Town boss Paul Jewell felt the result was more important than his side’s performance in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Barnsley, which ended a run of three successive defeats.

Jewell said: “I think the result was more important than the performance. Two of the last three games, Middlesbrough and Wolves, we should have won, without a shadow of a doubt, but we didn’t. [On Saturday], we might have ridden our luck a little bit and we got a point.”

The Blues boss switched his team’s system to match the Tykes’ diamond, a formation he says worked well for Town early on during 2011/12: “We did it last season with decent success. We have to respect the opposition.

“In this league, every team in it is very good. Names don’t mean anything. How big the club is doesn’t mean anything.

“You’ve got to come here to a place like this - and when we’re at home - and you’ve got to work hard and forget about past reputations. You’ve got to do it on the pitch.

“Barnsley at the moment, they’re playing really good football and I thought we had to try and match them up to try and stop them, and to a large extent, certainly in the first half, I felt we did that.”

Jewell says referee Trevor Kettle had a word with him about Guirane N’Daw at the break, the Senegalese international having been involved in a heated discussion with Barnsley striker Craig Davies as the players came off at half-time, although the Blues manager missed the incident.

“I don’t know, I didn’t see anything,” Jewell said. “I was just walking off and the referee said to me to just tell him to be careful. Then he got booked and I thought the best thing I could do was get him off.”

N’Daw was replaced in the holding role by Jack Ainsley with the Blues boss admitting that his squad was stretched with another midfielder, Luke Hyam, having picked up an injury: “We were a little bit lop-sided there in the second half.

“You always know what you’re going to get with Jack, he’s always going to give an honest performance.

“We didn’t pass the ball well enough in the second half. I have to say, it looked a good pitch, but it was really sticky. The grass was long and you couldn’t run with the ball.

“We had chances to break even in the first half but we didn’t make their goalkeeper work hard enough.”

Overall, Jewell was content, if not happy, with the result, even if it’s unlikely to placate his detractors: “You’re better off getting a point. Half a loaf is better than none, as they say.

“The pressure’s there all the time, whether you win a game or lose a game, the pressure’s there. That’s part of the job.

“I live with the pressure. I don’t read newspapers or whatever they have these days. I know you’re not going to be popular when you’re losing matches, but I appreciate the support of the supporters, who kept the team going throughout the second half.”

Barnsley assistant boss David Flitcroft said Town's switch to a diamond showed the progress they are making: “When you look at Paul Jewell’s Ipswich team and some of the weapons they’re carrying, for them to come and set up the way they did shows a massive respect to Barnsley Football Club, and that includes the players.

“They’ve not gone with their usual formation to try and attack us, they’ve set up and sat deep to counter-attack.

“For me that’s another positive day for Barnsley as we move forward on this journey that we’re on.”

While he felt they were under par in the first half, he couldn't have been happier with their display after the break: “In the first half I was frustrated with the way we played too slow and too laboured and didn’t really get an angle on the game. We didn’t pass the ball as quickly with the tempo that we know we can.

“In the second half I wasn’t frustrated at all. We regrouped at half-time and the lads did everything that was asked of them.”

Photo: Action Images

righty added 14:40 - Oct 1 Sorry Dozzell but protests and losing are the only way to get rid of JEWELL so this is a small price to pay
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walberswick added 14:43 - Oct 1 Jewell: Staying at Home More Important than Brighton Game.
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hairbear added 15:01 - Oct 1 Ah blackburn and if their non-footballing owners had listened to their supporters they might well still be in the prem! Bobblehat i always want town to win but this guy is as distructive as Keane but he gets away with it cause hes a "nice bloke".
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Ipswich24 added 15:55 - Oct 1 I think we have so many fickle fans. If a team like Leeds, Birmingham even Blackburn want a change of manager they are all in it together. Really putting pressure on the manager and owner, not just in few in SBR stand saying Jewell out its pathetic
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tractorblue added 18:06 - Oct 1 It's ok,Dozzellsbobble hat,you will wake up in a minute,what a load of tosh bout Jewell,how much longer do we give this inept manager,come back in the real world,banner ready for saturday JEWELL OUT
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Cheshire_Blue added 19:02 - Oct 1 Turn up with your banners on Saturday and you will see what a small insignificant minority you are. There has been a lack of success under both Keane and Jewell so what is the common factor? It is higher up the ladder and until the club is prepared to compete with other clubs in terms of players contracts the lack of success will remain, whoever the manager is. I suspect Marcus Evans made his position clear to PJ at the outset and he is just doing his best within the constraints laid down. It is shameful that ME did not make his position clear before inviting us to renew our season tickets. Already I have missed more games this season than in any previous season and this trend will continue as long as the lack of commitment at the top continues. My travel and ticket costs me over £100 for each home game and it is a pity ME doesn't show the same commitment when you consider our comparitive wealth!!

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hairbear added 19:12 - Oct 1 Cheshire Blue, Utter garbage. Its nothing to do with money. Blackpool, Norwich, Southampton and Swansea have all been promoted on modest budgets. We have paid and do pay some players very well. Its about a style of play, competent training, use of the youth system and a quality scouting network. All of which PJ has control over. We were promoted once before on a small budget!

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TimmyH added 19:34 - Oct 1 We can 'turn it around' just like our glorious Ryder Cup team did, a wonderful inspirational leader and motivated players to bring glory! - we too can do that...hang on we don't have those qualities, maybe not.
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tractorblue added 19:42 - Oct 1 Cheshire Blue,my friend,you are in the minority,wake up,your banners comment is unbelievable.
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h32 added 22:34 - Oct 1 Bobblehat - even now you'd turn every stone on Shingle Street to find an excuse, for the totally inept running, and demise of this Club. Can't (even you) see that it has become so obvious - and futile to continue doing so.
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h32 added 22:42 - Oct 1 ........ but two things I forgot, PJ is a 'nice bloke' and I'll be sent 'down the road' for criticism. What does that tell you about the ambition, and hopes of some of our Supporters ??. Oh - and 'Anti Jewell' banners are not allowed - I must remember these things.
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 03:19 - Oct 2 h32 - as usual you havent actually read what i wrote. I have made no excuses for anyone, but why am i wasting my time, you will read into it what you want. Oh and i have never told you to go down the road or called PJ a nice bloke but again why let facts get in the way of your rant.
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h32 added 19:20 - Oct 2 Bobblehat - read my post again - the wording is 'some of our supporters' - if you fit the described group then that's your choice. 'Selective Reading' - you should run courses on that !! You're the one who knows if the 'hat' fits - if so WEAR IT.
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