Boss Mick McCarthy admitted that non-league Lincoln City were unfortunate not to beat the Blues and pull off a third round FA Cup shock at Portman Road, Tom Lawrence’s 86th minute goal rescuing Town and seeing them to a 2-2 draw.

“He’s got us all out of jail, two good finishes from Tom,” McCarthy said. “I thought Lincoln were excellent, I think they’ll be feeling very unlucky not to have won the game.

“I’ll be complaining bitterly about the goals we conceded and I guess they will be as well.

“But they were good, I think they played very well. I knew they’d come here confident, I knew they were a good side, we’d watched them, and they didn’t show me any surprises.

“It’s that classic cup tie between a non-league side and a league side and they were unfortunate not to win it.”

McCarthy was frustrated that having got back on terms in the first half via Lawrence’s first goal that the Blues didn’t gain control of the match.

“I’m bitterly disappointed,” he added. “I’m disappointed that we didn’t capitalise on our start to the second half and we ended up conceding.

“Quite a few disappointments in the game, but the really positive points were that we didn’t lose because we’ve got Blackburn coming here next week, we’re still in the cup and the lads kept going and we got a result out of it.”

He admitted his side didn’t give a good account of themselves: “I don’t think so, but there are a few other results around the place that aren’t particularly good.

“It’s not easy playing against them, they’re a good side, they’re full of confidence, we’re not particularly full of confidence, especially playing here. So maybe it’s not a surprise as anybody might think it is.”

He added: “I don’t think you need to tell you that confidence is a big part in sport. They came here brimming with it, why wouldn’t they as they’re top of the league and playing as well as they are? And we’re not, we’ve got to find that formula and get back to winning ways.”

While naming an experienced XI, McCarthy’s bench was filled with youngsters with a number of players missing through illness or injury.

“There weren’t [many options],” he continued. “Leon Best had diarrhoea and sickness, Chambo and Skusey had swollen knees and we’re still settling them down. Myles Kenlock’s got a nasty knock to his calf from the QPR game.

“David McGoldrick hurt his hamstring yesterday, I hope it’s nothing serious, he’ll have a scan on Monday. That was the sum total.”

Regarding the boos that greeted the final whistle and were aimed in his direction as he walked to the tunnel, he said: “The only thing I can do is to get the team to win and play better and win and that will stop it. Maybe it won’t now, at this stage, but I’m not complaining about that.”

He added: “I can’t really affect that. I tend to try and affect the things in my life that I can, that’s dealing with players, trying to get the best out of them.

"People will be saying ‘you’re not doing that’ or ‘you’re not getting better results’ but that’s all I can do and what other people think of me and what they want say about me doesn’t bother me that much.”

Did McCarthy feel it was a difficult atmosphere with 4,838 Lincoln fans filling the Cobbold Stand?

“I thought it was a brilliant atmosphere, it should have been one we embraced, they did,” he said.

“I thought it was a great atmosphere, their fans were fantastic, as ours have been when we were in the top six.

“And that’s where you’ve got to get to get support like that. I wonder when they were getting relegated out of League Two were they all turning up like that and supporting? No they didn’t, it’s the way it’s is because of their results and the way it is here because of our results.”

What impressed him about Lincoln? “Everything, the crowd, the way they played, they were just very good. I’ve watched them, they’ve been good all season, that’s why they’re top of the league.”

McCarthy paid tribute to two-goal Lawrence, who took his tally to the season to five goals with his first two FA Cup goals.

“They were [wonderful goals],” he added. “I wonder if they’ll be complaining about them going in from so far, like I’d complain about their goals going in.

“Tom’s been excellent and that’s three goals in two games and he warrants it because he’s been excellent, he’s been a really good signing, Tom.”

Lawrence is on a season-long loan with the Blues and can’t be recalled by Leicester in January - even if there is interest in signing him on a permanent basis - without the agreement of all three parties, Town, the Foxes and the player.

The Town boss says he hasn’t yet thought about the replay at Sincil Bank, which is pencilled in for a week on Tuesday.

“I’m not really bothered about that yet to be quite honest, we’ve got Blackburn coming here next Saturday. My thoughts are on that. It’ll be a tough game and I hope it’ll be tougher game for Lincoln than it was today.”

Asked whether he was disappointed not to have come so close to recording a shock victory, Lincoln boss Danny Cowley said: “That’s one way to look at it and there was definitely a little bit of a tinge of disappointment when we got back into the dressing room.

“But I think if we’re honest the overriding emotion is one of pride. I think we took on a good Championship team and went toe-to-toe with them and gave a really good account of ourselves. And I think that was something I think we can be proud of.

“We spoke all week about what we saw as being success for us because we knew that if we just measured it on the outcome we’d come up short. Success to us was at 4.45pm getting a standing ovation from the 5,000 supporters that followed us.

“And we did that. For me, I thought the players were excellent. We found a new level today.

“We asked them before today to bring their A games and then find another 10 per cent and I thought to a man they did that. We’ve drawn, but we’ve taken a very experienced Championship team all the way.”

Photo: TWTD

prebsa added 19:03 - Jan 7 The w@nker speaks again! MICK OUT
1

dukey44 added 19:04 - Jan 7 Why does Berra play every week ?? We are a total shambles very very sad days to be an Ipswich supporter with this man still in charge??
15

Vizslaraner added 19:04 - Jan 7 Just go you complete an utter tool! What do you actually do in training, it can't be much looking at the c..p you churn out
10

prebbs007 added 19:08 - Jan 7 Are you still here you utter useless idiot ??? Do the right thing. Walk away. Stop taking the pi$$ out of our club. The fans don't want you here. The players don't want you here. No one wants you here except Evans and you keep taking his cash. You're a disgrace. Go now !!!! So our club can save itself and attempt to stay up and build for future. You're not in it.
12

Mick_Mills_Tache added 19:09 - Jan 7 It's a positive that we didn't lose to non-league Lincoln?! Bloomin' heck.
11

sereneblue added 19:24 - Jan 7 How can he be honest about a football match,but not honest about his time at Ipswich finally coming to an end.
3

RaymondovicBlue added 19:32 - Jan 7 I know as well as the rest of you that Mick is really struggling. But I also know that sometimes in the cup a lower team gets a draw ... but usually loses on the replay when the higher team ups their game even further...... Now we have a choice - up our game even further and win the replay like we SHOULD have won today, OR lose the replay and I will join the choir of Mick Out - but I will wait til after the Blackburn game, and then the replay before warming up my voice. But I PROMISE you - if you resist down voting me for this today, I will honour you by shouting VERY LOUD after these two games. SURELY Mick must win both to save his job?

7

Big_Steve added 19:33 - Jan 7 People are moaning with good reason about Mick but they're complaining to the wrong man. McCarthy knows that, for as decent a bloke as he is, and I have no doubts him and TC are salt of the earth, the end is nigh with him unable to get the sort of performances out of the squad most clubs look for let alone the results that Ipswich Town FC demand. But resign? Are you mad?! Do the decent thing and go is the argument I keep hearing but if you're in a job and things aren't going well, you try your best to make things right again and you keep doing that until the boss says 'sorry but your time's up son'. Marcus Evans is the man to make that decision and if he doesn't realise that decision has to be made, he's a fool. It's Mr Evans who somehow needs to be told with no uncertainty that it's time for a change. I'm certain Mick is doing all he can but it's just not good enough. We do have a lot to thank him for in not only keeping us up when he arrived but turning us into play off competitors on a shoestring budget. And that of course is what Evans likes about McCarthy, his ability to get blood out of a stone. Unfortunately there's no more blood to get. New blood is needed to breathe life into ITFC. Even if the board do make the inevitable call to sack Mick do you trust the suits in charge to get the right man in when they're not willing to invest pretty much anything in players? A top down change is needed to stop the rot. It's probably already too late.

14

clivebleedingthomas added 19:37 - Jan 7 MM's attacking tactic against two tall centre backs - persevere with long high balls up the middle in the hope that at sometime during the ninety minutes one of them will make a mistake, thus allowing our two "target men" to get past them. Lawrence, the only team member not a Town player, but on loan, was our standout player. Sad state of affairs, our once great club is a shambolic outfit with a totally unadventurous and tactically inept stubborn person at the helm. Evans, get a new man in quickly, this is awful and getting worse by the match. Well done to Lincoln City and their impish support. I, for one, am not looking forward to the replay with confidence.

10

fergalsharkey added 19:48 - Jan 7 You arrogant ignorant Yorkshire throwback. Please piss off.
7

cartman1972 added 19:50 - Jan 7 Fcuking idiot, no subs, devoid of ideas, unapologetic and arrogant to fans, even my 7 yo son says he wants to support someone else.. Joke club joke manager joke owner....please make my year already and resign
7

franco added 19:52 - Jan 7 DINO FOOL GET OUT OF OUR CLUB , YOU IDIOT!!!!!!!
2

bluearmy4life added 20:03 - Jan 7 What I want to hear McCarthy is that you're going to work your ass off and turn our season around not I'll try and do this I'll try and do that, if that doesn't work it doesn't matter, Marcus is supporting me and I'm getting paid to do a crap job, and I'm pessing off our supporters it's okay though the players work hard they're a great bunch! I don't care this is a results business and if you were at any other club you would've been sacked by now! Discrace!

4

phillo added 20:03 - Jan 7 Best 3 players today were Lawerence (whole game - where would we be without his wonder goals ?), Emmanuel (that match saving tackle at the end reminding me of Titus Bramble) & Dozzell (who had a quiet first half when the ball was being hoofed over his head but really grew in the 2nd half and was running at Lincoln at will by the end) ..... sad thing is 2 of those won't be playing Saturday .... says it all !!!

8

magnus68 added 20:04 - Jan 7 Ok, we all are dissapointed to say the least. MM have got his fare amount of hate from fans. He has clearly got the message and he shows he feels bad about it. He is backed by ME and tries his best. There is a snowball of hate growing bigger and bigger, cant we all try a 2 week full love and support to mick and the team ? Let's do that all of us, It's a new year after all and we all desperate want things to turn. Magnus

-14

Lightningboy added 20:10 - Jan 7 SERIOUSLY?!!!...same old same old..I was gutted when we equalised as it's kept this clown in his job for a while longer. What on earth is going on at this club?..How low is Evans going to let us go until something is done? McCarthy,you obviously do not have one single ounce of dignity otherwise you would resign tonight and take Connor with you..appalling how you're still here waiting to be sacked..our owner is even more inept than our manager which takes some doing. What a total shambles of a club we've become #EMBARRASSING

10

geminimustang added 20:12 - Jan 7 Stoke,Bournemouth & West Brom would swop places with ITFC for the FA Cup next round draw.Things are never as bad as they appear at first sight.Get a player or two in for the replay and happy days.
-23

grumpyoldman added 20:23 - Jan 7 Open message to Mr Michael McCarthy. If, given your superior knowledge of football compared to us mere supporters, you had them watched and knew how they would play, how the hell couldn't you come up with a game plan to overcome them. What do you actually do to justify your salary, you don't seem to have more than a plan A for each match, you make substitutions that are incomprehensible to others, choose players not up to the job. I know football is a matter of opinion and you like all of us are entitled to yours but why do you persist in mismanaging my beloved club to the point where when I saw that we were losing today I wasn't angry or disgruntled, I just sat here laughing because you and your cronies have made my club a joke.

15

bluelodgeblue added 20:23 - Jan 7 I think we reached a new level too! ME/ Mm go now please find a committed buyer!
3

d0nk added 20:27 - Jan 7 F#cking f#cking hate this bloke with a passion. Arrogant stubborn prick.
5

grumpyoldman added 20:27 - Jan 7 Geminimustang please can you let me know what you are taking, because I need some. Your optimism is boundless with no real basis.
9

eMeM added 20:29 - Jan 7 I'm one of those who voted for him to stay few weeks ago. I've had enough of him now. Still don't think Evans will ever sack him. Resignation is our only hope.
3

Gazelle added 20:38 - Jan 7 Think the Go Go Go should be directed at Berra after that dreadful bit of defending.
2

busterjames added 20:45 - Jan 7 MM needs to have a serious chat to John Mcgreal about how to play football the right way ! Manager of the month and his boys crack another 4 goals in ...Enough said MM out.
3

paris_mitchell_in_oz added 20:47 - Jan 7 Defeat really wouldn't have been that much of a "shock" would it?!
2

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