Boss Mick McCarthy felt the Blues thoroughly deserved their 2-1 victory over his former club Wolves at Portman Road.

“I think it was a fantastic performance,” he said. “I know when you win it’s easy to come and crow about it but I think we played well. I think we deserved to win as well.

“I’ll let you guys rate the performances but it was a confident performance and I think it was one of the better ones, certainly.

“I don’t think we let Wolves play and I think Wolves are a really good team. We’ve watched them, they play some great football and we didn’t allow them to do it, and also played some good stuff as well."

The Blues quickly got on top of the visitors, closing them down and not giving the time on the ball from the off.

“Closing people down is part of the game,” added the Town boss, who was in charge of the Blues for his 100th game. “If you don’t do it, you get beaten. I think you’ll find they were closing us down as well and stopping us playing as well.

“I know it’s easy when you’ve won, but I think it was a good, competitive Championship match with some quality in it. And it’s nice it was a top end clash.”

Despite being sacked as boss at Molineux in February 2012 McCarthy says he bears the club no ill will: “I’ve got no axe to grind with Wolves or any bitterness towards them whatsoever. I loved my time there.

“I had more than six years, successful years, there and I loved my time. But I’d prefer it if I’m going to get any texts from Wolverhampton that they’re saying ‘Well done’ rather than ‘He he he, we beat you’. That’s what goes off, so of course it’s better, and it’s three points.”

Regarding two-goal Daryl Murphy - now the division’s joint-top scorer with 10 alongside Derby’s Chris Martin - McCarthy added: “It’s as well he got the winner because he got Luke Hyam booked for not tracking that runner!

“He can’t play on Saturday so he owes him his appearance money and his bonus from anything if we win it.

“Fabulous, there’s still perspective on that, you still have to do those dirty jobs, which he did for 99 out of 100 occasions. He’s great.”

It was a particularly heartening display given that five players were absent and McCarthy revealed another of his regulars almost missed out: “David McGoldrick came in and had treatment, his back went into spasm in his car. TC was next up if he’d have dropped out.”

While fans will take great delight in the Blues, who are now fifth, moving ahead of seventh-placed Norwich City, McCarthy is remaining typically grounded: “Big deal. How many games have we played? Sixteen? Only 30 to play then.”

Wolves manager Kenny Jackett admitted that the Blues were the better side: “No complaints, I think Ipswich worked our goalkeeper more than we worked their goalkeeper.

“We can look at the nature of the goals, two quite glaring individual mistakes led to them.

“Other notable incidents could have changed it. There was perhaps a penalty on Michael Jacobs going through [just before half-time]. Some you get, some you don’t.”

Photo: Action Images

bluefeast added 23:07 - Nov 4 Bonkers bonkers bonkers.
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bohslegend added 23:10 - Nov 4 MM working your way towards a bronze statue at PR. Incredible job.
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BlueandTruesince82 added 23:25 - Nov 4 Paul who? Anthony Wordswhat?
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Mark added 23:34 - Nov 4 Exceptional performance. The usual commitment, work rate and tackling, but with added one touch passing, movement and style. Hunt was a big part of that. Huge credit to the team tonight, especially with five first team players missing. Other than Gerkin who will be back in when fit, it's hard to see who could be dropped out of the side to bring back the other four after tonight's performance. It shows we do have strength in depth, and that's important to keep challenging near the top.

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horsehollerer added 23:40 - Nov 4 OK Kenny, I know you have to say this stuff, but come on... both of our goals may have begun with "quite glaring individual mistakes," but both still needed terrific finishes by Murphy. Henry's goal, on the other hand, was a fluke from every angle.
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TractorBeezer added 00:31 - Nov 5 Must have been a great day for MM (and TC) to beat the club that fired him. As Mark has pointed out it is fantastic to see our squad players stepping up and doing such a great job. Injuries and suspensions are inevitable so this depth is vital. I checked the stats. We had 20 shots with 8 on target. Wolves had 8 with 1 on target...which was intended as a cross! Roll on Saturday. It's good to be a Tractor Boy these days!

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WindsorBlue added 00:43 - Nov 5 Just got back to Windsor with a smile from ear to ear...sleeping won't be easy after that!! Brilliant!!
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NoCanariesAllowed added 01:56 - Nov 5 “David McGoldrick came in and had treatment, his back went into spasm in his car. TC was next up if he'd have dropped out.” Vintage Mick. Love that image!
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franco added 06:34 - Nov 5 Just a great game to watch , come on you blue boys Watford next
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carsey added 06:49 - Nov 5 It was never a penalty Tommy just got his body in between the player and the ball. The referee could easily have booked him for diving and trying to con a penalty. Great performance from every body.
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itfcserbia added 07:16 - Nov 5 I have nothing against Jackett, but what's that nonsense about the penalty - that was never a penalty, and we should have had a penalty for that handling the shot... Never mind, bring Watford! COYB!
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renoble added 08:10 - Nov 5 Really good to hear the North Stand in good voice again and I was hoping someone could help. Since bringing my boys I have moved out of the North and lost touch with the songs. Could someone let me know what the song words are to "and that's the way I like it, I like it, I like it, whoa whoa whoaaaaaah, whoa whoa whoaaaaah" By the way - I think the section 6 boys also deserve a mention. Always trying to bring back the atmosphere to a ground that has seen mediocrity for far too long. I've got a lot of time for those fellas.

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truckertractorboy added 08:29 - Nov 5 Good old daryl Murphy joint top score with that tosser chris Martin and he hasn't had to cheat dive or roll around complaining like a big baby for any of them
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brittaniaman added 09:22 - Nov 5 Well done You Blues !!!!!! Best game for a while,, 4th November and we have already doubled our points total, compared to our October tally !!!!! Even with 5 regulars out we still performed well,, So come on Lads keep this form going and Kill off this Bogey team of ours on Saturday !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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SouperJim added 09:25 - Nov 5 @renoble We love you, we love you, we love you And everywhere we follow, we follow, we follow We support the Ipswich, the Ipswich, the Ipswich And that's the way we like it, we like it, we like it...
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roytheboy added 09:27 - Nov 5 It was never a penalty, clearly another dive, Daryl Murphy is fast becoming one of the best Strikers in the Championship, I've always admired his effort and work rate together with his obvious skills and am so pleased that he is now achieving what he justly deserves, a great performance all round.
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itfc94 added 09:52 - Nov 5 MICK MA MICK MA, MICK MA MICK MA, MICK MA MICK MCCARTHY!! TERRY, TERRY TERRY, TERRY CONNOR! #ONECLUB
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brittaniaman added 09:55 - Nov 5 Just looked at the Wolves Blog,, they said they could not find a way round the leaden footed Berra and called Hunt hyperactive !! Sounds like sour grapes to me ???? But Kenny Jackett in his post match interview did at least praise us !!!!!!!
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renoble added 10:49 - Nov 5 Thanks SouperJim - I'll now be able to follow the tune on Saturday and get back to singing with the boys at Charlton - good days.
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jabberjackson added 11:16 - Nov 5 I might be looking a bit far forward now....but anyway Has anyone seen our last 4 games of the season Wolves Forest Blackburn Manchester United that will sort the men from the boys!
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walberswicks added 12:36 - Nov 5 I love to go to a game of first class closing down.
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bluemikey100 added 12:37 - Nov 5 micky and terry yu r the best i even wear your names on me vest
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TractorBeezer added 17:14 - Nov 5 There's no stopping Murphy now. The match highlights are required viewing displaying what a good striker he is. Creating the first goal by challenging and dispossessing McDonald before shooting with power and accuracy. The second running into space to link with McGoldrick and executing a chip with perfect timing and precision. He could get thirty this season if he stays fit. Well done to MM and TC for helping him develop his true potential.

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Razor added 17:26 - Nov 5 Not a big Tabby fan but he did his job last night and with Hunty ran their little legs off for the team---hats off to Dids too for playing after a scare----shows great team spirit and togetherness and with that you can go anywhere. Time to lay the bogey on Saturday and be in top 3 before the international break--GET IN!!
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Fat_Boy_Tim added 19:17 - Nov 5 So 1 defeat in 12, we've scored in all 12 of those, we have the top goal scorer in the league with the most candidates for goal of the season of any player and he's not even the most talented of our 2 strikers! Well done MM and TC, what a top job, so good in fact that there's not been a peep from a single boo boy anywhere to be found.
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