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Jewell Delighted to Be On Right End of Last Gasp Winner - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Paul Jewell was delighted to be on the right end of a last minute 3-2 result for once, the Blues having been the victims of last-gasp heartbreak several times this season.

Jewell said: "It’s happened to us on numerous occasions, so it was nice. It was an end to end game, in the second half especially.

"First half, I thought we started the game well, I thought we were in control, scored the goal, gave a bad goal away, and then another one after that.

"At half-time we went back out, took the game to them, got it to 2-2 and it was end to end with no team settling for the draw.”

Jewell and his staff celebrated Michael Chopra’s injury time goal more than usual — with the players also making their delight clear - but claimed he was merely trying not to get too cold in the snowy Ricoh Arena conditions: "We were just trying to keep warm!

"You try and keep your emotions in check as much as you can because you’re aware of the opposition, but we’ve been through an awful lot as a group, being victims of last minute goals against us, so it was nice to get a little bit of payback.

"I was worried it might have been the same story. I was really annoyed at half-time, the way we’d given the goals away.

"After the West Ham game where it was high tempo with a high octane atmosphere we came here and it was quite quiet and we wanted to use that for our advantage, but not to slow the game down too much. But I thought we were slow after we scored, and they came back into the game from nothing.

"Second half, I said I’d change it after 15 minutes but we really came at Coventry and I felt the lads did well in the second half. We were a bit open at the back, a bit harum scarum at times, but at least we showed that we were on the front foot and we wanted to win the match.”

Jewell had no complaints regarding Coventry’s penalty for handball by Ibrahima Sonko: "I asked him what he was doing at half-time and he said he was putting his hand up for offside and the ball’s hit him. It’s ridiculous. For our penalty, Lee’s said the lad nudged him but I didn’t have a great view.”

Overall, the Blues boss was delighted with his side’s week’s work: "We’re at a vital time in the season where we are down the wrong end of the table, so [it’s good] to get six points in a week.

"When you play a team at the top of the league and then one at the bottom, you’re always worried what the reaction might be, but we’ve come out with two good results.

"I think we’ve been part of a decent game on a bloody cold day, and it’s nice to get three points.”

Coventry boss Andy Thorn was disappointed to lose a game in the closing stages for the second week running: "The weather wasn't great but that isn't any excuse for losing the game. We looked like we would win it for the majority of the match and once again, we couldn't see it through.

"I don't know how we haven't come away from the game with something and we are extremely disappointed to not get what we deserve.

"It was a great opportunity today to pick some points up and push us up the table. When we were winning the match, if you would have looked at the table, we were right in amongst the rest of the sides.

"That's where we need to be. But we have to go back and go again as we won't give up on this and we need to try and take the positives from the game."

Thorn wasn't convinced that Town ought to have been awarded their spotkick: "It was disappointing to concede the penalty because it brought them back into the game. I have seen it again and it wasn't a penalty.

"I didn't think we played very well today - we didn't start well and we had a few words at half-time and we never started again in the second half. This was a big opportunity for us today and we should have taken it and we didn't.

"It is a cruel game but this is what we have to deal with. We have to go right to the final whistle and for this to happen to us twice in one week, it is hard to take. We need to improve late on and make sure we continue to push forward for the fans."

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