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Sears: First Time I've Heard That From Home Fans - Ipswich Town News

Striker Freddie Sears admitted he’d never heard home fans berate their manager in the manner that sections of the Blues support did during Saturday’s 2-2 draw with bottom of the table Rotherham and says all the players are firmly behind boss Mick McCarthy.

Some supporters in the Sir Bobby Robson Stand sang, "Mick McCarthy, your football is s–t” during what was a frustrating second period until David McGoldrick’s late, late goal which salvaged a point.

"I have never heard home supporters have a go at a manager like that, to be honest,” the striker, who opened the scoring in the third minute, said afterwards. "It is disappointing but that is up to the fans. Everyone in the changing room is behind the gaffer.

"If you’re winning games then they will be singing the gaffer’s name. He won’t be worried about that, he is big enough, old enough and been round the block enough to cope with all that.

"That’s football, one day you are a hero, the next you are not. It is difficult but it is down to us to put in the performances and play for the manager.”

He added: "The gaffer sets us up to win games, he doesn’t set us up to lose games and we are behind him and we go out there to win.

"We had a right go and it was a shame we could not get more goals in the first half.”

Regarding the boring football claims, the 26-year-old said: "I’m not going to stand here and say the football is boring because this is the team I play for and I’m enjoying it.

"There was a lot of good stuff in the first half but obviously in the second half the football was not as good so fans could say it was boring.

"We have some really good players here with the likes of Bishop and McGoldrick, so the fans expect better football sometimes and we have to try and do that. It is not always easy against teams in the Championship because everyone is fighting for points.

"Rotherham were gobbling up time as early as the first half and you can’t blame them. They have a new manager and are going again. We have to forget about this and go again against Sheffield Wednesday.”

McCarthy reiterated that he had no plans to move on following the game and owner Marcus Evans is currently unlikely to be considering making a change.

Reflecting on the way the game progressed, Sears continued: "We started well. The gaffer wanted us to have a fast start and we did that. We got the early goal, but it was a shame they equalised straight away.

"We played really well first half but they got a goal quickly in the second half and we struggled.”

Sears's third-minute goal was his second in three games following on from his 38-match run without finding the net.

"I was always confident I could score goals,” he said. "Sometimes your confidence is not sky high but I played up front and scored a goal. So it shows if you play up front you will score a goal because you get more chances.

"I felt I linked well with Didzy and enjoyed playing up front. We changed the shape second half and so Didzy came from deep and it was a great strike. We know what he can do and he saved us.

"We have shown great character to come back against a team with a new manager who are scrapping away. I’m not sure how long they will be bottom.

"It was tough to break them down, they got in front and defended deep so it was a massive relief to get that goal and get a point.”

He added: "We are feeling the pressure at home, you can see that. We scored two and did well against Burton recently and we got the early goal this time and everyone was up.

"But they scored and the fans weren’t happy. They came here expecting us to beat Rotherham and it just didn’t happen for us.”

MIllers' striker Danny Ward, on target twice for the visitors, admitted that McGoldrick’s late goal was tough to take.

"It feels like a defeat, although the overall performance was solid, it was gutting to see that goal go in at the end,” the 24-year-old said.

"It was a great strike and it took that to beat us. It was a much better performance from us, and the manager [Kenny Jackett] has made a difference in a short time. We have been far more solid and compact and we have dealt with second balls better.”

Despite Rotherham remaining bottom of the table, still eight points from safety, Ward has already taken his season’s total to eight.

"My job is to keep scoring goals so I’m happy to be doing that,” he added. "I know if I keep working the chances will come and I need to be there.

"I said at the start of season I was capable of getting 20 goals and I now have eight before November, so I have to be happy with that. I have to keep working hard for the team.

"Things have not clicked for the team but things are starting to and personally I feel capable of scoring more.”

Had things panned out differently, Ward could have been wearing a Town shirt on Saturday, Blues boss McCarthy having targeted him in the summer of 2014.

"It was a while ago that McCarthy and the gaffer [Jackett] tried to sign me while he was at Wolves and I was at Huddersfield,” he recalled.

"Neither materialised for one reason or another but now it is good to be able to work with him. I like his style, it suits me and I’m looking forward to it.

"Nothing got agreed with Ipswich or Wolves but I have no regrets. I’m happy because I know we have plenty of good players at this club and we can turn things around.”

Meanwhile, Town's U23s are in action against Watford at Vicarage Road this afternoon (KO 2pm).

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