Town boss Mick McCarthy admitted that the Blues may have been fortunate to claim a point from their 2-2 draw with Huddersfield, despite having been two goals in front. The Blues manager called on fans to get behind his side following an angry exchange with supporters behind the dug-out at the final whistle.

“Maybe we were fortunate to come away with a point in the end,” McCarthy said. “Huddersfield have played well.

“They changed their system to stop us and we were 2-0 up when they were playing the 3-5-2.

“They went 4-4-2 and it changed the momentum of the game, although the penalty’s the thing that has changed the momentum of the game.

“They were just starting to play well, we were trying to get the subs on to counteract their shape. And they got a penalty and then it swung completely in their favour.”

The Town boss had no complaints regarding the penalty decision awarded against skipper Luke Chambers for a foul on Grant Holt: “It was a penalty. Grant Holt was bumping and barging all afternoon, which is the way that he plays, fair play to him, he’s been a good player, he still is.

“I think the two of them had hold of each other in the box but when the defender’s facing his own goal and he’s still got hold of him, then he’s going to give a penalty for it.”

He added: “I’ve been there. I think Luke was playing against a good player who has taken advantage of grabbing hold and then he’s got spun around and he’s made sure he’s still got hold of him. It happens when you’re playing against good players.”

Regarding his confrontation with some fans behind the dug-out after the final whistle was greeted by boos, McCarthy said: “It’s the way it is at the end of the game when you’ve lost a two-goal lead. It was just something that was said to me that irked me. It doesn’t matter, it was frustrating at the end of the game.”

He says he can understand supporters’ frustrations after the Blues failed to hold onto a lead for the fourth successive game and with his side now winless in five.

“I can,” he said. “But it’s the same squad of players that everybody was lauding for costing nothing and getting us in the top six and everybody enjoys that when it’s going really well. And when it’s going really well things drop for you.

“When it’s changed a little bit, which is has for us, why? Have we all suddenly become bad players, bad managers, bad coaches? No.

“We’re having a little bit of a tough period and I think that’s when everybody has to get behind us and not against us and think suddenly everything’s wrong. Because it’s not.

“I try and keep myself on that even keel when it’s just starting to go a little bit the other way how are you going to change it?

“I’ll tell you how you’ll change it, it’s by supporting people, making sure they keep doing the right things.

“As much as I was angry in the dressing room afterwards, I’ll come in Monday, I’ll watch the game and I’ll be back at what I should be.”

He says Huddersfield employing a 3-5-2 formation came as a surprise but wasn’t too much of a problem: “A little bit but that didn’t bother me because if they had been playing 3-5-2 I would have played 4-3-3 exactly the same.

“So that didn’t bother me at all, that didn’t cause any upset. They came here last year with Mark Robins playing 3-5-2 and we played 4-3-3 and they had to change almost immediately to stop us because they were rampaging forward and we left three up against them and it was a problem.

“I thought they handled it better today. I was a bit surprised but I don’t believe anybody or anything about players, injuries or teamsheets until I go in the referees’ room at 2 o’clock. I believe nobody, I believe nothing anybody tells me.”

Terriers manager Chris Powell was delighted with his team’s display, even when they were behind: “I’m very pleased with the performance, I was even at 1-0 at half-time.

“At 2-0, obviously you think it might not be your day, but we passed the ball really well and fashioned some really good chances in the first half.

“We needed to hit the target, Gerken made a good save from Nahki Wells but then we conceded from a set play.

“We worked on it and spoke about the strengths of Ipswich and we know that’s a big strength of theirs.

“At half-time I said to the players that I knew we could get something from the game if we were on the front foot. But then they scored the second goal.

“But what was pleasing was the character of the players, they know they can push forward and can get results, whether it’s one point or three.

“The good thing today was that there was an impact from two subs [Harry Bunn and Sean Scannell] as well, so I’m really pleased.

“And we managed to get Grant Holt through the 90, knowing his history with Norwich and Ipswich.”

Regarding the penalty decision, he added: “The referee gave it, it’s a pen. I’m glad he gave it and we scored. Sometimes they go for you, sometimes they don’t.

“I think it was a pen, but I haven’t seen it again. It got us back into a game I think we deserved something from.”

Photo: Action Images

TractorCam added 18:31 - Oct 25 Fortunate? Yes i suppose we had to be with them pummeling us with attacking plays with the score at 2-2, subs yet again cost us Mick, when will you learn?
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lonelyblue added 18:39 - Oct 25 Er, what's your logic for the subs costing us there, dear fellow?
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bluefeast added 18:43 - Oct 25 our subs never make an impact.EVER !!
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essextractorboy93 added 18:51 - Oct 25 Frustrating to have lost the lead in the last few games, poor run at the moment. Need to turn more of these draws into wins though. Hopefully we can go up to Blackpool and get 3 points. A few games ago we were playing well and maybe had that bit of luck, things have changed but we haven't suddenly become a bad team. Just need to learn how to kill games off. Onto the next game. COYB!

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loyal_Blue added 18:57 - Oct 25 Hopefully this is our bad run of the season and if it is.... At least we are not loosing. The ref was rubbish in the second half he just gave everything to them. WHY do we always sit back for the last 15 mins in every game .. After they scored it was only a matter of time before they scored again ... The subs did nothing! Let's quickly move on and win at Blackpool!
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Toronto_Tractor added 18:57 - Oct 25 We threw away more points than any team last season. We have thrown away 9 points in the last 4 games. Most of these points have been lost late on after tactical changes and substitutions have been made. MM has done a great job turning us into a solid mid table side but without a little more bravery in winning positions, particularly at home, particularly at 2-0 up, particularly against very average sides... It will be a mid table finish again. Football isn't all about stats but our stats in winning positions and after defensive substitutions have been made are very bad!

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blueherts added 19:10 - Oct 25 Honest opinion of the game , but we were all happy one month ago so - whilst we are not closing out games - we cannot moan too much But two areas we could do better PACE - I do think we need to see Henshall or Stewart ? what has happened to Stewart ? Pace has cost us today Chambers and Berra were solid together - LC is not a RB Now if we cannot beat Blackpool next week - I will be worried But , just look at some of the other results today - crazy ! I think it is wrong to get negative - December is the benchmark

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whosroundisitanyway added 19:11 - Oct 25 The f---ing idiots booing the team need to f--k off up the A140 & stay there. Not fit to enter Portman Rd.
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WicklowBlue added 19:15 - Oct 25 Re. Subs is it just we don't have the depth for our subs to make the impact we want? Are we going to see Collison at all?
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blues1 added 19:17 - Oct 25 today had nothing to do with the substitutions. in fact, whoever came on wouldn't have changed the game situation. the fact is that the tactics employed for this match were totally wrong. purely hoofing the ball up to the front men against a tall defence was pointless. we had no midfield whatsoever, no width, and no1 with the composure to hold on to the ball at any point in the match. why neither stewart or hanshall were on the bench I cant understand as we were crying out for some width and pace. instead we just pumped aimless balls up to the front 3 who never really had a chance. so cant really blame them too much. though murphy was quiet today, sammon after being excellent last sat, was poor today and mcgoldrick continues, imo to play like someone whose head is elsewhere. while he did well for the 2nd goal, he was poor for rest of game. really think that mm has to rethink his team selection and tactics or we will only go one way.yes, we may have been without Williams today,but with those tactics he wouldn't have seen the ball anyway and so prob wouldn't have made much difference. overall a very poor day at the office I think

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Chicago_Blue added 19:22 - Oct 25 The substitutions were again baffling, beyond belief. I said to my son, when we made the changes at 2-1, that our shape will change, we will sit deep and try to defend the lead, and the subs will make no impact. I bet him £5 we'd concede an equaliser. Erm, right on all three counts. It's not as if this is the first time this has happened. No other team comes close to dropping as many points as us from winning positions. We were #1 last season, and this season it's shaping up to be the same. Time and time again, it happens. As what point do you think Mick will suddenly go to TC: "Hang on, I'm going to switch a striker for a striker, and see if we can get our 2 goal cushion back" - instead of "Right, It's 2-1 now, and as we're playing at home to the mighty Huddersfield I think I'd better bringing off a striker for a midfielder, and oh I must get Tabb on because of all that he offers us. We're great at defending slender leads, us.". So many times now it's almost embarrassing. If I made errors like this, this many times at work, I think the penny would have dropped by now, and I'd realise that perhaps it doesn't work. We signed some good, exciting players like Henshall, Stewart, Ambrose, Collison, etc - but these can't get a look in above Skuse, Tabb, Anderson, etc - yawn! Come on, freshen it up. And please for the love of God get it into your skull that we don't have to try and defend 1 goal leads, especially at home against mediocre teams. It has failed more times than I think I've had hot dinners. You've not got the golden formula here Mick - it don't work mate.

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blueherts added 19:22 - Oct 25 Imagine a team with Henshall , Stewart , Williams & Hyam in Middle and Dids and Murph up front Now that would be worth looking at Tabb , Skuse , Hunt and Anderson - can count themselves lucky
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Mark added 19:32 - Oct 25 I don't know what hurt most, the injury time equaliser against Blackburn when we played well, or today's disappointing display where we threw away a 2-0 lead. At least we are not losing, but we need to find a killer instinct to finish teams off. At 2-0 when Huddersfield threw on attacking subs we could have said they are very vulnerable now and pushed for the 3-0 win, but we tried to defend and as often happens it didn't work.

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JWM added 19:35 - Oct 25 Well said Mick! Time for some of our supporters to actually show some support! You know who you are!
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jas0999 added 19:54 - Oct 25 Disappointing. Agree with Micks comments though. We were fortunate.
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Chicago_Blue added 19:55 - Oct 25 Toronto_Tractor - agree completely.
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NoelTheDub added 20:13 - Oct 25 Mick your formation change is going from defencive to more defencive and as the last 3 or 4 weeks prove it dosent work.
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alliedaz added 20:37 - Oct 25 why why why do we switch off,the points we have lost will come back and haunt us at the end of the season and silly subs at the wrong time and maybe other players in the team should look at themselves and pull their fingers out and stop relying on others to bail them out every week
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TimmyH added 20:38 - Oct 25 Mick - what ever happened to the 'nailed on' reaction from the Cardiff game?! even though we were 1-0 up at half-time our overall performance was far from that. Have to say since our 4 game winning streak not only have we let points go but are starting to look shaky in our performances - I bet there would be few on here would have foreseen us drop to 10th in a matter of weeks when we 'could' have been possibly in the top 2 just a few weeks ago. Must do better!

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Flewitt85 added 20:39 - Oct 25 FOR F**K SAKE!!! Why is it so hard to support ipswich! Always and forever town! Come on lads, at lest we are not losing! Get a grip!
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martleshamitfc added 20:49 - Oct 25 Maybe to put it in perspective, hands up who would rather be managerless like Birmingham or Leeds? What a mess those two clubs are in!! We are very lucky to have MM & TC , I am sure they will get us back on track very soon, every team in this league has a poor run (take a look up the A140) and we will bounce back.
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JWM added 21:01 - Oct 25 I'm surprised the Realists haven't been on here yet to offer their constructive opinions!
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Tractamatt added 21:33 - Oct 25 We are having our blip, have faith we will turn it around against Blackpool
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muccletonjoe added 22:14 - Oct 25 What a load of #@!#@, the subs cost us! ? They had the2 best chances of the first half, how the he'll they missed both of them I really don't know. Just not up to scratch today. Nothing to do with subs.
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bohslegend added 22:27 - Oct 25 In your element noelthedub. Welcome back to all the owners/realists. All having a proper go now. No sign of you during our good spell but looks like you've been saving up your vitriol for whenever it suited your argument. Great "supporters". As Mick said; get behind the team instead of cheap abuse. It's true, some here would prefer to be like Birmingham with teams picked via fan poll every week rather than a strong manager picking the best from what he has available. And all this asking about the players "we" bought? Actually that was Mick who bought them. If they are worth their place they'll be in n, if not they won't. But he bought them not us.

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