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McCarthy: Points Only Thing That Mattered
Saturday, 25th Apr 2015 18:47

Town boss Mick McCarthy’s only concern was that his team picked up the three points after their 2-1 home victory over Nottingham Forest took them to within a whisker of the play-offs.

“I’m not bothered, three points in my pocket whether it was a fair result or not,” he said. “They had a good spell after they scored, then I think we had another good spell, Reg [Luke Varney] has had a couple of headers fly over.

“There weren’t that many chances in the game, but we won and the reality is that that’s all that matters.”

Told that Daryl Murphy has become the first Town player to net 25 league goals since Ray Crawford in the 1963/64 season, the Blues boss added: “Brilliant. He’s had a great season, he wants to continue it as well. It’s not finished yet.

“[For the first goal it was] great link-up between him and Freddie, if we’re talking about combination play.

“It was flicked up to him and he set it up and Murph has to do the hard bit by putting it in the net and he’s done it all season, he’s become very adept at it, he did it with aplomb.”

Sears netted his ninth goal since joining the Blues from Colchester in January and McCarthy says he’s made a huge impression since signing for £100,000.

“I don’t know everybody else that’s signed for somebody and had such an impact but he has certainly had a really big impact with us and we’re all delighted with him, as you’d expect.”

The Blues boss felt his subs changed the game after Forest enjoyed a spell on top following Christophe Berra’s unfortunate own goal.

“I think that’s understandable with the prize that’s at stake,” he added. “Forest weren’t really playing for anything other than just to win the game. I know that, footballers want to do that because we’re all competitive.

“I think that fear of losing freezes you a little bit when something’s gone wrong. It was hard luck on Christophe because it took a deflection and he slipped.


“I thought the three subs won us the game. I thought Reg Varney was outstanding, as was Kevin Bru and I thought Ando for somebody who has lost his slot, I thought he just about won us the game with his energy when he came on.

“He won a couple of tackles, a couple of headers, he changed the impetus, we regained it with those subs. We had to go to 4-3-3 because they were causing us problems and thankfully it worked out.”

Town need just a point at Blackburn next week - or results elsewhere to go their way if they lose - as the Championship play-off race goes to the final day, as McCarthy predicted.

“We said it would, didn’t we?” he said. “We’re not in them yet, we’ve got work to do, we’ve won the game and given ourselves a really good chance to be involved in that £140 million, or however-many-million somebody puts on it, lottery that’s going to go on for two or three weeks.

“We’ve got to deal with it because Brentford are playing Wigan and they’re more than capable of putting three past somebody.

“Derby have been dragged into it as well, so we’ve still got a job to do, we’ve got to go to Blackburn and get something and make sure it’s in our hands.”

He added: “A point would seal it for us at Blackburn, whereas if we’d have drawn we’d have gone there looking for a win, depending on everybody else’s results.

“But I fully expect that Wolves will see Millwall off at home, I’d expect Brentford to see off Wigan, I’m not sure who Derby are playing [Reading] but I expect them to win their home game.

“But what you expect in this league is one thing, it’s always been cock-eyed and unexpected. Who knows?”

He says he wasn’t aware of today's scorelines elsewhere as Town’s game progressed: “I kind of knew there were no great cheers, though.

“If there had been a couple of loud cheers I would have thought somebody would have been losing, there was none of that so I never thought about it at the time.”

As for his own impact as an experienced manager during the play-off push, he said: “I like to think I’ve had an influence with us having 78 points.

“I don’t know what others do, I don’t think other managers go around panicking, I don’t think that’s the case.

“I think everybody who has been involved in this promotion chase has been really been excellent and whoever gets it certainly deserves it. Congratulations to Watford, they’ve had a remarkable run since we’ve beat them.

“And whoever gets the second spot will have earned it and whoever gets it through the play-offs will have deserved it and earned it because it’s been… it still is a tough, tough scrap for it.”

Has he ever known a tighter Championship? “Not with the points - 78 points and not guaranteed a play-off spot? Do me a favour!

“We seem to get involved in that. We had 50 points and we could still have gone down two years ago, maybe it’s us that’s the Jonah.”

The Blues boss confirmed that Jay Tabb missed the game because he was ill and is expected to be fine for next week’s match.

Forest boss Dougie Freedman was pleased with the spirit shown by his side: “It was easy for us to turn up here with nothing to play for and roll over, but I don’t think we’ve done that today.

"We’ve shown in the last few games that our commitment is there, our spirit is there.

“We got off to a sloppy start, they went a goal up. The second half was all ours and when we scored I thought there was only one team which was going to go on and win it, but Mick’s found a way to beat us.

“I think that’s what I’ve got to try and do with this group. There’s not a lot wrong with it, the commitment’s there, spirit’s there.

"There wasn’t a lot wrong with the performance today, we had our opportunities, they had a couple, we had a couple and they’ve taken theirs.”

Meanwhile, the friends of Lowestoft-based Blue Chris Reynolds, who died aged 21 last week, have thanked everyone at Portman Road for the minute's applause in tribute during which Daryl Murphy scored Town's first goal.


Photo: Action Images



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76blue added 18:52 - Apr 25
Massive win today. Buzzing for the playoffs. Win or lose from now on still been an amazing season of progress. Murph hitting 25 and sears saves the day #coyb bring on the narrrrrich scum
3

Michael11 added 19:04 - Apr 25
What a huge win! I've got sore fingers with no nails on them. Whatever happens next Saturday, I'm so proud of the way we've dug in all season and Mick/Terry deserve a huge amount of credit. All we've wanted for 6-7 years was a team who cared and wanted to play for the shirt, and we've had that in abundance this season. I just hope we can go and finish the job at Blackburn now.
15

TimmyH added 19:23 - Apr 25
Does it now mean that the Blackburn game is now 'As big as they come'?...just a thought

Well done today Mick/TC and the boys...don't play for a point at Blackburn, let's go there to win it - would be uninspiring if we lost and still managed to creep over the line.
3

Len_Brennan added 19:32 - Apr 25
Great result, tough enough game at squeaky bum time, but 3 excellent points in the bag. Not there yet though, a point at Blackburn will be needed I'd imagine. Brentford are likely to win by 2 or more against a side that will probably have been relegated already by then, so any kind of a defeat would leave us behind them. Derby will surely get a point at least.
3

bluesince84 added 19:37 - Apr 25
Well done today, brilliant result. The build up on TWTD will be fascinating to read. Murph getting back to form at just the right time is brillliant. i dont think it really matters what the combo is for the play-offs , Scum, Middlesborough derby. It will be down to us.
I do still worry a bit about the hoof balls but today was faily evened out by some good footwork, especially when bru came on. Thought Bishop had a belter today, broke up play, calm on the ball. I think my only worry is Mings, as much potential as he has, he is the chief hoofer in the team, but maybe thats his instruction, and his passing is absolutely suicidal at times and has been for a long time. One or two run down the flanks does not a good player make but i suppose the jury is still out. Interesting times ahead
2

bluemikey100 added 19:56 - Apr 25
if we had had since beginning season we be in premiership by now great inform strikeforce
1

Mark added 20:04 - Apr 25
Such a crucial winner from Sears, such an important goal, as I think without it we would not be heading for the Play-Offs. If Rotherham get a point against Reading on Tuesday that will relegate Wigan, and Brentford and home to them on the final day. Even as things stand it will be a nervy Saturday, but at least we know a point will be enough.

If Bournemouth go up Monday, which I hope they do to end Norwich's automatic hopes, I wonder if we will be chosen for Sky TV Saturday given the race for the Play-Offs will be the main 12:15 interest.
2

Lombokblue added 20:23 - Apr 25
On The Buses ended in 1973
1

jas0999 added 20:38 - Apr 25
Completely agree today. The three points is all that matters.
1

Pip50 added 20:40 - Apr 25
Stumbling into the Premier league will do stumbling into a play off exit will not.
Need to look again next year if we are where we are now ME.
-2

Fatboy added 20:59 - Apr 25
TimmyH, I'd be delighted if we lost and still managed to creep over the line!
1

Fatboy added 21:01 - Apr 25
Just as today I'd have been happier if we'd drawn and Wolves and Brentford had both lost.
0

TractorBeezer added 21:31 - Apr 25
Well done lads, MM and TC. Still very much within our control.
3

tcc4 added 22:09 - Apr 25
I thought varney was superb today when he came on, never known a player his size to be so good in air. Bru also added some class. Please avoid Narwich in play offs
6

norfstanda added 22:37 - Apr 25
MM looks pretty emotional in pic...
1

mrivancampo added 09:30 - Apr 26
I am a massive mick, but I do think this time you should also be looking at performances as well as results, as the performance will eventually of course lead to a result which reflects the performance. We need players like chambers to be a top performer and also tabb and Murphy
1

IamSpartacus added 15:50 - Apr 26
Bit picky, but Crawford moved to Wolves during the '63/64 season, so only scored 2 league goals for us..... although he did score a barrel-load in '62/63.

Regardless, mad to think that Wark, Brazil, Whymark, Mariner, Bent, Kuki, Stewart, Johnson(x2) et al never got 25 or more league goals in a season.
0

Seasider added 16:26 - Apr 26
IamSpartacus but most of the above players scored their goals in the Top division
0

oldtimer3 added 07:33 - Apr 27
Hope we play better Saturday good job Varney and Bru come on as young bishop and hunt not at the races. Midfield players until then didnt seem to be asking for the ball so hoooooof the ball went in the air from our defenders lets hope Mick picks the right team against a good Backburn side.
1


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