x

Joe: We Deserved More - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Joe Royle felt his side didn't deserve to lose to Crewe at Gresty Road. Royle thought his side should have scored during the second half despite being poor in the first.

The Blues' manager was impressed with Kenny Lunt's freekick which proved to be the game's winner: "It was a good freekick. It was a good delivery and he is capable of that. You can't blame the keeper."

"We didn't deserve to lose. Their keeper was man of the match. How we lost I don't know.

"Whether it's bad finishing or good goalkeeping we don't look like scoring at the moment. We have to address that.

"In the first half our forwards were poor. We had one shot on goal and in the second half we had 10 attempts and that was the difference."

His opposite number Dario Gradi said his side were fortunate to weather Town's second half pressure: "We got the goal and then perhaps rode our luck a little and we defended a little bit with our hearts rather than our heads.

"I thought we played well in the first half and I thought we looked OK because they were playing down the channels and I told the centre-halves to stand up and not fall over but they changed it in the second half and made it more difficult."

Gradi was naturally impressed with Lunt's goal: "Kenny's very good on freekicks and it was an excellent strike. Funnily enough, we decided not to practise set-pieces in training yesterday as it was hot and we'd had a long session."

What to read next:

TWTD Euro 2024 Sweepstake
TWTD is running its usual tournament prize sweepstake during Euro 2024.
Duo Win Caps as Wales Thrashed
Blues pair Nathan Broadhead and Wes Burns won caps as Wales were thrashed 4-0 by Slovakia in Trnava this evening.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
Scots Clubs Eye Slicker Loan
Town keeper Cieran Slicker is reportedly a loan target of Scottish Premiership sides Hibernian and Kilmarnock.
The TWTD Questionnaire 2023/24
There’s still a couple of days in which to fill in the annual TWTD Questionnaire, your chance to look back in judgement on Town's glorious 2023/24 season.
Trio Could Win Caps
Town trio Nathan Broadhead, Wes Burns and Axel Tuanzebe could add to their international caps this evening.
Burgess: McKenna is a Special Talent
Blues centre-half Cameron Burgess says boss Kieran McKenna is a special talent and it’s massive for the club that the Northern Irishman has committed to staying.
Nsiala Returns to Hurst's Shrews
Former Blues centre-half Toto Nsiala has returned to his former club Shrewsbury Town, the fourth time ex-Blues manager Paul Hurst has signed the 32-year-old.
Slicker Wins Cap in Heavy Defeat
Blues keeper Cieran Slicker picked up his 17th Scotland U21s cap as his side were beaten 5-0 by Austria in a friendly at Stadium Wiener Neustadt this evening.
Burns: We're Still Behind Boss Page
Town wideman Wes Burns insists he and his Wales teammates back manager Rob Page, after he was booed following last night’s dreary 0-0 friendly draw with Gibraltar at the Estadio Algarve in Portugal.