the score sheet. He's still young & it may have just taken him a while to settle in & hopefully having a Hungarian team mate in Fulop can only help him this year. The Championship will no doubt follow the trend of recent seasons & be a leaque in which anybody can beat anyone on their day. Therefore there will be ups as well as downs on the road ahead. I genuinely believe though that Keane is leading us in the right direction & it's fantastic to see youth getting it's chance. Rome wasn't built in a day though & so let's support the team with passionate & vocal support through both the good & bad days over the season ahead. Well done to all for today's result & COYB for the season ahead!

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WadzillaBhoy added 00:47 - Aug 8 Where's the moaners gone, Where's the moaners gone, Far far away! Far far away! Anyways we had ten times the amount of shots on target of boro(the league favorites!) First game of the season, start as you mean to go on...Keano is here to stay! Hopefully we will have a great season; listening to all the moaners last year was worse than the actual season itself. They need to get a grip and support the team. Keep the faith - COYB KEANO KEANO!

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Blue_Showboat added 00:48 - Aug 8 Fantastic result and a quality team performance to go with it. Tactics were spot on today and even when we went a goal down we stuck with it and ran boro off the park. The new shape with Hyam just behind Norris and Leadbitter looked very promising, glad to see Keane giving the younger players their chance to claim a place in the first team as well!!! Good to see the team spirit throughout and Priskin getting on the scoresheet in the first game could make his season, early days I know, but with a few additions I think we could have a very exciting season!!!

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arc added 01:05 - Aug 8 Absolutely astonished and beyond happy. I would have settled for a narrow defeat today, I was that convinced that we had no chance. A win, with a team based on youngsters! Marvellous, couldn't be better. 45 matches to go.
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TractorBeezer added 01:17 - Aug 8 Thanks lads. Just back from my local in Toronto, Archies wearing my Ipswich shirt to clebrate and wind up a Canaries supporter. Oh joy! Our early fixtures were considered to be diificult so nwhat a great start. Also with Keano giving the youngsters a chance (Hyam where did he come from?!, Peters, Smith, Lambe and Ainsley) plus good performances from Priskin and Stead it's like having brand new signings....this all coupled with strong performances from more established players. We are apparently still hunting for at least two more new signings...suddenly we must now be a more attractive team to be playing for. Let's hope that the injuries clear up quickly and that we can continue this way. By the way, it's great to learn that we are playing good football and not hoofball. Congratulations to Keano and the entireteam. UP THJE TRACTOR BOYS!

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brockleyblueboy added 03:05 - Aug 8 I am so happy. Well done lads and well done Keane, I don't want to have a pop at the anti-keane lads, it is early days but lets enjoy it. Seriously this is a great start. I can barely contain myself :-) COYB
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Clarkey82 added 08:25 - Aug 8 I have just registerd on here to post a comment for the first time having been reading the comments on here for some time now. I just want to say how refreshing it is not to see the same people on here making their negative anti Keane comments and wish town a very long run of wins even if its just to keep their negativity views away, In my eyes these people are not true supporters else they would follow the club/manager whatever. This is also why Roy Keane is the manager of our beloved club and not them (Thank god) Well done boys and looking forward to Tuesday night and the rest of the season to hopefully see more of the youngsters which are filling my hopes for the season!!!! P.S WELL DONE KEANEO !!!!

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thechangingman added 09:16 - Aug 8 Yeah - we beat Boro and by three goals!!! I think we'll definitely thrash Exeter as well!!! In fact, I think we'll then go on to win the cup... No, not just one - we'll win the FA Cup as well and obviously we'll destroy everyone this season and win the Championship by a record number of points and then next year we'll win the Premiership and then the Champions League and then * Wakes up * .... Oh, we've actually only won one match on the first day of the season - that's good... Sometimes when I read the Over-the-Top reactions to one single win on this forum I really wish that I was in football retailing. It's not hard to see how they manage to sell 'replica kits' for £40+ is it with this kind of blind optimism? COYB - but let's retain just a little bit of overall perspective shall we....?

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pe28paul added 09:29 - Aug 8 much better than expected result, well done blues. not a big keane fan myself and voted with my feet last season, but town are and always will be my team so any win is worth a few beers in celebration
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corshamblue added 09:50 - Aug 8 Having slept on the result, it's even better now! BRILLIANT STUFF Chuck & Grant will forge a solid core for the rest of the team to play around and set an example of the work rate required. Macca continues to marshall the back line with aplomb. Just so long as we convert our chances up front we will be a team to be feared and the current 433 formation will take a lot of points away from home. Warning: We still need to invest in a Forward and a Right Back to get a good balance. Left Back position seems to be sorted. If we can spend peanuts and get the same quality on the right we'll be Solid. I like Jamie P, but I'm not sure as a permanent RB? Bloody GREAT STUFF

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tractorboyupnorth added 09:56 - Aug 8 Well done Roy and the lads, couldn't make the match but listened on the radio and enjoyed every second of it. It's such a shame the Football League show restricts the coverage as it would have been to see more of our attempts on goal especially as we had 10 on target compared to Middlesbrough's 1. Before the match I have admit despite ALWAYS backing the team and Roy I thought a draw would be a good result although from reading the comments I'm wasn't alone in that thought. Definitely still room for 1 or 2 quality additions and hope our injured team members get back to playing asap afterall with a start like to the season everyone team member will want to be involved - COYB. Bring on Burnley next Saturday!

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tractorboyupnorth added 10:02 - Aug 8 PS. Not commented on here for a while due to the minority on negative so called supporters commenting on here - supporters being the word, if you back the manager and the team then your supporting all that is Ipswich Town. If your bad mouthing and putting the manager, team down then that's anything but support a d you should either keep your bs to yourself or think again who you want to support!

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Upbeat~ added 11:52 - Aug 8 Utter Brilliance!!! Brought a tear to the eye that did full credit to keane and the lads. Let's call this a turning point in the way that supporters view the club, team, manager etc. Last season some complained about keane sitting down all match but he was a permanent figure on that touchline yesterday, steering the side towards a measured and clinical win. The passion's there, the desire's there, the team's clearly one solid unit pulling together and I think it's time the supporters follow suit - COYB BLUE ARMY

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colonel added 12:14 - Aug 8 Brilliant start..... team, management & fans that travelled up did us proud. Top drawer. Just shows what can be achieved when everyone pulls together. Really chuffed for Priskin..... hopefully fans can get behind him at home too. What about giving him his own individual song to the chorus of ''Friskin'' ?
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TractorBeezer added 16:24 - Aug 8 Spotted in the Guardian: Boro supporters feared misadventure when visiting fans were cheekily serenaded by the strains of the Wurzels' Combine Harvester song blaring out of the the Riverside's sound system. It is invariably unwise to patronise anything connected with Keane and, sure enough, Ipswich proved stubbornly reluctant to submit to their supposed "country cousins" role. Love it!

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s6blue added 17:35 - Aug 8 Super stuff. What a fantastic way to start the season. A point wold have been great given we were 1 down at half-time but clearly there s some belief out there amongst the lads. A couple of signings during the week and throw in a win at Exeter from the youngsters and there will be a buzz about the place for the first time in a while. Let s make sure we follow it up with a postive display next saturday. Well done lads

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gloucester_tractor added 19:18 - Aug 8 well done lads great result, it made my old man smile and as he is x town player and his blood is blue it cheers him up no end at 82. good start lets hope its a good year
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Blue041273 added 19:26 - Aug 8 Gloucester_tractor Luv'd your post. All respect to your dad. Your sentiments for the season are shared by us all.
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Lightningboy added 21:30 - Aug 8 Brilliant result yesterday..to say I was stunned is an understatement..early days and not going to get too carried away but let's hope we can get in 2 or 3 more players before the end of the month and keep this momentum going. Still wouldn't care if we saw the back of Priskin to be honest but glad that Steady scored a cracker..have always liked Stead and would love to see him stay & prove Keane & a lot of the fans wrong..give him a decent run and he will score..you've got to accept the odd off day here and there,even Torres,Drogba & Rooney have off days. Well played Hyam too...the next,next big thing.

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suffolksam added 06:47 - Aug 9 imagine how many we would of won by if we had got rid of keane during off season the mind boggles 6-1... 7-1
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