Town boss Mick McCarthy admitted the Blues were beaten by a better team following their 1-0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday in this season’s final home game. Kieran Lee scored the game’s only goal in the 77th minute to confirm the Owls’ place in this season's play-offs.
"We were beaten by a better team and a team which looked to have the edge on us,” McCarthy said.
"They are still playing for something, we are playing for pride and for results, yes, but that’s their sixth win on the bounce, so they’ve come here with a bit of momentum and form, and they looked like that. They’re a very good team.
"I thought they had the edge to us, they were slightly better than us and had the bit of quality at the end that really counted.
"We didn’t have that many chances, as always the lads have put everything in and matched them for lots of things but they had the better percentage of the ball and used it better than us.”
He added: "We had that edge against Newcastle, we needed a result and I think that does make a huge difference.
"We got that result and I changed the team last week, maybe that had an effect, although it shouldn’t really do. I think we just all took a huge sigh of relief and they’re still wired for the play-offs and have got that edge to us.”
McCarthy was disappointed not to go out on a high with the post-match lap of appreciation somewhat understated after a defeat at the end of an under par season.
"The lap at the end was always going to be that way if we’d lost, that was absolutely gilt-edged, nailed-on that it was going to be like that,” he reflected.
"We’ve not been good enough at home, we’ve not really entertained fans here, so I fully understand that.”
McCarthy admitted it’s a season he wants to move on from following next Sunday’s final match.
"Absolutely, but we’ve got a game to play and Nottingham Forest are right in the mire,” he added. "There’s going to be an edge to that game and we’ve got to go there and perform and do it right for us, first and foremost, for our fans that go and watch it, and for the other teams that are down there with them.”
The Town boss was pleased that on-loan Leicester man Tom Lawrence was given a standing ovation as he left the field in the second half at the end of his final game for the Blues at Portman Road and maybe his last game for them anywhere as he picked up a knock.
"He’s been terrific and he deserved that,” McCarthy said. "I didn’t want him to get injured, he took a knock on his ankle just before I took him off.
"He’s got bigger and better things in front of him and I’d hate for him to be going into the close season injured. He deserved his ovation, it was nice for him to get that.”
Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal was delighted with the result and to confirm a second successive play-off place.
"We deserved to win today,” he said. "It gives me satisfaction to see people around me happy, the chairman, the players and the fans.
"Six wins in a row is fantastic, we are making history and that is something very special. We have much more points than last season, we are playing better and there are many, many positives here."