Manager Mick McCarthy was disappointed that his side conceded former Blue Darren Bent’s equaliser just after half-time as Town exited the FA Cup at the third round stage after losing 2-1 at Aston Villa.

McCarthy said: “As you can imagine, I’m chewing about the goal we conceded just after half-time, but if you give them the opportunity to do it, they’ll do it and we just gave them that opportunity, to be fair.

“We sorted the problem with N’Zogbia out in the first half, we nullified that and then we went and scored. We allowed it to happen and it changed the course of the game that goal.

“Once we stopped N’Zogbia playing in behind, I don’t think they got near us in the first half. In the second half, having conceded after 45 seconds or whatever it was, it was always going to be tough and they were on top for a good part of it. But I still felt that we settled down and had a couple of good chances ourselves.”

McCarthy said he was happy with new loan signings Patrick Kisnorbo, David McGoldrick and Aaron Mclean: “Very pleased. Patrick’s not played at that level or at that intensity for a long time and it speaks volumes for the way he’s kept himself right and fit because he got through the 90 minutes.

“The two lads who came on, David looked like he was finding his sea legs for a while, it bounced off him a couple of times, but he created a great chance for us near the end there and as he got into the game was fine.

“As for Aaron, he looks a real handful, well, he is a handful, I’ve seen him. I was pleased with their contributions.”

The Town boss also had praise for keeper Scott Loach, who was making his first appearance under his management: “I thought he played well, he acquitted himself well. You get one opportunity to make a good first impression. I thought he played well in the game.”

McCarthy was also impressed with the way 18-year-old Elliott Hewitt, who was making his first start for the Blues, coped at right-back: “The way they were playing with the wide left and the full-back coming forward, I thought he did particularly well. Then they put Agbonlahor up against him and he’s a handful for anybody.

“He’s another one that hadn’t played at that level, at that intensity, so it was pleasing that he got through it.”

The Blues manager admits that a replay wouldn’t have been ideal but says that he would have welcomed an equaliser: “Not particularly, but I didn’t want to lose.

“It’s funny after you lose, you say ‘Oh well, we wouldn’t have wanted a replay’. But at 90 minutes when we were pressing I’d have took a goal and took a replay.

“But it may have got in the way. It’s not going to get in the way now, so there’s no point in talking about it.”

Overall, he feels Town continue to move in the right direction: “Very much so. The performance as a whole, especially conceding as we did. In the past we’ve gone on and conceded another one and another one, we’ve lost by five and six by doing that.

“We didn’t, and having weathered that, we looked like we might have nicked it, we had a couple of chances. So, that’s a real improvement. There were some positives in it, some pluses certainly.”

McCarthy says the signings of McGoldrick and Mclean don’t mean that he’s given up the chase for DJ Campbell: “No, not really, we’re trying to do a permanent deal.

“I knew he was going back to play, so there was no sense in me speaking to Harry again. I spoke to DJ last night, wished him well and told him that I’d still like to sign him.”

Campbell played the full 90 minutes as his parent club QPR drew 1-1 at home to West Brom, with another former Blue Kieron Dyer netting a last-gasp equaliser.

Villa boss Paul Lambert thought his side deserved the win: “The onus is always on the home team especially when you play against a team from below you in a different division, so it’s always tough and that’s the first hurdle that you have to overcome. Then you go a goal down, but all credit to the team, I thought we deserved to go through.

“The first goal gave us a little setback but we never panicked or anything, we kept on playing the way we were and I thought our first goal was exceptional, the move was very good.”

Photo: Action Images

AbujaBlue added 18:31 - Jan 5 "Villa boss Paul Lambert thought his side deserved the win" Oh that horrid little man.
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jas0999 added 18:33 - Jan 5 Never mind. Sounds like a decent performance with a much changed side. Never pleased with a loss though and with Cardiff to come, on the back of two defeats it's not great. But didn;t expect to win this one.
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bluelady added 19:00 - Jan 5 Paul lambert you deserved every single one of those songs about you today your horrid horrid man!
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bluefeast added 19:04 - Jan 5 Reocockup was tucking his gut in when villa equalised. Shame on the pie man for leaving 20 killos of beef and onion outside reocockups hotel bedroom last night.
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StuartBrett8 added 19:16 - Jan 5 Villa confuse me, why not play Bent, Ireland, Nzogbia and Agbonlahor in league games and then bring them in for a cup game? Backwards logic I just don't get it? That said we have loads of positives to take from the game COYB!
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ChrisBeeston added 19:24 - Jan 5 Bent, Nzogbia and Agbonlahor have all been injured. Ireland isn't popular at Villa because he is lazy.
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ChrisBeeston added 19:28 - Jan 5 Decent performance overall and I agree with all of Mick's comments. We should be moving up the table now really. I think we need a decent central midfielder to play alongside Ndaw. Not sure Drury (Based on Wolves display), Hyam or Rea-coker can consistently do the job. Anyway positive signs!
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fussysnake added 19:38 - Jan 5 did Bent celebrate? anyone?
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manualthetisfanclub added 19:46 - Jan 5 Lambert is a horrid little man, no credit to mentioned for itfc. Little weasel!
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Mark added 19:54 - Jan 5 It was unfortunate for us that Bent returned today, but it sounds like we played well first half and there were positive performances from some players I really wanted to do well: Loach, Hewitt and the two new strikers. Hewitt is the most important of all, as if he could push his way into the first team we'd have our own exciting young full-back in the side rather than a loanee from Blackburn.

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Pip50 added 19:56 - Jan 5 Forget lambert without DJ we don't score
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tractorboy81 added 20:07 - Jan 5 Pip50 - we scored today though didn't we.
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Ipswichbusiness added 20:25 - Jan 5 If there can be such a thing as a good defeat then this was probably it as we seemed to have played very well against a Premiership club that has spent a lot of money over the last few years. It's equally good to hear that Loach, Hewitt and Hyam played well; perhaps they will get a few more chances? Two questions; 1) there seems to have been no mention of Reo-Coker in the reports; did he do anything? 2) what has happened to Carson? in a weakened team he couldn't even make the bench.

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TownOnTheUp added 20:54 - Jan 5 Ipswichbusiness: 1) Reo-Coker had a good first half. Busy, quite incisive, moved the ball well. Second half was what we've come to expect. Looked half a yard off the pace, and at one point screwed up a simple five yard pass. That said, Hyam also struggled to some extent, but he acquitted himself slightly better. 2) Carson seems to be out of favour in general. Doesn't do enough in training, perhaps. However, it could have been tactical, with Mick opting for his two strikers on the bench, rather than a winger. All in all, I was pleased. Thought we looked dangerous, we defended reasonably solidly, we worked hard, and we got in behind them in ways we've struggled to do against others this season. Hewitt was immense, as was Loach, and both justify a start in the next game. The only negatives were Reo-Coker's second half, and Emmanuel-Thomas, who didn't even flatter to deceive, he was so anonymous. In the end the slight difference in class told, but on another day we could have won. Certainly a base to go on from. One final note, could we transfer some of that noise to Portman Road? Brilliant away support, as usual.

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carlisleaway added 21:13 - Jan 5 With a host of new players given the chance, the lads did well....But as for JET if I had not have seen his name on the screen, thought we were playing with 10 men. Does not deserve the chance to wear the Blue Shirt, also concerned about Reo Coker. He pulled out of 2 tackles, has no pace and prefers to pass the ball sideways......this is the area where we need strengthening. My opinion only.

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oscarwhiting added 21:29 - Jan 5 *bent
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compton added 21:39 - Jan 5 went to the game today.everybody tried their best.reo-coker should be reo-joker.how many times did he give the ball away? get rid.
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wrighty_blue97 added 21:49 - Jan 5 We played really well today and deserved to at least take it to a replay, went today and our fans were absolutely fantastic great atmosphere, we would of won had it not of been for a very experienced keeper in shay given, loach played really well and i hope mm saw this too and starts him against cardiff. As for lambert, him and i must have watched a completely different game as i thought they looked very poor, think we will be seeing them in a years time in the league. Lets keep going town, COYB.

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Radlett_blue added 22:26 - Jan 5 Why wouldn't we have wanted a replay at PR?
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comebackburley added 22:54 - Jan 5 I can't imagine the town would have achieved anywhere near this performance before Mick. Well done to you all especially Scott loach. Lets learn from this and focus on the league now.
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MathieandMarshall added 22:56 - Jan 5 Lots of positives. Loach had a good game although needs to command his box better. Very impressed with Hewitt at RB. Both new strikers looked lively. Chops had one of his better games. Problem was cente midfield, Hyam didn't have his best game but for me was having to work too hard closing two men all the time while Reo Coker jogged around in little circles shouting at people without really doing much (apart from giving the ball away) I don't see what he offers?! Other than that we battled well and had chances. Villa always looked dangerous from corners and had that little bit of extra quality where it mattered second half.

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TractorBoy666 added 23:24 - Jan 5 Firstly, what a drive that was. The roads you have to go on just confuse me. Anyway to the game, I felt we did great first half and if it wasn't for the ball dropping down to Given from Chopra's shot we would of been 2-0 ahead. Loach made some really good saves, and kept at 1-0 for us going into half time. Bad start though to the second, too easy of a goal. Hyam didn't have the best of games and we really need to replace Reo-coker. Cresswell's mistake for the 2nd goal, playing a poor pass to Reo I think it was. Shame really, would of liked a decent cup run.

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algarvefan added 01:07 - Jan 6 It's always nice to have a cup run maybe cause a few upsets but to be honest I think today showed MM that he has young players he can trust to do a good job for the future and the new additions have shown they are going to be worthy. The priority has to be consistency in the league now and putting a winning run together to take us well away from trouble. I have high hopes for next season for the first time in many years. I must be honest I feared we might get 'dicked' today but we didn't and gave a good account of ourselves! Keep up the good work Mick :-)

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Lombokblue added 06:25 - Jan 6 I thought MM was going to be different from Keane and Jewell but like them he started off well and now he's bringing in average players from other Championship clubs . I'm confident we'll be in the championship next season but we're not building anything. When we beat Charlton we had had an unchanged side for 5 matches .
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WarkyWonderLand added 08:44 - Jan 6 Have to disagree lombokblue. Look at the players that keane brought in and the money spent and where are the now? And oh yes, bullard, Ellington, ingarmarsson etc... Do you think mm is going to go and sign prem players? The players he has signed are better than we have had before thats for sure. Mm will make us have strength, pace and power and play as a team. We have probably the best manager in this league who will make us very competitive next season and will prove to be the best manager we have had for years. Coyb

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