Town boss Mick McCarthy had no problem with his side taking a point from their visit to Bolton, the game having ended goalless.

McCarthy has said on numerous occasions that there is no such thing as a bad away point and today’s was no different.

“Absolutely,” he said. “I think in the second half we were the dominant team. I thought they were the better side in the first half slightly and probably a bit profligate when they had the opportunities to create something and didn’t.

“I don’t think Bart’s made a save, to be honest. I think maybe we defended well and in the second half I think we were the better side and there looked likely to be one winner, although with this league I was conscious that they didn’t nick one and then we went home having suddenly got nothing from it.

“Their keeper made two great saves from Tabby. The first one he’s blocked it and from the header, I don’t know how he’s got any clue where it’s going, it’s a great save.

“I think in the second half he’s earnt his team a point, but that’s what he’s there for. We couldn’t win it, so don’t get beaten. I’ll take the point.”

McCarthy paid tribute to Tabb, who was outstanding the Blues’ midfield: “He’s always a bit unsung. I guess he epitomises what I would expect from a player and my team and myself.

“If you don’t work hard you’ve not chance of playing in my team and I don’t see why players shouldn’t work hard, that’s what I can’t get my head around.

“Whether he plays or not he’s always there and competing to get in. He’s just a fantastic role model for young players and a fantastic character.

“And can play, that’s the thing. He can play and whether he plays wide left or on the inside he’s great. I’ve a lot of time for Tabby. He might not think it when I drop but I do!”

Results elsewhere saw the Blues drop to fourth, but McCarthy says his side can only affect their own matches: “They were going through the results and there have been a few goals scored. Bournemouth have knocked five in, Norwich have knocked five in. Good luck to them, there’s nothing we can do about their results, we’re here.

“I think Bolton are back at it now. I asked the players afterwards what they thought about the game. They said it was a good point, a tough away game that we’ve played well in and not won, so we’ll take the point.”

The Blues boss was pleased to see his team keep to their win at home, draw away approach, which he says works in any division.

“We’ve been playing well and we’ve been on a good run and we’ve had good away points, good home wins,” he added.

“It’s keeping it going and I think that’s kept it going for us today because it could have slipped by, who knows?”

He says he was concerned that Bolton might steal something at the end but said he couldn’t tell whether the ball struck Christophe Berra’s hand in the penalty area late on, as the home supporters claimed.

“At the end of the game I was worried that the freekick they got, the corner they got, the appeal for a penalty, I’ve no idea whether it is one, I haven’t got a clue. It could just slip away in the last minute so we didn’t let that happen,” he continued.

“If it was at Portman Road our fans would have shouted for a penalty and gone mad as well as they would have at 90 other grounds around the country, it’s normal, isn’t it, especially when we’ve had them on the back foot and they think they might nick it with a penalty in the last minute.”

He says he felt referee Gary Sutton had a good game: “I thought the referee refereed the game well, I don’t think there were any dramas. A couple of tackles in it but nobody got upset by it, I think it was two competitive teams.

“I didn’t see [the penalty incident], but I still say it wasn’t a penalty! What else can I say? If it had been handball I’d say it was handball. I’m not one of those managers, I’d have said we’ve got away with it.

“It’s always the same when you don’t win at home especially, the home crowd claim they should have got the penalty, but I think he refereed it really well.

“For the main part everybody whinges about refs but I think I’ve probably given pretty good marks to them all because I go in on Monday morning have a look at it and more often than not the decisions I’ve been whinging about they’ve got right, which really pisses me off when I see it!”

Middlesbrough’s victory over Derby, which saw the Rams drop to third a place ahead of the Blues and Boro climb to second, perfectly sets up the Teessiders’ visit to Portman Road next Saturday.

“They beat Derby 2-0 today, which is a great result for them. They’re flying, they’ve got good players,” McCarthy said.

“I think there are some good teams at the top of our league: Derby, Bournemouth, Middlesbrough and if someone wants to include us in that I’d be delighted, but there are some good teams.”

Bolton boss Neil Lennon was similarly accepting of the draw: “I thought we had two very good chances in the first half, when Clayton cut inside and then for some reason Tim Ream decided to pass it rather than shoot and it was a great opportunity.

“I thought Ipswich came on strong in the second half and obviously they got a bit of a break with the McGoldrick shot which fell to Tabb, but Andy Lonergan made a great save.

“Apart from that I don’t think there was much else in the game. I’m pretty pleased with the point. If you can’t win the game, then don’t lose it against a very strong Ipswich team.”

Photo: Action Images

BLUEBEAT added 18:40 - Dec 13 Lennon says not much between the 2 sides? Town had about 30 opportunities and Bolton around 5?!?!?! Most people will be pleased with a draw here but I think it was a good opportunity missed to snaffle a couple of extra points. Very tough game next...
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airliner added 18:50 - Dec 13 I would have taken the draw against a park the bus team. Ok we are fourth a point behind with a ten grand team. Bolton are £ 160 million in debt. A good days work , onwards and upwards
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martleshamitfc added 18:59 - Dec 13 Well said MM, a well earned point, there will always be games when you have more possession and don't win and others you don't but have the luck, keep the Away points coming and win most of the home games and we will be in the top 6 maybe the top 2 at the end of the season.
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jpring89 added 19:12 - Dec 13 no such thing as 2 points dropped lol
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itfcserbia added 19:20 - Dec 13 To be disappointed we haven't won away against a tough Bolton side just shows how far we've come under Mick. Hope we'll beat 'Boro though and get up in the first two again. COYB!
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itfccymru added 19:34 - Dec 13 Was at the game today, happy with a point. Bolton much the better side in the 1st half and should have been ahead, however we dominated the second half and should have scored ourselves through Jay Tabb and Mcgoldrick had a few good shots on goal. Tabb was outstanding, won every header despite being 5ft5?! Bish was memorizing at times, glided his way out of so many tackles and is going to be an outstanding player for many years to come. Still only 1 point off first so lets stay positive and support the boys through the Christmas period! COYB!

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TractorBeezer added 19:46 - Dec 13 Naturally, I wanted a win but I'm good with the point today. After all, Bolton had won their last 4 home game. We defended well, created some chances (but not easy ones) and above all, there was 100% effort from everyone. Apart from whistling too quickly for a free kick and thereby not seeing the advantage for McGoldrick I agree that the ref had a good game. UTTBs

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WindsorBlue added 19:55 - Dec 13 I only managed to catch the second half via internet magic. I thought we looked good. McGoldrick a class above, just could convert his chances, most of which self made. McG and Murph look great together, and Tabb did really well linking stuff. I thought we really pressed them and worked incredibly hard to keep them mostly in their own half. Impressive Town second half. Really anxious against Boro. I hope its a great day out. I doubt we would go top looking at the fixtures though...Actually hoping Naaarwich pick up a point next Sat, and we take all 3!!!

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KiwiTractor added 20:33 - Dec 13 Clean sheet, unbeaten again, point away from home, creating lots of chances, 1 point off the top ..... lots of positives. Huge couple of games coming up, keep it going lads. We only need to be in touching distance at this time of year, and we certainly are!
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ArnieM added 20:43 - Dec 13 Sadly I will have to disagree with MM on this er, point. Town now HAS to beat Middlesbrough next Sat otherwise today's point will look poor and we will be nearer 6th than we are to top two.
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MattinLondon added 20:48 - Dec 13 How can a team who have spent quite a few years in the premier league be so much in debt?
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warktheline added 21:10 - Dec 13 If we keep up our fantastic home record , and pick up points away, then we won't be far away, for sure.
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BlueandTruesince82 added 21:35 - Dec 13 Bolton are in good form, so yes a good point. Their keeper basicly saved them by the sounds of it. Unbeaten in how many now? Boro is a big game but they wont park the bus. Would have taken a point pre game
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ArnieM added 22:30 - Dec 13 So if their keeper kept them in it. Was it really more if a "good point" for Bolton rather than us? Also it now means we must best Middlesbrough on sat for todays point to be viewed as good. Which game would b more likely to win out of the two. Please people when answering this take the blue tinted specs off. I want Town to go up via top two. Not the lottery of PO's. Fine margins will decide who does go up and winning games like today when we dominated are a must. So no, a point today wasnt "good". The bar has now been significantly raised.

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NSL added 22:46 - Dec 13 So the strikers couldn't find the net today but when the hell is our midfield going to chip in with more goals? We need a midfielder to get 10 in support of the strikers but I can't see any of them getting more than 3 this season. This is the desperate gap in our team and hopefully we will be bold in January and get someone in who will make the difference.
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bohslegend added 23:04 - Dec 13 Arnie, wow! Doesn't take much for you to be pi$$ed off with the team. AND, you seem to be having a pop at anyone who dares to remain optimistic and hopeful ("those with the blue tinted specs"? Shouldn't we all be wearing blue tinted specs???) Even those who are waiting for us to slip up, the 'tolduso's' or 'realists', have to admit that although we had a few chances second half, a point away to Notlob is good result overall. No we don't have to win v Boro. It would be nice alright, and I think we will beat them, but we don't HAVE to win. IT's way too early for that, same as it was way too early for the nonsense on here after the loss to the budgies. MM has the right approach, we'll play all our games and then see if we have enough points, that's the way it works.

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ArnieM added 00:55 - Dec 14 I wasn't intending to have a pop at anyone. But for a person who is often regarded by friends as being born with blue tinted specs, I think id have to go some, to match some on here. It seems you can only say good things about the team and woe betide anyone who dares to question or challenge. We ( the team)are not perfect and will have good and bad days. But what's the point of sticking our fingers in our ears and saying blah blah we can do no wrong, or should be happy with what we have when we clearly dont score enough goals from other areas of the team. We can't expect Murphy to get us promoted all on his own. Or do some on here think he can? If we had other players capable of scoring regularly we would probably have won today. Thats not me having a pop at anyone. Just an observation and that in my opnion *which is what forums are supposed to be for, it was 2pts dropped today, based upon our dominance over Bolton.If we dont beat 'borough next sat will people still feel this was a good point?

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BlueandTruesince82 added 08:53 - Dec 14 I think the large majority on here (including some of Micks most ardent critics) feel that right now there is no cause for complaint. Again their keeper saved them. He played a blinder and won them a point. That's football but the reality is we went to a team in decent form, especially at home at the moment and battered them, our performance was excellent and we would normally have won today. Lonnegan had a blinder, fair play. Bolton got. Lucky. More to the point is we are still only a point of top, unbeaten in I don't know how many, playing well and we have scored in our last however many games to. To describe the boro game as must win is vastly over egging the pudding, its not even halfway through the season. The bar is raised because Mick has raised it but as I said last week we would have snapped hands off for a playoff birth at the start of the season and we should remember that. Play offs is the first aim. Its a tough league where all teams suffer dips and that might yet happen to us but it comes to something when we are complaining about an away draw that leaves us a point off top especially when the opposition keeper was man of the match. Arnie if your friends think you have blue tints on I fear they may be manic depressives in need of a Prozac prescription because if that's considered an optimistic view point we really are in trouble.

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warktheline added 08:55 - Dec 14 @arnie, there isn't much to be negative about, you comment on Murphy sums it up, now being regarded by many as a 20 goal a season striker.....rewind 12 months, what was the general thought on him then? It really says a lot about how far these players have come under Mick and TC.
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jpring89 added 10:52 - Dec 14 Arnie your spot on couldnt say it better myself !
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rfretwell added 12:55 - Dec 14 M'boro so lucky to have Patrick Bamford on loan from Chelsea. A superb attacking midfielder in the Jonny Williams. Teddy Bishop role. But seems to avoid serious injury unlike Jonny and is more experienced than Teddy. He really gets his shots away and will be a huge threat next saturday.
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blueboy1981 added 15:57 - Dec 14 ....... the 'bar' has been raised - therefore you play, and expect 'to the bar' - FACT - for anyone with ambition to win anything. ArnieM - Good points raised.
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BlueandTruesince82 added 16:45 - Dec 14 Disagree blueboy, you play to the season and to expect us to win every game in this league is beyond the bar. Remember who has raised your expectation so high, a man you wanted sacked
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JoeDickerson420 added 13:56 - Dec 15 its like a bunch of o.a.p's at a car bootsale?? chill winston?
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