Boss Mick McCarthy felt his side deserved to beat Millwall after a tough battle to record their first three points of the season in their first home game of the season.

McCarthy said: “It was a tough battle and we deserved the win. That’s Championship football. You have to fight your corner and take your chances when they come along.

“I think there’s some suggestion from them that [Cressy] fouled [Jack Smith] on the first goal but I don’t think he fouled him at all.

“I think he just got in and there was maybe a bit of good fortune that it was an own goal. But if you put a ball in there, defenders have got to deal with it and they didn’t.

“The second one is a magnificent header and I haven’t got a clue what happened with the third, so if someone wants to enlighten me I’d be delighted.

“We had chances in the first half as well. I think we edged it, I don’t think there’ll be any doubt about that."

The Blues boss was particularly pleased with Tommy Smith’s goal, which had him reminiscing about his own career as a centre-half: “Fabulous header, wasn’t it? Lovely to see that. Good delivery.

“Like one of my 12 out of 500-odd league games. That wasn’t bad, was it? They were generally like that, I can remember most of them as well. I haven’t been that high off the ground for a long time, I can tell you.”

Asked what pleased him most about the performance, he said: “The way that we stuck to it because it was a hard game.

"They had a really good chance before we scored, they had one flash across the goalmouth, Chaplow I think it was got his head on it.

“What we didn’t do was crumble, we stuck with it and we got our goal, which was nice because sometimes you can do well in the first half and then they have a couple of chances and you suddenly find yourself one down.

“You might get a bit of good fortune, but you have to be strong in the league. If you give one away, suddenly it’s a really difficult task, a bit like at Stevenage the other night - the game was going nowhere, we gave a penalty away and it changed the course of it.”

On the FA’s Sir Bobby Robson National Football Day, McCarthy admitted that the legendary Blues boss might have wanted a little more style to go with the 3-0 victory: “I think Sir Bobby might like a bit more silky football, to be quite honest. But I still think he would have taken a 3-0 win, no matter how it comes.

“As a manager you can’t always win playing wonderfully free-flowing football, you take it as it comes. I think he would have been happy enough with that.”

McCarthy conceded that 3-0 flattered his side a touch but Millwall manager Steve Lomas wasn’t arguing with the scoreline: “It was 3-0 whatever way you say.

“From our point of view it was pretty even in the first half, I didn’t think there was much in the game.

“We knew that Ipswich were going to come out of the traps, it was Sir Bobby Robson Day and they’d had two defeats.

“Our target was to get to at least half-time with a clean sheet, which we did. We asked them for more in the second half and to be fair to them they started on the front foot.

“We had a couple of chances, Chaps had a chance at the near post, maybe James Henry had a shout for a penalty when he was quite clearly pulled back, I don’t know whether it was inside or outside the box, but nothing was given.”

He added: “We gifted them a goal start really and it’s tough enough to go away from home when you’re at full pelt but when you gift them such silly goals, it’s tough."

Lomas didn't think Cresswell fouled Smith in run-up to the first goal: “I don’t think so. Jack’s a great lad and I thought he played very well today, but I think he probably should have kicked it out for a corner, and he knows that, he doesn’t need me to tell him that.

“The only thing I’m really disappointed about is that when you’re 1-0 down you try and keep it that way until the end of the game and hopefully get a chance, and we didn’t do that.”

Photo: Action Images

Michael11 added 18:32 - Aug 10 Very fitting that we dominate and win 3-0 on Sir Bobby Robson day. RIP big man.
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Jesney_Havoc added 18:35 - Aug 10 Positive goal difference whooooa forgotten what that's like...
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TractorBoy666 added 18:41 - Aug 10 Just got back from the game, overall pleasing! First half was a bore to watch, however the second half once the first goal went in we were much better. Two own goals mind you is something we won't get every game, so I still wonder about our front pair. A lot of people say we need someone different to Murphy. Even though this was only Millwall, looking much more forward now for the next game! COYB

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westminsterblue added 18:47 - Aug 10 Great tribute to Sir Bobby before the game. So proud of what he and Sir Alf did for our club. Tough game today. Great result. Thought Skuse was good. Battled hard, some nice touches and tried to get it down and pass. McGoldrick and Murphy are building a promising partnership. Do worry a bit about whether our current defensive midfield creates enough, so good to see Tunnicliffe come on and give us some options. Hope Smith's header is the first of many! Looking forward to QPR next week. COYB!

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Mark added 18:57 - Aug 10 We were well on top today, even if some doubts started to creep in as to where the goal was going to come from, so a 3-0 score line was very pleasing. It would not have been good to go to QPR without 3 points under our belt, so well done to the whole team today. Of the new players, Skuse impressed me and he looks a very good signing. Tunnicliffe also showed a lot of promise. Anderson has to do more. Berra did okay in his short time on, although I was annoyed on behalf of Smith that he got shunted to left-back again. Tommy had a good game and popped up with a goal as he often does. Let's keep the Chambers-Smith partnership please.

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canveyblue added 19:26 - Aug 10 Went to the game today,very impressed by Skuse. Good to see Creswell back, and thought we worked hard for the win. RIP SIR BOB......COYB!
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StowTractorBoy added 19:29 - Aug 10 A relief after the last two results and today it could have gone either way. The first goal was crucual and thankfully we got it. My man of the match was Chambers who was awesome closely followed by Skuse who hardly wasted a ball and McGoldrick looks a class act. Not sure whether Murphy and McGoldrick will work in the long term but Murphy is always a useful presence with his height. Liked the look of Tunnicliffe for the short time he was on and Cressy who we have missed put in a good shift. Much happier tonight after the Reading and Stevenage matches but this is a long haul in a very hard division. Omwards and upwards at QPR we hope.

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Fatcatevans added 19:34 - Aug 10 Skuse was excellent. Those who have labelled him a workmanlike defensive midfield player have obviously not seen his touch on the ball and his eye for picking a pass. Not sure that Hyam will be alongside him for long tho. Tunnicliffe would seem to give us more options at least at home.
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Stato added 19:56 - Aug 10 Skuse has been knocked by some on here but they haven't paid enough attention to the fact that he never gives the ball away (unlike NDawful). Today he really shone and push McGoldust for MOM. Hyam quiet again. Loach still making me nervous and not commanding the 6 yard box as always rooted to his line. Millwall were truly awful and QPR and Leeds will give us a much better measure of where we truly are. Hewitt has a really promising future but right now I'd prefer to see a more experienced player at right back. Murphy good honest pro and wins his share of battles but I'd much prefer to see him replaced by Taylor as between him and McGoldrick some championship defences are going to get ripped apart. Shame the crowd wasn't bigger.

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wkj added 20:03 - Aug 10 I couldn't agree more Yes Skuse isn't going to be an amazingly attack minded Midfield player but he does not play hot potato possession and takes his time. He really did well today and Hewitt is really proving to be a hell of a player. He needs to iron out a few wrinkles in his game but if he plays and develops from today then (as much as I loved him) Stearman isn't a massive loss for us.

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wkj added 20:06 - Aug 10 Also Tractorboy666 I think the first goal albeit an own goal was ingenious play from Cressy. He had no one to pass to and I think he deliberately played the ball off the Millwall player; to me it was as good as a town player scoring. I sit in the 90s row M in the Sir Bobby stand so I was privileged to see that goal at a great close angle. But it definately was Cressy's intention to force an own goal

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Stato added 20:22 - Aug 10 Mick is playing Skuse deeper and Hyam has been pushed forward but isn't rising to that challenge. I'm a Luke fan but predict he will lose his place in the side (when all are fit) and will become a back up for Skuse. I suspect that Mick will experiment with Tabb, Wordsworth, possibly Taylor ?? possibly Tunnicliffe ?? in that attacking midfield role.
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bluefeast added 20:25 - Aug 10 skuse impressed me greatly , he kept us ticking and positive.
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Blue041273 added 21:01 - Aug 10 Millwall were poor. They really only started to play when they went behind. The first goal was key. Playing a team chasing a game can often be easier. And we made them pay. Should have been at least four in the end. Comfortable in the end. No-one let us down, but for me Skuse, Chambers, Smith and Hewitt stood out. No surprise, but the standard of officials in this league is not improving.

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RetroBlue added 21:03 - Aug 10 Skuse was picking out 30 yrd passes, changing the direction / emphasis of play all afternoon for Town. Some of here,dont seem able to recognize a decent player when they see one A very good player makes the ball work - a headless chicken runs around chasing the ball!
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ITFC_Lincoln added 21:03 - Aug 10 I don't care if they were own goals, the fact is we put the ball in the right places and that's our reward! McGoldrick should have scored in the first half but tried to do too much! Cole Skuse was brilliant today, tidied it all up, I'd love to see his pass completion % it must be near 100%!
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bluefeast added 23:39 - Aug 10 I could not believe ladbrooks had smith and chambers to score at anytime in the game at 7 to 1. So 20 quid on each for 120 quid profit. Madness as given we were at home with an average corner count of 9 last season ,those two go up for everything. Im delighted.
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Keaneish added 06:44 - Aug 11 I was told by a Bristol city fan Skuse was a class act and he showed it today. I'm praying that Hyam is now given a licence to hit the box a lot more as we're not seeing a lot of that at the moment. Tunnicliffe may well end up partnering Skuse before long in there but with Tabb and Wordsworth there are interesting options. Also good to see Anderson and Hewitt combining well down the flank and deliver some quality into the box. Some nice little partnerships developing all over the pitch. Looking forward to a big test at QPR...

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Len_Brennan added 06:59 - Aug 11 Delighted with Cole Skuse yesterday. I am one of those who was asking for more from him (and I stand by that) but like most of posts above feel we really got to see his qualities as he imposed himself on the game yesterday. The skill of not giving the ball away, not panicking in possession, knowing when to keep it simple with a 3 yard sideways pass is often underestimated but vital in a player. The fact that he is also comfortable & confident enough to make 30 yard passes, accurately, when the opportunity presents itself it a bonus. Will Luke Hyam continue to be his partner in the middle of the park though? I would hate to see him drop back to the bench, but he is the type of guy who has risen to the challenge each time in the past, so I would expect no less from him this time, and crucially he is in possession of the starting shirt now. Wordsworth (when/if fit) would offer a more creative option, perhaps for home games when not playing the likes of a QPR, where additional defencive support might be required. Lastly, I agree with Mark, I wish Mick would stop switching Tommy to left back when Berra comes on. I know Mings is injured & Berra needs some minutes to get up to match fitness, but I don't think it's helpful to introduce this element of uncertainty to our successful centre half partnership of Chambers/Smith. Surely as a left footed centre, it would be no more of a risk to just play Berra at left back if he needs to come on? It's not as though Tommy is at his best there either.

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Jimmy86 added 07:54 - Aug 11 Glad we got the 3 points but in my opinion the 3-0 scorline flattered us somewhat, however a win is a win and our season is now off and running we played too much long balls and big Shittu and beevers gobbled it up every time, however when we got it down on the deck shittu especially looked really dodgy. Reminds me of big wes morgan at leicester. 2 own goals but then again if ya dont put the ball in there ya dont score. Good to see cressy back and skuse again looked class. He's a better version than hyam and n'daw. Tunnicliffe looked tidy when he came on too. Interesting no lee martin in the squad, knew he had a knee injury tho. Also seen on fl show that joel grant who joined yeovil for first team football hasnt started a game yet. Jokes on you boy!!! Onwards and upwards coybi

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bigolconnor added 08:14 - Aug 11 After the performances of last season it would be very harsh to see Luke Hyam droppped to the bench. He saved us in many games and I"m pretty sure i remember McCarthy saying that he is one of the first on the teamsheet. However, i can see that a pairing of Skuse and Wordsworth/ Tabb would make more sense. Luke Hyam is a fantastic professional and i hope that he continues to flourish in midfield. It's time to pick up the gauntlet again for the next stage of his development into an Ipswich legend.

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bobble added 09:31 - Aug 11 bring back keane this is just not right ....
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