Town boss Paul Jewell admitted to being gutted that a late Hull equaliser stopped his side from claiming a third successive home win under his management, but says he is delighted with the team’s overall progress since he took over as manager six weeks ago. Tigers sub Jay Simpson’s clever header levelled after Jason Scotland had put the Blues in front with his ninth goal of the season.

Jewell said: “I’m gutted we’ve drawn the game, but I’m really pleased with the progress that the team is making.

“We’ve got some good players and we’re playing with confidence at the moment. These players are no different to the ones that were here during the bad run. That’s football for you.

“If you play with confidence, you play with no fear and you could see that we were stroking the ball around as well as anyone. The only thing that was missing were the goals.”

The Blues boss said scorer Scotland is “happy” at Town despite the recent talk of a loan move back to Swansea and was pleased with the Trinidadian’s performance against Hull: “I thought he did OK, he took his goal really well and it’s not easy playing up there on your own at times, sometimes it’s a bit of a thankless task. If he’s quiet for the next 10 games and scores every game, we’ll take that.”

Scotland’s fellow Trinidad and Tobago international Carlos Edwards is also impressing his manager as he continues in an unfamiliar right-back role: “He’s doing very well, he’s getting forward from there and a lot of our attacks are stemming from there.

“I thought Mark Kennedy was outstanding again and has been since I’ve been here. He’s not someone that people want to talk about but he’s given us that stability, quality and that experience. He made a couple of vital interceptions.”

Veteran Kennedy even made some breaks forward, something Jewell says he wasn’t expecting: “I wasn’t too happy about that! I don’t know what he was doing there! A couple of times he drove on.

“He had a job on his hands playing against the lad from Manchester United [Cameron Stewart] who’s quick and Sparky’s kept him really quiet. I’ve been really pleased with him, as well as everybody else.”

Photo: Action Images

cammeray added 09:03 - Feb 21 Headline sums it up, personally I'm more pleased with progress than gutted about the draw simply because I've been more gutted on plenty other occasions this season. Moving in the right direction and believe game at Q.P.R will be same scoreline. Progress PJ, keep it up. Pleased to see Civelli get on too.
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brittaniaman added 09:06 - Feb 21 Iam glad that everybody is happy and full of confidence at PR. It was a shame that the ball went in to the net for there goal on sat. it could have gone any where with that type of header.I hope Jewell soon achieve his ambition of 50 pts. as we all do. IF !! things had gone right we might have achieved that this week, but now I am being greedy am I not ???? but let us be positive at long last hey ????

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dannyhegan added 09:14 - Feb 21 Now for QPR. Lets put one over that horrible gobby Warnock. One each COYB
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dirtydingusmagee added 09:37 - Feb 21 If we can get something out of QPR that will be great ,Pleased PJ ,has confidence in Scotland, his comments were spot on .The style of football has improved with each game since Jewel came in ,the passing is back .Hopefully the good times are coming back . COYB
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TimmyH added 10:40 - Feb 21 Nice to see that Andy Drury had a good debut and also that we are 'disappointed' with a draw against a team that has been undefeated away for yonks! Personally feel as QPR have drawn their last 2 games we will get narrowly defeated, hope I'm wrong but this game will show how much we have progressed.
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sonian_blue added 10:44 - Feb 21 Honestly think we can get something at QPR, we have a good recent record there and the game will hold no fears for our TEAM and their new found confidence. Bring it on.
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Surco72 added 10:55 - Feb 21 Good progress ,congrats to all concerned . Worry a little about Edwards against Taarabat ? Hopefully we can get something from the game cannot be any worse than being stuffed at home !
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blueherts added 11:25 - Feb 21 He has been a real catalyst for change - Back room staff , motivation , players and staff smiling ..makes such a difference - Martin & Healy sum it up to me .. Two players outcast and now showing what gd Champ players they are Really looking foward to tommos night - hate the ground and especially Warlock but if we can control Tarrabat we have a good chance of getting something and that is not something I would have thought 6 weeks back - shows how far we have come ... If we consolidate a top 8 or 10 position perfect springboard for next season !!!

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bluelady added 11:42 - Feb 21 Jamie Peters was excellent against Tarrabat in the past kept him out of the game, guess there is no chance he will get a game though. not a complaint, honestly am really happy with things as they are and with Edwards growing into the role not sure we even need a new right back now. would still like to see a new striker though.. funny isnt it before Jewell took over we pretty much 'needed' five or six players to be a half decent team. Now two new players and a ton of confidence and we have a squad to reckon with... its all about making the most of what you've got and Jewell has proved actually he has inherited quite a lot!

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Lightningboy added 11:45 - Feb 21 I'm delighted too Paul. This season was all about staying up when Jewell took over and we should (he says) manage that comfortably. Hopefully we'll manage to keep hold of what we want during the summer & bring in 3 or 4 new faces..feeling really confident of a decent play-off/promotion push over the coming seasons...that's all we ask for at this club - to be there or there-abouts & not dithering in the lower half as we were under the previous management. Great work Paul - keep it up. (p.s.note to Marcus Evans/Clegg...i'd seriously think about extending PJ's contract to a further 2/3 years if you've got any sense.)

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whoppit added 12:21 - Feb 21 Very pleased with Big fat Paul so far. The QPR game will be a yardstick on how far we have progressed so far under Jewell but at the end of the day, I am just looking to consolidate and stabilise this season after the horrors of the clown regime and look to make a promotion push next season. Good job lads, keep it up !!!!
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Mark added 12:45 - Feb 21 Despite the draw Saturday, I came away from Portman Road happy after watching a good game of football from an improving Ipswich Town team. Other than that win in the snow and a draw against 10-man Coventry, Jewell took over a side that had lost to Derby, Barnsley, Hull, Norwich, Swansea, Preson and Nottingham Forest in their previous games. Other than the defeat in his first game in charge when the players were tired after Arsenal, to go unbeaten for 6 games, winning 4 of those including a joint-club-record 6-0 away win is fantastic. Well done to Paul and the team.

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StowTractorBoy added 14:01 - Feb 21 When Mark Kennedy arrived I thought oh no - a meal ticket for 2 years. After his last 3 games I have changed my opinion about Mr. Kennedy and Saturday he was excellent. Not only did he make a couple of vital clearances with his reading of the game but if you watch him carefully he is a great talker and organiser. Hats off to you Mr Kennedy long may it continue. Gate was a bit disappointing on Saturday although the weather was awful. I would like to see Mr Evans offer more incentives to attend Portman Road next season as I am sure we could attract at least 23000 on a regular basis if the team are an attractive proposition.

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DiamondGezzer added 14:46 - Feb 21 Can only reiterate what everybody on here has said, also, isn't it nice not to read people slagging each other off [ I understood it with RK ] after all we all want the same thing - COYB. p.s. One - one tomorrow wouldn't be the worste result in the world - would it ?
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Back_The_Boss added 15:17 - Feb 21 Still a decent result, fine finish from Simpson.
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jas0999 added 17:02 - Feb 21 Well put. Also disappointed that we failed to close out two games in a week, but overall a vast improvement!
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StochesStotasBlewe added 19:15 - Feb 21 Progress, confidence, praise for players & the team in general & attractive attacking football. What a breath of fresh air to our wonderful club you are Mr Jewell. Thankyou. Long may it continue. COYB.
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