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Keane Frustrated With Record-Breaking Draw - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Roy Keane was frustrated to fail to win yet another game having gone ahead, the Blues picking up a club record breaking 19th draw of the season. Keane wasn’t sure about Doncaster's late penalty, but Rovers manager Sean O’Driscoll admitted that his side was perhaps fortunate to have been awarded the spotkick from which they equalised.

Keane said: "It was frustrating. We gave a bad goal away and what you have to learn, even on your off-days, is that when you go one-up you win the game. We didn't do that and it was down to a bit of inexperience, I suppose.

"The game lacked a bit of quality, especially in the final third, someone to pick out the right pass at the right time.

"It was a bit hit and miss from both teams, especially in the final third, and that's where you need a cutting edge."

Keane wasn’t sure about the penalty, given for a Shane O'Connor foul on Dean Shiels, which his players clearly felt oughtn’t to have been awarded: "I don't know. I haven't seen it but sometimes players have to be punished for making mistakes, so they learn from it. Otherwise if you get away with it you might be tempted to try and do it again.

"Shane made a mistake initially and then having got caught out on the wrong side he should have let the lad have another touch away from goal because he still had a lot to do to beat our keeper.”

The 19th draw of the season beats the club’s previous top total of 18, amassed in 1990/91, but Keane says it’s not something he is particularly happy to have achieved: "It's not a record we are proud about, the draws, it's very frustrating,"

The Blues boss was pleased with Connor Wickham’s opportunist strike: "Connor took his goal well. It was a big ask for the lad because of the games he has played lately but he was one of our better players, along with Gareth.

"I would liked to have got Billy Clark on earlier but even though he had two or three minutes, he looked neat and tidy and the other youngsters will benefit from the experience of being involved with the first team."

Doncaster boss Sean O’Driscoll felt the penalty was harsh: "We've benefited from this decision but in the last three games I've been on the receiving end, so we're either part of the problem or part of the solution.

"My view is that this was a soft one. You can see why the referee gave it. Technically it was a penalty because he pushed him in the back, but if it was given against me I'd be disappointed.

"Usually contact inside the area is different to contact outside the area. All managers will say they've had stonewall penalties turned down and we've had some horrific things that haven't been given for us.

"Then we get that one. It was the one major refereeing decision in the game and in my view we got away with it. I'm just trying to be honest."

O’Driscoll thought his side tested Brian Murphy too rarely: "I thought we had enough possession to win but didn't work their goalkeeper enough.

"This is our second season in the Championship and we miss a cutting edge. It was our achilles heel in the first season and probably again this season.

"But we were missing five first team regulars and have an extremely small squad, so performance-wise we can't complain too much.

"We've lost the last three games and played twice as well, so performance-wise we're pleased."

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