Boss Mick McCarthy thought his side let Leeds off the hook in the second half of the 2-0 defeat at Elland Road. The Town manager felt his team were on top prior to Paul Green netting the home side’s second goal.

McCarthy was disappointed with Jerome Thomas’s opening goal: “I think we gave a bad goal away in the first half, we didn’t defend the corner kick properly. I didn’t think there was a lot in it up until then.

“We got away with a header from Becchio before half-time, thought we’d done all right, played OK. In the second half I thought we had the game by the scruff of the neck and let them off the hook. They had the one bit of quality to finish.

“We had our chances even at 2-0,” he added. “We had breaks and could have scored. If we had scored, we know the game would have been different and it would have been a nervy end for them because we played well in the second half.”

The Blues boss was pleased with the way his side kept the ball in their dominant period after the break: “I was delighted. We were the team [on top].

“But it doesn’t stick up front and it ends up in our net. That’s Championship football - we got done on the break. But it was a fabulous finish, his finish was quality and that was the difference.

“We’ve had our chances in the second half to score goals, to set somebody up to score a goal to have a chance.

“They get their one in that moment in time, except for Becchio’s header that Hendo saved. It’s a fabulous finish and it’s killed the game.”

He felt Green’s goal came at a crucial stage in the game: “We were playing well in the second half, we were the team that were on top.

“The crowd were giving out to the Leeds players, their bench is starting to get animated, we’re playing well and we’ve let them off the hook.

“It goes up to our front players and it comes back and ends up in our net. It was a great goal by them, but pretty poor from us from our point of view.”

McCarthy was pleased with Michael Chopra after he came off the bench, although was disappointed that he didn’t take his chance: “Of all the people in the world that you’d want in front of goal to put it in, it was him, but he didn’t. There’s the difference.”

Overall, he believes the result doesn’t tell the whole story: “I’m disappointed, I really am. It’ll be in the paper tomorrow ‘Leeds 2-0 Ipswich’, it looks like a fairly comfortable, regulation win for the home team, but it wasn’t that at all.”

Leeds boss Neil Warnock was pleased with the way his team stood up to Town during their period in the ascendancy: “I haven’t had many times this season when I’ve really complimented the back four. I thought at half-time we should have been more than one-up.

“We knew they’d have a period because of the confidence they’ve got - they’d won five out of seven.

“I thought in that 15 minutes in the second half when we had to had to hang in there, we were super because I didn’t see Paddy Kenny having a save to make during what was their positive period, which pleased me.

“We’re always going to come back into it because of the type of lads we’ve got and I thought we hung in there and came back and the goal gave us another lift. It was a super goal.”

Photo: Action Images

TractorBoy666 added 18:26 - Dec 15 Oh well, we're not going to win every game. Hopefully just a blip, and we can go out and get 3 points next week as form is going to be needed through the Christmas period.
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Eye_Tea_Eff_See added 18:34 - Dec 15 Typo Phil? Shouldn't it be scruff of the neck mate!
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JustSpivvyChops added 19:06 - Dec 15 We have invested a huge amount of money, time and energy into Chopra, but he is clearly not going to pay it back. Nobody else would be stupid enough to buy him from us with his reputation now, so he'll be another to live out the remainder of his contract in the reserves, before going on a free..........................gutted. SEB in January, welcome aboard.
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LancsBlue added 19:58 - Dec 15 I thought Chopra looked fit and lively when he came on. He missed a good chance but Becchio missed a better one and that doesn't make him suddenly a poor striker. Other than that he didn't get much opportunity. You need four strikers and most championship teams, even the top ones, would be happy to have Chops on their bench.
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northernblues added 20:25 - Dec 15 sorry but Pardon this, i would rather trap my co@k in a door than lose to leeds!
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Pip50 added 20:45 - Dec 15 Northernblues here here and add losing to that wnkar Warnuts
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Mutiny added 21:39 - Dec 15 Mick, they were never on the hook!
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MickMillsTash added 21:41 - Dec 15 We really should have been 2 down at half time, but with a bit of luck could have pulled it back in the second i thought we sometimes took the easy option when in attacking positions - crossed more in hope than having looked up and picked a man, went square when we could have gone to the line. I could not understand this given the last 3 results. Team looked organised, defence strong, Cresswell improved, Smth and Chambers a partnership, Campbell and Murphy did well up front, midfield was probably where game was won and lost and the bit lacking here was the final ball, a number of times we had some great positions and over hit the pass or chose the wrong pass. N'Daw wins a lot of second ball Drury needs to offer more. Playing like that with a bit of luck we will win more than we lose.

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Mutiny added 21:41 - Dec 15 Mick, get shot of all the loanees - and add Clegg while you are about it.
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Mutiny added 21:48 - Dec 15 TractorBoy666 - not so much a blip, more of an explosion - been home a couple of hours (Northern dom) and it gets worse - many a false dawn, this proves it. Need a serious rethink on the way forward (hopefully without Clegg and Evans)
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itfcjon added 22:36 - Dec 15 Bringing on chopra and jet on was a big mistake what anybody see in jet I don't know and chopra is no good up front on his own about time Scotland was given a chance I don't know what mick got against him and about time the goalkeeper was changed if he had come for the ball in the first half it would not have been cleared for the corner they scored from send him back to west ham

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TownOnTheUp added 23:44 - Dec 15 I really think some people need to take a step back. A few wins doesn't make us the best team in the world, and equally a defeat doesn't make us the worst. We are very much in a transitional phase, and the odd defeat is perfectly acceptable when there are positives in the performance. Make no mistake; this wasn't a Crystal Palace or a Leicester. We posed problems, we stood up well, but ultimately Leeds showed more quality in the final third and won the midfield battle. It just felt as if it wasn't our day. January and the summer will really be fascinating. With a few good, astute signings we'll be pushing on for sure. Hyam back from injury would also improve us, as Drury seems lacking in either confidence or quality. As for itfcjon's comment about Henderson; as much as I've doubted Henderson, he has made a real difference in the past few games, particularly against Millwall. He played badly during the bad run, now he's playing better. One mistake at this point shouldn't see him sent away, any more than Campbell should be returned just because he didn't score today. I do take the point that he does seem to have a mistake in him, however.

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mutters added 23:50 - Dec 15 Mutiny - is that the same Clegg that helped bring Mick to the club? Do one yourself mate, rather see you out of the club than Clegg. Onwards and upwards
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greenkingtone added 11:10 - Dec 16 Mutiny, everyone makes mistakes dear boy. Even I, am not perfect.
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Ebantiass added 11:11 - Dec 16 It was always going to be a tough game and warnock always sets his team up well. We were not cained and had half chances of our own which we could´nt quite take. Onwards and hopefully upwards town.
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bluey123 added 11:35 - Dec 16 Keep Henderson and Campbell and Orr get rid of the rest and take Chopra and Thomas with them they have no heart for the club
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Kesgraveblue57 added 11:37 - Dec 16 The result was not that bad really,but Chopra miss yet another easy chance! now how many goals did say he would get? he is one to ship out
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h32 added 12:07 - Dec 16 ...... people saying a 2-0 result in losing, is 'not bad really' amaze me - LIFT YOUR SIGHTS please - for the sake of us all.
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muccletonjoe added 12:10 - Dec 16 I have to say i am not a fan of michael chopra either , but i think it is very unlikely campbell will be here after january , so we must find at least one striker in the transfer market , i really cant see Mc'carthy giving someone like marriott a chance , not untill we are a lot further from the bottom three
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Wickets added 12:43 - Dec 16 Chops did well when he came on,yes he missed a good chance but strikers miss chances remember he got the winner at Bolton!! Must be difficult for him strikers need to play but with DJ doing so well its difficult. We trust MM he seems happy with him.
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wrighty_blue97 added 14:41 - Dec 16 Its just one game and leeds away is always tricky. We played well but there counter attacking was excellent so fair play to them. We are still 5 points clear of the drop zone and bristol city is the perfect opertunity to get back to winning ways and hopefully another successful run under super mick mccarthy, i have no doubt that this is just a blip and mick will realise this which will keep morale high! COYB!

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lintonblue added 14:53 - Dec 16 Rather have the scrappy unattractive football and 1 or 3 points at this position in the table. Let's go back to scrappy and 3 points against Bristol.... Feels much better to watch an uninspiring game and 3 points in the table ....
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Tractastic added 20:34 - Dec 16 From the excellent Suffolk radio coverage it sounded as though we were in the ascendancy until the second Leeds goal. Despite the loss sounded like a good performance and agreed with the pundits about Lee Martin. Works hard but no end product. January i'm sure will see some loanee's go back but i have trust in Mick to bring some quality in.COYB
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Chicago_Blue added 20:47 - Dec 16 How did Mick get an invite for the Sports Personality of the Year show? ;-) He keeps coming into view.
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h32 added 21:25 - Dec 16 -5 for not being satisfied with yesterday's 2-0 result - have some of our supporters ever heard of the word AMBITION ??????? Has to be said - this Club justifiably has a reputation for being 'too soft and nice' - certainly amongst a percentage of supporters.
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