Town boss Mick McCarthy felt his side had had more than enough opportunities to beat fellow play-off challengers Brentford at Portman Road. In the end the Blues manager had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

“We had enough chances to win the game comfortably but we didn’t take them and that’s the price you pay,“ McCarthy said

“It’s frustrating but I was delighted with the way we played. Brentford are a good side and at the end of it we had to make sure we didn’t lose the game.

“We always set off wanting to win but I’ll take the point and we’ll keep pecking away at all of the others and keep trying to get enough points to get us at least in the play-offs.”

The Blues boss was impressed with the Bees: “Brentford have left three up at corners, it’s risk versus reward. We scored from it because we had a good delivery and we got the goal.

“There was a threat there constantly on the break and I think they play some good football and Mark’s got a good team.”

The Blues played their midweek game a day later than Brentford and didn’t arrive back from Leeds until the early hours of Thursday morning.

“I think against a really good team who move the ball about well and make you work, I think the shift that the lads have put in was terrific,” McCarthy added.

“It was half-three when we got back to the training ground on Thursday morning. No, I was in my bed at half-three, we got back at a quarter-past three. I didn’t hang around, I just took my trainers off and climbed straight into bed with my tracksuit on.

“The alarm went at seven o’clock. It was a microwave sleep. They’re just remarkable, the players, how they’ve gone about their jobs.

“Day in, day out, week in, week out and I can’t applaud them enough. To have recovered as quickly as they have and to have played as well as they have, I think it deserves some merit.”

The most glaring of several second half misses was Daryl Murphy’s just after the break.

“I’m sure he’ll have nightmares about it as everybody’s asking me about it and he’ll be reading it, seeing it, hearing it. I don’t think he needs that!” McCarthy said.

“He has been remarkable this season, he’s scored unlikely goals and then he’s missed one that he’d never really miss. But that’s football, that’s just the way it is.

“I’ve just ruffled his hair and said ‘Come on, now go and score the winner at Middlesbrough, that’s all you can do'. There’s nothing we can do about that now.”

The Town boss was particularly impressed with Jonny Parr’s performance in midfield: “Absolutely, I thought he was our man of the match, I would have thought, he’d be up there. I thought he was excellent.”

McCarthy agreed that Brentford keeper David Button was the Bees’ man of the match: “He did make some good saves.

“Somebody just asked me if I’m disappointed and I said that I’m not, I’m more frustrated that we haven’t won because I was delighted with the performance, not disappointed with the performance. And if we continue to play like that we’ll get more good results than we will bad ones.”

Elsewhere, some of the teams above the Blues also dropped points: “The league’s bonkers, it’s always the same.

“Derby have drawn in the 94th minute, Middlesbrough have lost. Maybe we should be worried about the ones pecking beneath us rather than the ones above us.

“Wolves got a draw against Watford. It’s the way it is. It’s going to be right to the very last game, last minute.”

Asked whether he was disappointed that Town dropped two points at home, he said: “I hate to state the obvious but it is two points dropped.

“But there were chances at both ends, Pritchard got in in the 93rd minute running through the middle and we got a block on it.

“Lose it and we miss out on something by a point, whether it’s the play-offs, it might be a point gained. Maybe that’s the reason why I’m still doing this job because I tend to look on the positive side of it rather than the negative.”

Brentford manager Mark Warburton thought his team got better as the match progressed.

“Everyone’s saying we’re thankful to get the points, I’m not sure I saw that game, I’ve got to be honest,” he said.

“I thought Ipswich started really hard and fast at the start at both halves. We knew that. We went too long at the start of the game, got embroiled in that and Ipswich were by far the stronger team from the outset.

“But once we conceded, we reacted really well and got the equaliser. I thought we moved the football, we looked very comfortable and as the game went on I thought we were getting stronger and stronger.”

Photo: Action Images

RegencyBlue added 19:02 - Mar 7 I'll tell you what was 'Bonkers' Mick. The Sears substitution!
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louis246 added 19:03 - Mar 7 Why was Sears taken off? He looked out most likely outlet
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Ipswichlove added 19:03 - Mar 7 Is anyone else still gobsmacked that Murphy didn't acore that chance?
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Geoff added 19:09 - Mar 7 Play three strikers at home we need to be more positive and stop showing teams to much respect.
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battyblue added 19:12 - Mar 7 So FOR F SAKE HAS PARR BEEN ON THE BENCH MOST OF THE SEASON YOU JUST DON'T JUSTIFY BELIEF ITS JUST LIKE YOU ARE IN A WORLD OF YOUR OWN, It was a better performance today justified until you took off Sears and Chaplow who were both playing well and it unbalanced the team, left how it was we could have snatched a win but hindsight is a great thing.
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Count_Arthur added 19:24 - Mar 7 After the final whistle went every conversation I heard was "why did he take Sears off?", MM's answer on his post match interview was "he looked jaded". Please can someone explain this to me* as I'm genuinely baffled as I think he's certainly the best chance we had to win the game (*along with about 19,000 others)
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Chicago_Blue added 19:28 - Mar 7 I was disappointed (and a little shocked) to see Sears come off, as he gives us something different and looked lively. We went a bit one dimensional with Wood and Murphy up top. With around 10 minutes to go, and the game seemingly petering out a little, I thought Anderson for Tabb would have been a good substitution - giving us a bit of impetus against tiring players. Smacked of wanting to take the point at that stage, rather than gambling and going for it. If we conceded, we'd have lost 1 point. If we went for the win, it's 2 gained. Oh and we were the home side who needed the win more than they did, so we should have gone for it. That said, the fact that we're ruing missed chances counts for a lot. If Murph had stuck away his two 2nd half chances, we win 3-1 and all's well with the world. Fine lines.

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prebsa added 19:29 - Mar 7 I have seen roumers that MM told the supporters behind him to F**K OFF when they booed him for the Sears sub. This is just disgraceful if true! It was a terrible sub and the entire crowed booed for the correct reason
5

Michael11 added 19:41 - Mar 7 We can't be too moany about a draw against one of the best sides in the league. However, I do wish the press would ask Mick the questions we want to know. Why was Sears brought off? Why did we go with such a negative line up again? Why are we playing nearly every player out of position just to suit his favourite formation? I just find some of his decisions since Christmas very odd and would like to know his logic!

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prebbs007 added 19:46 - Mar 7 You're a stubborn northerner who has lost it. You want the fans to get behind you and the team. Yet you make the most rediculous substitutions. And when you get some criticism from fans behind the dug out you turn round and tell them to f^€k off. Mick, as you saw at your previous clubs, once you lose the supporters you're on your way out. You need to be very careful of you may just have started that process here !!! Your lack of plan B is why we have played so bad in 2015 and why our midfielders have neck ache every week. Your continued selection of your favourites is unforgivable. And to continue playing people out of pisition is tactically inept. I salute what you have done in you're time at ITFC but maybe your time is coming to an end.

6

Chicago_Blue added 19:46 - Mar 7 Agree Michael11 - Brenner doesn't put the questions to him that we want answers on. He avoids the subjects that he thinks could rile MM. However, we would like answers! Why that midfield four? Why not 433? Why play a full back in midfield? Why play a centre half at full back? Why not bring on someone like Ando for the last 10, to give us an injection of energy, at, say, Tabb's expense. It's just Brenner kissing up to MM.

6

bluelodgeblue added 19:57 - Mar 7 sorry but earlier in the season that would have been 1 - 0 the defence has lost the plot, drop Smith and bring in Parr!
5

blueboy1981 added 19:58 - Mar 7 Guess Sears will not be a happy chappy, justifiably so - just don't mention the Dinosaur Park to him whatever you do.
4

Gingerblues added 20:01 - Mar 7 What's all this fuss about Sears, he was playing ok but wasn't playing that well. Credit to MM he finally got a balanced team out today. Tabb is much better in the middle and Parr is a natural left sided player. We are having one of those spells where things don't fall for you. Today was the first time we have played really well in weeks, let hope we take our chances in the remaining games. We're not out of it yet COYB!

10

essex57 added 20:02 - Mar 7 Another page of mostly mind boggling dumb posts the starting line up made no difference the substitutions made no difference the reason we failed to get 3pts was because we missed 4 open goals.
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muccletonjoe added 20:02 - Mar 7 If mm does decide to jack in this thankless task. We will then see just how good he was.
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bluefeast added 20:03 - Mar 7 Not sure why the moaning is going on ,MM is paid to make decisions ,we are not real madrid ,we have been put together on a who string ,and that shoe string currently has us in 7th place.Our form over the last 10 games is worse than the rest of the top 8 sides ,that will not continue over the next 10. We played well today ,giving Wood a shift gets him game time and that may well prove invaluable with 6 or 5 or 4 games left.Relax everything will end up just great,

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truthhurts added 20:03 - Mar 7 I'll be fair to start with and say that this is the first season for years that we have flirted with promotion. I'll follow that up with the fact we're throwing it all away. Our ancient, one dimentional, style of hoofball has finally caught up with us. Playing the percentages alone does'nt bring about promotion - you need more. No coincedance ALL the teams above are far superior in style of play. If there is the silver lining then hopefully the management will realise this alone won't work next season. Don't hold your breath mind. Something tells me MM is way too stubborn I'l

4

Blue_75 added 20:09 - Mar 7 The team has lost its balance. I would go: Gerken Parr Chambers Berra Mings Skuse Bishop Anderson Sears Murphy Wood
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PunchNoHopers added 20:09 - Mar 7 i) town lacked quality all game, ii) taking sears off ended our chances of scoring iii) we were playing for a draw in the second half, bringing everyone back on their set pieces and leaving two back on our set pieces, iv) tactics were wrong in the second half and v) poor defending cost us again! Another chance blown, instead of automatic promotion, seems we can't even get in back in to a play off place when an opportunity arises. Frustrated!!!!!

3

jollyroger added 20:11 - Mar 7 Has mm taken us as far as he can ? If we miss out on the play offs I think its time for a change
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essex57 added 20:14 - Mar 7 Punchnohopers completley disagree with you
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gorse added 20:15 - Mar 7 At least 5 Town players had great chances to score today, was Sears one of them? Was Wood one of them? What do you get when you remove the pace from a pace player? Did Sears pace seriously trouble his marking CB at all during that game? As I've said elsewhere am a huge Sears fan but the stars will not be in alignment for him every game. Thought his general play was very good today, some great passing & movement.

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blueherts added 20:15 - Mar 7 We didnt win cos we missed some some absolute sitters Their defence was as poor as ours is at the moment We should have gone for the win and put on Wood and taken off Tabb
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ChestnutSe added 20:17 - Mar 7 I have to say that I thought Tabb and Smith were excellent today. Why oh why does MM stick with his favourites?
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