Boss Mick McCarthy felt the Blues were the better side in the second half until they conceded the goal which won Blackburn the game.

McCarthy said: “I thought in the second half we were the better team until they scored but goals change games and probably the course of performances.

“To concede the way we did was pretty galling, from a corner kick. We just didn’t mark properly and Hendo gets an own goal, heads it in his own net, which is even worse.”

The ball appeared to rebound home off Blues keeper Stephen Henderson after Aaron Cresswell cleared it off the line, however, video evidence suggests Rhodes got a touch prior to it striking the Irishman.

The Blues manager says scoring the first goal makes a big difference in tight games: “It does because then we have to throw a little bit of caution, which we did and I thought we had good chances towards the end to get something.

“I was pleased overall with our performance. I can’t ask for any more effort, just [take the opportunity] when you get the chances to put one away.”

He says that despite the differing results, there’s been little in the performances during the losses to Bristol City and Blackburn, the draw with Barnsley — for whom Jason Scotland scored his third goal in three games this afternoon - and the 4-0 win against Middlesbrough: “I thought we played well at Bristol City to get the points. Barnsley scored against us in the 90th minute with a header, that took two points from us.

“Bristol City scored with a finish in the last minute and you’ve got to find that finish from somewhere.”

McCarthy says he’s confident there’s the spirit in his side to beat the drop, despite the result moving them to a point from the bottom three: “You’ve seen that already.

“That performance out there was full of it. We’ve conceded from defending badly from a corner kick, that’s all. But there was not a lot wrong with that performance at all.”

Rovers manager Michael Appleton explained why one-time Blues striker Jordan Rhodes was claiming the goal: “He had the last touch on the ball before Aaron Cresswell tried to clear it.

“It’s one of them, if you’ve got Hawk-Eye probably they’ll be able to tell us if it was over the line or not from the clearance, but it’s difficult to tell when you look back on the DVD.

“But, like I say, the last touch came from Jordan as it was heading towards the goal so I’m sure he’ll get the rewards for the goal.”

He says that in the dressing room Rhodes was in no doubt that the strike which would match a club record of scoring in seven successive league games was his: “Most definitely. It was Grant Hanley who prodded the ball towards goal initially, but Jordan did get a touch, the lads are saying he definitely got a touch on the ball.

“Whether the ball was over the line before Cresswell cleared it, obviously no one really knows. In all honesty I couldn’t care less, but from Jordan’s point of view there’s the record that stands and he’s obviously got his own personal goals and targets.”

[Edit] Video evidence shows Rhodes touched the ball after it was cleared off the line and on its way back towards goal.

Appleton was pleased to gain the three points from what was a tight match: “They turned over Middlesbrough 4-0 last week and we knew it was going to be a tough, tough game.

“Probably a lot of the game we cancelled each other out a little bit. I said last week before the Bristol City game that there are times when you’ve got to grind results out.

“We did that, but I have to say I thought the quality of the second half was much, much better, the tempo of our play was much better.”

Photo: Action Images

jas0999 added 18:47 - Feb 9 Poor result. Despite scoring four last week, we have struggled to create and score in most other games in 2013. Worrying.
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bedsitfc added 18:47 - Feb 9 I think its time to let Wordsworth start for hymm as we can't open teams up sometimes
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lintonblue added 18:52 - Feb 9 Was I watching the same game Mick......
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Keaneish added 19:02 - Feb 9 Jas0999 - you said in a previous post that a draw today would be a decent result meaning you weren't expecting us to get much if anything and now a defeat by a solitary own goal is deemed a poor result. While no defeat is a good result there seems to be a disparity between what you want and what you expect. How is a 1-nil defeat away a poor result if a draw away is a decent one? Feels like you expected us to get nothing and as that proved correct you've changed your tone which is endemic of a lot of Town fans on this forum over the last few seasons! It wasn't a poor result today really was it? It was just a defeat.

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Norwichbeater added 19:05 - Feb 9 I can handle losing and we know that we are in a relegation battle. However the lack of signing DJ and more importantly allowing Scotland to go to relegation rivals really could cost us relegation. Fact. Hopefully MM will have enough about him for this not to happen. Hopefully fact!
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Garv added 19:07 - Feb 9 It's disappointing, not 'poor' as such imo. We still don't create anything.
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Mark added 19:11 - Feb 9 It's not just the pain of losing, virtually all of our relegation rivals won and keep on winning. Jason Scotland scoring the winner for Barnsley again, dear oh dear. We must make the most of the two home games coming up, as we're only one point outside the relegation zone now.
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gypo added 19:20 - Feb 9 Let's get one thing right here we didn't let Jason Scotland leave for barnsley. He was a free agent because we payed his contract up and good luck to him.
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NorthstaNder added 19:24 - Feb 9 Gypo, you took the words right out of my mouth. He was a free agent and therefore free to play wherever he wanted.
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Keaneish added 19:29 - Feb 9 Agreed Garv. I'd actually quite like us to keep this system away from home but replace one of the holding mids (N'daw) for someone with a bit more impetus going forward, Drury or Wordsworth when playing at home. Keep it tight away from home and take a point or counter attack and win the home games. I'm also in favour of Martin retaining his place when he's fit again and Mick making a decision on who the strike partner for McGoldrick is.

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BillBlue added 19:31 - Feb 9 So what are you saying gypo? Did we release Jason to go to one of our relegation rivals or didn't we?
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Norwichbeater added 19:35 - Feb 9 What a ridiculous comment gypo. If the points they gain from Scotland cause us to be relegated and them to stay up you would argue that was the costliest mistake in our history. We didn't need to pay him up he could have been scoring for us. Or at least NOT gaining points for them.
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SHUblue added 20:11 - Feb 9 My quarrel is with DJ Campbell...if he wanted to move away from QPR on a permanent deal, why is he out on loan again...i am glad we didn't sign him as i think it is poor that he hasn't stood firm in what he wants...or words to that effect :D and also Michael Appleton, i dislike you...
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Pip50 added 20:11 - Feb 9 Pains me to post it after our January business we are clearly going down !!
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wibbletown added 20:13 - Feb 9 Nice to see Jordan Rhodes celebrate scoring against his former side even though he didn't score.
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TractorBoy666 added 20:24 - Feb 9 Good luck to Scotland?! No, we need him to have all the bad luck until the end of the season. Weird league this is, not so long ago we all thought the play off's were still possible. I'm worried again, but what's the betting we go and win our next game to stop them worries again? Very tight at the bottom now, and virtually anything could happen.
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Norwichbeater added 20:30 - Feb 9 Northstander think before you comment.
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wrighty_blue97 added 20:32 - Feb 9 If we had of beaten barnsley and bristol we would be clear of this mess, but now we are dragged back into it. We need to get on a good run again starting with a win against blackpool and at huddersfield. Keep the faith. INMICKWETRUST.
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StowTractorBoy added 20:33 - Feb 9 I did not go today and am glad I didn't but appluad those that did. On my post last week after the Middlesbrough win I did say that we must not get too carried away with the win as if we lose to Blackburn we will only be a point from relegation. Unfortunately this is exactly what has happened but we do tend to get carried away when we win and think its the end of the world when we lose. When Mick McCarthy took over we required an average of just over 1.30 points a game to reach 50 points. Since Mick has taken over he has averaged 1.55 points per game and if this average continues we will accumulate 58 points which will be enough to keep us safe. If he achieves the original target of 1.30 points per game we will end up with 54 points so there is hope. All hyperthetical of course but it makes me feel better on another miserable Saturday night.

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gypo added 21:35 - Feb 9 Billblue - He was a free agent it's his choice who he plays for. And all I'm saying is if Ipswich didn't want him to go to one of our relegation rivals then they would have kept him till the end of the season. Who else in the league would he go to other than a team in the bottom third of the table. And for the record I would rather Scotland than McLean or Chopra.
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NoelTheDub added 21:46 - Feb 9 Why was scotland let go he never got a good run with us he was thrown on for 15min and everyone at these games said he done well.Isaid last week jason will go to a championship side and score goals.It saddens me to see ex players every week scoring all over the place and we cant put a ball in the net Mc goldrick and scotland was worth a look.
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JustSpivvyChops added 22:01 - Feb 9 I pointed out a month ago that we were headed in the wrong direction and would very shortly find ourselves in the drop zone again...................of course, I was laughed off by the rose tinted brigade, but I wonder what they'll be thinking next Sunday? Frankly, this is no better than the previous 2 managers offered. Occasional glimmers of hope, but some poor signings, inability to decide on the best starting side and shape of play, are culminating to produce a terribly inconsistent team.....................simply not good enough.

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blues1 added 22:22 - Feb 9 those of you bemoaning the fact that scotland has gone to barnsley seem to have missed the point? gypo is basically right in that he was a free agent and could sign for whoever he wanted to. nothing itfc could have done about it. as for the club releasing him? think youll find it was a case of as he wasnt gonna get into our side(whether that the right decision by mm or not is irrelelvant), that jason told the club that hed like to move on so he could get to play some football and so the club agreed to release him to do just that.

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northernblues added 23:12 - Feb 9 Bemoan whatever, scotland has scored more in less time than than mclean mcgoldrick put together, fact
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blues1 added 23:24 - Feb 9 yes northernblue. no-ones disputing that. the point im making as was gypo, is that people are moaning about the club releasing him to join barnsley, which wasnt exactly the case. he was released because he wanted to go. the fact he joined barnsley is down to him, not itfc.
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