Boss Roy Keane felt his side deserved their 2-1 home victory over Leeds at Portman Road. The Town manager joked that he had told winning goalscorer Tommy Smith, a late inclusion after Darren O’Dea was injured in the warm-up, that he was destined score.

Keane said: “I think it was a good game, a good result and a good performance. The players have done well and I think we just about edged it.

“We gave away a shocking goal but the players responded well and we scored two good goals ourselves.”

The Blues boss confirmed that Darren O’Dea was again suffering with his ongoing knee problem and praised Tommy Smith for stepping in at the last minute: “That’s why it’s important your players are mentally ready and it’s no surprise that Tommy ended up scoring. I said to him beforehand that it would be no surprise if he scored a goal. That happens in football.

“We scored two good goals today and we could have been more clinical when we were breaking two against one and three against one.

“Leeds caused us problems as you’d expect, they’re a big strong team, they’ve got lots of energy and it was a good result for us.”

Keane felt both his centre-halves were to blame for the Leeds goal: “The issue was Tommy and Gareth going up for the same ball. But you make mistakes in games and I’ve no problem as long as they’re honest mistakes and the players responded well.”

The Blues boss confirmed that Smith and O’Dea have both been withdrawn from their international squads due to their back and knee injuries respectively.

Leeds manager Simon Grayson wasn’t too concerned at the break despite being behind to Jason Scotland’s goal, Town's first in the opening 45 minutes in the league this season: “I thought we were quite comfortable to be fair. Even though we were down at half-time, I didn’t think our goalkeeper had had too many saves to make.

“We looked solid as a team, we had a good shape about us, which we needed to have after the other night. There was a response from the team, we just needed to have a little bit more belief at half-time that we could get back into the game.

“I think we’re finding in this division that any time you make a mistake you can get punished. We had possession of the ball for the first goal and we gave it away and the next thing it’s in the back of the net.

“But we got back into the game and we looked like we were more than capable of going on to getting a result, but obviously a few things which happened which didn’t help us to get the result we needed.”

Grayson had no argument with Alex Bruce’s red card: “I think both were probably bookings. I think he was a little bit stupid in terms of the second one - if you’ve already been booked you’ve got to stay on your feet because if you mistime a tackle you can get sent off. And obviously that contributed to our downfall.

“I don’t mind teams opening us up when we’re doing to 10 men and passing the ball around and scoring that way, but we defended a corner and the lad had a free header where we could quite easily have dealt with it.”

The Whites boss felt there was an infringement on Tommy Smith’s goal: “I think Richard Naylor was fouled by Wickham but the other lad was going to head it anyway. We could have got a freekick, but there was no one marking the other lad when it went over Richard’s head.”

Photo: Action Images

Mark added 11:33 - Oct 3 It was indeed a good result and performance. It was very exciting to have both Townsend and Livermore in the side together, and Livermore had an excellent debut I thought. Early on I wondered if we could get the win as there was so little height in the side apart from our defence. I am still a bit worried about 5'8"/1.73m Scotland as a lone target man if we want to chase promotion, and I was surprised that Priskin came on ahead of Wickham as the latter had much more impact I thought. We're back into the play-off zone ahead of the international break, and that feels good. :-)

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Keaneish added 12:11 - Oct 3 Leadbitter, Norris and Livermore as the midfield three with edwards and townsend flanking them? Class all round.
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StowTractorBoy added 14:07 - Oct 3 Phew wat a relief as this is a vital win. Defeat and we would have been in mid table. Just a shame that lot up the road are doing so well. Was worried when I saw who the Referee was but he did a splendid job so credit where credit is due. For years I have been calling out for some pace and at last we have it in Townsend who ran the Leeds defence ragged. He could still brush up on his defensive duties but I'll take yesterdays display any day. Shame Scotland blasted over from 6 yards when it was harder to miss that would have saved the torment of having to find the deserved winner. Well done to Tommy Smith for stepping up to the plate when he had been left out. Still not sure about Eastman as a right back but Kennedy surprsied me with an excellent second half performance. I am personally pleased we have the break now as the boys can re charge the batteries for the run in to Christmas now. Well done Keano for turning us around.

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tallguy6767 added 17:36 - Oct 3 WELL CHUFFED WITH 3 POINTS AGAINST A CLUB I HATE JUST AS MUCH AS THE SCUM. COULD HAVE MADE IT A LOT EASIER IF WE HAD PLAYED WICKHAM IN A 4-4-2. LETS SEE HIM START IN THE COV GAME KEANO AND WE`LL BATTER THEM ! COYB ! LEEDS ARE SCUM!!
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nobrain added 17:43 - Oct 3 Great result. As to Leeds fans - as I was leaving I was walking behind one, who must have been 60, trying to entice 'town fans to fight him. And they wonder why they are treated as they are....
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Acen added 18:11 - Oct 3 2-1 good result, COYB!
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BlueJewells added 19:18 - Oct 3 We deserved 3 points, thanks Bruce! I predicted 2-1 as well too! woo!
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Blue041273 added 19:31 - Oct 3 I thought the Police in Portman Road did well. There were the usual quota of idiots trying to big it up but there wasn't much in it. There were two guys hurling insults at each other over the railings and a little Police woman stepped in front of the Ipswich guy, told him to grow up and go home and he apologised to her and walked away. I thought that some of the Leeds supporters were the worse for wear before the game started so I was expecting a little bit of trouble but I didn't see anything outrageous and certainly didn't feel particularly threatened walking from the SBR stand down PR after the game.

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bluelady added 20:33 - Oct 3 Another good result without playing at the top of our game.... I wish i had put a tenna on Bruce getting sent off, what was their manager doing putting him at rightback against the lively townsend - tactical suicide as Bruce was never going to keep up with him so always likely to slide in from behind! Fullop - good game and great to see him passing out through the defence which forced us to play the ball at our feet which is when we are most dangerous. Towards the end he started to kick it up pitch again more for some reason Eastman, never a right back clumsy on the ball and as soon as he gets the ball he hoofs it up pitch. for me Brown was so much more composed on the ball and happy to run with the ball rather than just hoofing it! JP also did a good job at right back. McCualy - solid as ever, often covering for Eatsman, one mistake all game. Also happy to push forward (but when will defenders get picked up for holding him down when we have corners?) Smith - a good game particularly when he wasnt due to start. looked composed and again wasnt guilty of too many hoof balls! Great header. Kennedy - happy to come forward, very assured in defence and for me his best performance. If he continues like that i feel he should retain the left back role. Leadbitter, for me had a poor game. His passing was off although he did help out the defence on a number of occaisions. Again his free kicks and corners were appauling Jamie Peters - what a star, centre mid, right back, right mid all in one game. Thought he looked very good in the attacking midfield role and feel he has got goals in him. Townsend - great speed, and for once we were the team with width which we have lacked for so long. Great pass, will take defenders on and not easily knocked off the ball. For me though a little too heroic at times holding onto the ball trying to go for glory when a pass would have been better. Livermore - rather like Townsend could be a little greedy at times. That said to have attacking ability down both wings and now through the centre is fantastic. for me he must either start or get a full half. Edwards - so much better than last season and what a fantastic ball for Smiths goal. Scotland - took his goal fantastically and made it look so easy when a number of others would have hit tried to knock it passed the keeper. Shame he missed the second! Also i honestly believe if he had gone off at 60 mins then they would not have scored. Would prefer to see a Scotland Prisken 442 at home. Prisken - some nice touches when he came on, feel he needs more time. Wickham - looked sharp and strong. Brown - i think he has the makings of a good right back. composed on the ball and not afraid to attack either. assume he was rested after tuesday. ref did ok, had no choice but to send Bruce off, thought the second takle was almost a straight red! Good to see Naylor and thought he played well. a good servant for town and great that he is doing well for himself at Leeds.

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WREXHAM_BLUE added 22:16 - Oct 3 Great atmosphere at PR late on in the second half and a cracking win. Great response after conceding a shocking equaliser but you have to ask what Brucie was doing? A Leeds fan told me after the game that the ref won the game for us as Brucie had won the ball. I think he may have been wearing his Yorkshire goggles! Nice to go into the international break on the back of a win. Roll on Coventry.

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Skip73 added 23:45 - Oct 3 A great result, nice to bounce back after the defeat in midweek, also a decent crowd as well. Bring on Coventry in 2 weeks. The scum are away to QPR next so then we'll see just how good they really are.
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Big_Foot_Blue added 23:46 - Oct 3 Don't get me wrong guys, great win yesterday and more importantly winning when not playing particularly well however I seem to find myself disagreeing with a lot of people which is very strange for me especially when we win since I consider myself an optimistic realist. However I feel compelled to comment so hear I go... . Yes it was a brilliant atmosphere and about time too seeing as Portman Road can tend to be silent at times however I think it would be the most boring at PR this season if the away team hadn't been Leeds. Would us home fans have made so much noise if it wasn't to stick two fingers up at the yorkshire scum? . Carlos Edwards, yes this season he has been a different player and yes his ball for Smiths winner was excellent however apart from that I thought he was dreadful yesterday. Townsend was absolutly exceptional and Edwards in comparison was just awful. However one moment of magic won us the game and on his performances so far this season this shouldn't count against him in the long run. . Everybody has been raving on about how well we played and what a good win it was, now yes it was a good win but please. We were not good at all, the simple difference was that for a change we took our 1st half chance and we attacked when we conceded rather than retreat into our shell. However overall we were poor, couldn't string more than 3 passes together (even from kickoff) and Leadbitter was poor (although was playing out of position so again must take this into account) Now obviously I hope I have created debate rather than invited criticism since I promise you I am a die-hard Town fan who always goes to home games but I have just tried to evaluate the game in a fair balance opinion. We must improve if we are to get in the play-offs and need to be even more clinical infront of goal (although I do believe Jason Scotland will be our key striker). Although we need to improve, we definitly deserved to win the match and send those thugs back up the M1 with their tales between their legs! Bring on Coventry... COYB!

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ChambersM added 16:11 - Oct 4 Was VERY nice to see livermoore get the ball down and pass it from kick off unlike what leadbitter will do which is pump it out for a throw in with literally his first touch.
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lunatic38 added 09:25 - Oct 5 Big Foot Blue Very interesting post, and i dont know what to make of it because there is truth in what you say (it is not the usual negative drissle from some on this site) perhaps you could take heart from the fact that we are still not convincing, playing fluid football and destroying teams but we are still winning and in the playoffs. I think many Ipswich fans are waiting for the team to finally find its real football feet and start to look like QPR and we can expect victory in every game we play, you are right we have got to improve a little more than we have to become serious contenders for promotion, i was dissapointed at our loss at Reading (Reading are strong) but games like Scunthorpe away (no disrespect meant to Scunny) we need to win! Perhaps another Striker could give the Team the final part of the jigsaW puzzle and give Ipswich the finishing touches to a good Team.I as a fan would be dissapointed with anything less than a playoff place this season but to get there yes we need to improve a little more and give some poorer teams a good hiding just to show we really are a good side and generate the hunger in the players to become more menacing and create fear for our opposition, we definately have the potential now and we need to turn Portman road into a fortress where teams will dread coming to play. We have the right Manager, we also have the right Owner and business setup, maybe we are short on one or two more players and i am very convinced that the Team we crave is very very close. COYB

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suffolksam added 09:57 - Oct 5 gee that roytheboy is a lot simple isnt he ? generations of inbreeding will do that well done to the real town fans out there
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