Boss Jim Magilton was delighted with Town's 2-1 victory at Scunthorpe. Iron boss Nigel Adkins accused Town striker Pablo Couñago of spitting at defender Andy Butler in the run-up to the incident which saw the Spaniard and on-loan Chelsea midfielder Jack Cork red-carded.

Magilton said: "It was a great result for us. I thought we were good value for 1-0 at half-time. Had we taken more care of the ball, and with a little bit more quality, we probably could have gone in two or three up.

"Scunthorpe adjusted to the sendings off better than we did, that was their best period. They put us under an awful lot of pressure and we didn't cope with it very well.

"The sending off was a very unsavoury incident but it will be dealt with internally. If I see that Pablo Couñago has spat on a fellow pro it will be dealt with very harshly. If I find it is true then I will throw the book at Pablo."

Magilton says he is pleased with the way his side has reacted to the 4-1 loss at Barnsley: "We have bounced back really well from the Barnsley defeat with back to back wins and that's three big points for us.

"We started really well and I felt we could have added to Pablo's goal before the break. I was happy with our first half display and wanted us to carry on but credit to Scunthorpe, they came at us in the second half.

"Sito's goal was fantastic and I'm delighted for him. Danny Simpson came on in midfield and did well for us. He could have had a hat-trick in the 20 minutes he was on.

"He will bring some extra quality and composure to the team and it's great for us to have him at the club.

"Now we've got another big game next week, at home to QPR, and we need another big performance. We need to a run now over the last seven games."

Magilton says he wants to get more loan players in before Thursday's deadline: "I'm still hopeful of getting in at least one player and maybe two.

"We are looking for a front player and a defender, so I'm sure it will be a busy weekend."

Iron boss Nigel Adkins claimed Pablo Couñago was fully at fault in the incident which saw both sides reduced to 10 men: "Couñago spat in Andy Butler's face. There is no place for that in English football, it's a disgrace.

"From what I'm led to believe he then slaps Jack Cork in the face. Jack puts his hands up and the referee sends them both off. Poor Jack is crying his eyes out. We feel for the lad."

Adkins says his lowly side aren't relegated yet: "We are where we are but I have looked at the league table and we're still in it.

"We are only six points off Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester, and we've got them both to play in the next few games. We are right up against it but have still got to keep believing.

"I was disappointed. We needed to win the game today. The fact of the matter is we haven't.

"We were disappointed with ourselves in the first half, but credit to Ipswich Town. For whatever reason - and we will have to sit down and talk about that - we were not good enough in the first half. In the second half we were a little bit better.

"It was a massive setback. We needed to win it. We are right up against it now. We are well aware of that, but when you look at the league table we are still in there. We have to keep believing, and keep going."

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls