Town boss Roy Keane was frustrated to fail to win yet another game having gone ahead, the Blues picking up a club record breaking 19th draw of the season. Keane wasn’t sure about Doncaster's late penalty, but Rovers manager Sean O’Driscoll admitted that his side was perhaps fortunate to have been awarded the spotkick from which they equalised.

Keane said: "It was frustrating. We gave a bad goal away and what you have to learn, even on your off-days, is that when you go one-up you win the game. We didn't do that and it was down to a bit of inexperience, I suppose.

“The game lacked a bit of quality, especially in the final third, someone to pick out the right pass at the right time.

"It was a bit hit and miss from both teams, especially in the final third, and that's where you need a cutting edge."

Keane wasn’t sure about the penalty, given for a Shane O'Connor foul on Dean Shiels, which his players clearly felt oughtn’t to have been awarded: "I don't know. I haven't seen it but sometimes players have to be punished for making mistakes, so they learn from it. Otherwise if you get away with it you might be tempted to try and do it again.

"Shane made a mistake initially and then having got caught out on the wrong side he should have let the lad have another touch away from goal because he still had a lot to do to beat our keeper.”

The 19th draw of the season beats the club’s previous top total of 18, amassed in 1990/91, but Keane says it’s not something he is particularly happy to have achieved: "It's not a record we are proud about, the draws, it's very frustrating,"

The Blues boss was pleased with Connor Wickham’s opportunist strike: "Connor took his goal well. It was a big ask for the lad because of the games he has played lately but he was one of our better players, along with Gareth.

"I would liked to have got Billy Clark on earlier but even though he had two or three minutes, he looked neat and tidy and the other youngsters will benefit from the experience of being involved with the first team."

Doncaster boss Sean O’Driscoll felt the penalty was harsh: "We've benefited from this decision but in the last three games I've been on the receiving end, so we're either part of the problem or part of the solution.

"My view is that this was a soft one. You can see why the referee gave it. Technically it was a penalty because he pushed him in the back, but if it was given against me I'd be disappointed.

"Usually contact inside the area is different to contact outside the area. All managers will say they've had stonewall penalties turned down and we've had some horrific things that haven't been given for us.

"Then we get that one. It was the one major refereeing decision in the game and in my view we got away with it. I'm just trying to be honest."

O’Driscoll thought his side tested Brian Murphy too rarely: "I thought we had enough possession to win but didn't work their goalkeeper enough.

"This is our second season in the Championship and we miss a cutting edge. It was our achilles heel in the first season and probably again this season.

"But we were missing five first team regulars and have an extremely small squad, so performance-wise we can't complain too much.

"We've lost the last three games and played twice as well, so performance-wise we're pleased."

Photo: Action Images

petersongoal added 18:14 - Apr 18 lol i think you need to learn to read blueknight85 as i have said twice, that is NOT the exact article that was published...so yes, that makes the top half of your statement ever so slightly redundant.
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petersongoal added 18:29 - Apr 18 sorry rightwinger, i've only just read your comment. but i must admitt i am slightly confused. I reached the same conclusion as Mark, i think that the transfer of Connor Wickham would be a silly one...so i'm not sure where i was being over the top unless you mean in my reply to tom the blue, which i beleive i have apologised for and the situation has been corrected. glad the collective have seen that the sale of wickham is a bad one though, but yes as several people have now said there is NO quote from keane on the article i posted here. but in the original one that was in the paper, there was a quote from Keane where he stated that he was interested, which is what my original post was about. Just to clear that up, it was not ficticious, it was in no way propaganda, i was just reporting what i was seeing. Sorry for any inconvenience, i will learn to not read the paper or share an opinion next time! lol

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stinkiusminkius added 18:58 - Apr 18 I appear to have become desensitized to these sub-standard performances, and can barely muster the energy to state my opinions about just how wrong keane is for this club. A home draw with Doncaster is about as good as we can expect under keane. Please get rid over the summer so that I can get my passion and excitement back.
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naa added 19:48 - Apr 18 blueknight: come on, peters has said that there was another article where Keane was quoted. Maybe he's mistaken, maybe not, but to just drop a Norwich fan reference in on him is childish and out of order. The people on here who doubt the direction Keane is taking the club and doubt his ability to deliver what is required are not Norwich fans, please stop it. From my point of view, Keane has pretty much failed to build the squad this season. We're no better off than we were when he joined. That means he now only has one year on his contract to achieve promotion. That almost certainly means he'll be buying some quick fix players and playing in a style he considers will get results - much like Boothroyd did at Watford. And they were fun to watch weren't they! He certainly isn't showing signs of trying to develop an attractive playing style. If he had longer maybe he would be thinking a bit more long term - build a squad gradually and get a playing style together - but he hasn't so he'll try and get quick results. If he does acheive promotion with a bunch of experienced types then we'll be starting from scratch the next season - much like he did at Sunderland when he bought almost an entire team every half-season. ME's desperation to get us promoted ASAP could well just backfire on us. Whether that means we sell Wickham for Murphy and Healy (please God no) or not remains to be seen and the funds available will make a lot of difference too, obviously. Maybe we can expect a bunch more premiership loan rejects. Whoopee.

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jbb added 20:43 - Apr 18 The people on here raising still raising the management issue are doing far more damage to the club than what they consider RK is doing. RK is clearly going to remain, and supporters should be supporting him and the players. Opposition teams and fans will only be too happy to watch town fans squabbling about their manager.If a play off position is not achieved next season, then the managers position would rightly be looked at. I believe it will be achieved. With regard to style of football, of course all fans would like to see an open attractive brand of football, but surely not at the expense of losing games. The reality is passing football must start from the back and the present back 4 do not have the composure or ability to play out from the back, assuming we had midfielders capable of taking it off them. You have to adapt your game plan to suit the players available. The McAuley's do most things very well, but stroking the ball around is not their strength. I think the management and coaches realised early on in the season that their best option is use Walters, Wickham and D. Murphy as targets, and play from there. As for players coming in, RK has already said they are hoping to bring 2 players in who are out of contract, so selling Wickham to raise funds is unnecessary. While at least 7/8 should be allowed leave, I dont think too many additional players are needed. For stability I hope they hold onto the present first 11, which includes D.Murphy, who should be available on loan for the season, as I cant see any takers for him in the premiership. The uncertainty about his future is bound to be affecting his form at the moment. I would like to see Edwards given an opportunity at right full where he has some previous experience. Otherwise a new full back will probably be brought in. Whether an additional striker comes in is probably dependent on whether Stead and Priskin are wanted by their loan clubs. I wouldnt mind if Priskin stayed because he has ability, but he didnt seem to blend into the squad at all. He might find it easier to settle in a club with a few more east europeans.

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tom_the_blue added 21:15 - Apr 18 jbb, great post, I agree 100% with everything you said.
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emergencylime added 21:24 - Apr 18 Just been chatting to some old friends from my time in Sheffield, Blades and Owls fans, and it clicked...the reason we've lacked that competitive edge is partly from not having to get one over on the Budgies every week. Now they're back up we'll have the derbies - which, let's be honest, we've missed... Peterborough isn't in the same league (excuse the pun!) - and we'll be playing for the personal satisfaction of bettering the Naaarwich result.

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petersongoal added 22:55 - Apr 18 oh my goodness. it's like your deaf blue knight. i saw a quote from roy keane, stating that he was interested in selling wickham, whether or not i misread this or it was mis quoted i dont know. but i posted it on here to see what people though and to add to a debate about football. im sick of these stupid childish insults being thrown around on here. and dont you dare call me a delia lover, or we really will have a problem? if you click on my username you will see a message aimed just at people like you blue knight. now please fellas, can we just talk about football? honestly, i come on here to talk about football, to read other peoples opinions on football and to attempt to add something to the debate, i dont come on here to be insulted and abused, if i wanted that i would talk to the wife! sooo please, if we're all done with childish abuse (which isn't banter by the way) then lets carry on like civilised human beings, honestly blueknight i think i've heard more constructive things from keanotheclowno! (now that is banter!) so whats the deal with all these draws?

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PhilTWTD added 23:06 - Apr 18 petersongoal Keane has said nothing about the Sunderland story, which first appeared in one of the North-East papers last week. He wasn't quoted in the Star story and wasn't asked about it at Friday's press conference. In my opinion I think we can safely say it's nonsense as the writer of the original story didn't appear to realise that Wickham had just signed a contract and there seems no reason for the player to have changed his mind about staying here two weeks after signing. There's also no reason for Town to sell him and Keane is talking about how he plans to use him next season.

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petersongoal added 00:46 - Apr 19 cheers Phil, it may well have been my mistake then! thanks for clearing it up, apologies for causing a stir on here today! just can't stand rude people! good news for wickham by the looks of things then!
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multipulemicky added 06:09 - Apr 19 Saturday was the first game i have ever walked out 5 mins before the end talk about boring............
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Lightningboy added 10:01 - Apr 19 Keane = clueless ..it'll be more of the same next season,you heard it here first.
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osborne1nil added 10:54 - Apr 19 jbb - perhaps its the people who are putting their heads in the sand and ignoring the facts about the season that will do more damage? Only a thought but many games at the start of next year as boring as Saturdays and just watch the attendances further plummet which will not make M E very happy. The only real improvement I can see this season over the last 3 is the defence is good, but bear in mind that it was JM who got Macauley, D Wright, wanted Delaney and O'Connor came knocking at PR for a trial so no wonderful scouting finds to create this defence. The problem for a long time now has been the lack of goals and I don't see this having been improved this year, lots of attempts but few goals. I haven't seen anything this year that excites me to the prospects of another season under RK but being a loyal fan I have renewed my ticket and will hope he comes up trumps, but on this years display yet to be convinced.

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Blueknight85 added 11:08 - Apr 19 Dear delia lover...AkA petersongoal AkA Keanotheclowno.. (yes everyone knows its you) whilst I don't usually like the argument "you started it" i do like the saying if the shoe fits so... You started it! in being incredibly rude to another poster who dared to politely correct your mistake and tell you that no comment from Keane had been printed or heard anywhere and rudely questioned his ability to read. It is especially bad as it seems you are actually capable of being polite and accepting when you are wrong when someone different corrects you. In my opinion Keane wants him next year but like any sensible club some offers you cant turn down wether its for the sake of the player like Neil alexander getting his dream move to Rangers or for money like Kieran dyer going to Newcastle. between 4 and 6million (without Healy/Murphey) with tops ups would be extremely good buisness whether or not we would be better off for a promotion push with the money instead of conner is a different question one which you could only guess as you don't know the variables of who we could get in with the extra money and how good they would be.

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bennyblue added 11:09 - Apr 19 we are going nowhere very slowly under keane depressing almost thank krsna im happy rich and well endowed cause if i was a mere mortal id jump off the off the back off the couch and end it all
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PaulMariner added 12:53 - Apr 19 If Keane stays R.I.P. Ipswich Town FC.
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BYRNE_16 added 13:39 - Apr 19 More Like Record breaking Bore...............!
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petersongoal added 15:38 - Apr 19 well blueknight, actually i think you'll find. and im putting this as politely as i can, its none of your business. your getting involved in a matter which has already been settled and trying to aggrivate it, which is brilliant work on your behalf. i did not start anything, someone was rude to me on here. i replied to them, much in the same way you are, with a moronic comment. for which i have apologised, as have they. now the discussion is about football. i am not, (although i wish i would have come up with it) keanotheclowno. or a norwich supporter, thats a silly accusation really is it not? why else would i be worried about the state of ipswich and regularly in the sir bobby robson stand to watch the games, in blue, cheering for the boys...yes right. thats settled then. please can you keep your comments to yourself because they really arent constructive and im getting bored of replying to you. im glad keane wont sell connor though, im glad because the lad has a lot of potential and he seems to like it at ipswich so fair play to him really. could be a bit like the everton rooney situation if we let him go :-( so i hope not.

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