Town boss Mick McCarthy gave his players an ear-bashing for conceding the late penalty which led to Leyton Orient’s equaliser in the 1-1 friendly draw at Brisbane Road. Alex Henshall tripped ex-Blue Kevin Lisbie with Town having taken the lead in the ninth minute through Balin Bajner.
"I thought we got slapped in the first half but were 1-0 and I don’t know how. Well, I do know, it was because we defended all right for the most part and Gerks made a great save,” McCarthy said.
"In the second half I thought we were much better and we were the better team, their keeper made a good save and then we got milky, sloppy and just rubbish in the last minute.
"It’s cost us a goal and I don’t like it. There were seven or eight mistakes, we should have thrown it in the corner, we should have kept it, we were winning.
"I’m not bothered whether it’s a pre-season friendly or not. If we did that at Leeds or somewhere away from home one Tuesday night when we’re winning 1-0, I’m going to be killing somebody in the dressing room for those mistakes. We might as well learn now and they’ve just had it in their earhole because of it.”
The Town boss was pleased to see new signing Bajner net his second goal in two games, but says there’s more to come from the Hungarian.
"I think he was knackered, to be honest,” McCarthy continued. "He’s worked hard, he’s had a long week, he’s not had a full pre-season. I don’t think we saw the best of him in terms of his overall play but he scored. It’s a nice habit.”
David McGoldrick came on at half-time before being rested late on and the Town manager is delighted to see last season’s top scorer back in action: "Didz is great. It was lovely to have him back on. He helps us play.
"We persevered playing it up to the front two in the first half and it was horrible. In the second half, after we’d had words, we played on the inside with Skusey and Luke Hyam and tried to play it to the frontmen. It was a much better performance and Didz does that better than anyone.”
Tommy Smith and Paul Anderson missed out with minor niggles, while Jonny Parr was subbed just before half-time: "They’ve got a groin and a tight hamstring but should be fine for next week,” McCarthy added.
"Jonny Parr has got a sore groin. I don’t know if he’s a doubt for next week yet, you don’t know when they’ve just come off, he’ll have to be assessed tomorrow. We’ve had no injuries and we just seem to be picking them up now.”
Overall, McCarthy is pleased with the way pre-season has gone, although frustrated by those three joining Stephen Hunt — who has missed all six games with a calf problem — in picking up niggles.
"I was a lot happier last week when I had no injuries but now I’ve got Tommy Smith, Paul Anderson and Jonny Parr with little knocks, which is disappointing.
"But it’s gone all right. We should have seen that game out, it was just a rubbish penalty,” he added ruefully.