Town boss Mick McCarthy felt that there was no way back for his side once they had conceded two goals he thought were preventable shortly before half-time during their 3-0 defeat at Hull City.

McCarthy's game plan went well for the first 36 minutes until ex-Blue Alex Bruce headed the opening goal and then Chuba Akpom added the second seven minutes later.

“Very much it did,” he said. “And then we let our guard down. They got in behind us, put in a great cross and it was a great header, but he shouldn’t have been able to get into that position for the cross if we’d have done our jobs properly, and I think we should have done better at the far post then.

“But even having conceded that, for the second goal we were in possession of the ball and we lost it very, very softly.

“I’m thinking it’s a great goal if it’s us but we lost it softly, they got in behind us and I still don’t think it should have ended up in our net, to be quite honest with you. We should have defended it better.

“So that changed the dynamic of my mood, my team-talk, my decisions at half-time because at half-time we were still in the game at 1-0, 2-0 it’s killed us all off a little bit.

“For 35 minutes up until they scored I don’t think they’d been any great threat, maybe we hadn’t been but we’d had a number of freekicks and corners and we had them to running towards their own goal and having to pull us down.

“We didn’t make the most of those, but if you concede goals the way we did it’s going to be hard to win games.”

He added: “It was never going to be easy, of course, they’re a good side, and I think that showed in the second half.

“And the third goal [David Meyler’s volley] puts the cherry on the cake for them because it was a fabulous strike, and we were never in it then, it’s a matter of making sure it doesn’t end up more.”

Cole Skuse and David McGoldrick both missed the game due to injuries and McCarthy hopes the duo will be fit for Saturday’s trip to Nottingham Forest.

“I didn’t tell the whole truth yesterday when I was asked if everyone was fit but I didn’t want to be giving my hand away coming here," he added.

“Skusey had a sore ankle, Didzy’s got a sore groin, so that ruled those two out, those two would have been playing.

“We’ll have to wait and see, we’ll see them tomorrow morning, we’ll see how they are and how they both respond to treatment and fingers crossed they’ll be OK.

“Tabby’s got a hamstring problem. It’s been a tough old month by performances, results and injuries. But I suppose that does happen. We’ve got to get back at it.”

The Town boss says he could look at the loan market given the injury situation and current form: “Possibly, but I’m not sure there’ll be loads of them around at moment to be taken on loan and we’ll see anyway. Didzy and Skusey might be fit, let’s have a look at them first tomorrow morning.”

McCarthy says the current spell is his toughest since taking over at Town in November 2012, tougher even than his first season when the Blues were battling against the drop.

“It’s worse for me this, because at that time, it was a tough time, we were scrapping to get out of the relegation zone, which we did, but we were sort of upwardly mobile all the time,” he said.

“This season we started well, I’ve supposedly got a better squad of players, more players, better quality players, we had a really good start, hopes were high and we’ve just had a really bad time for four or five weeks. It’s not pleasant at the moment.”

Tigers boss Steve Bruce, whose son Alex scored his first goal in four years, was delighted with his side's display.

“It was arguably our best performance [this season]. We ran out comfortable winners in the end, but it’s never easy against a Mick McCarthy team, that’s for sure.

“We had good energy, good pace in wide areas and I thought that we had to play two strikers, maybe I should have played that at the weekend.

"It was an all-round good performance and the players that were brought in all did their jobs.”

Photo: Action Images

hmarcham2 added 14:20 - Oct 21 Financially, we are a well run club, which has subsequently meant a lack of progress in the transfer market. It was always going to be a risky strategy relying on freebies, and without Murphy's goals and a top form Berra, we look average. You can't blame MM solely for this, it's how it is and everyone has to accept that. Granted, there are some obvious tactical flaws at the moment, but what are the real alternatives. Mick's always got the very best from our squad thus far, and I back him to do the same again. We need a bit of luck, McG to find his best form, a fit Bish, Hyam, and maybe even Varney. A few more options for Mick will do us the world of good - keep the faith. Maybe returning to the 'underdog' is how this group of players performs best? Not that that makes it any easier for the fans. coyb.

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Seasider added 16:04 - Oct 21 Agree with JAS as usual,except for one thing Gerken didn't flap at ball(1st goal I think)didn't attempt to come for it. Chambers and Knudsen BOTH too slow and cant pass;get turned by quick widemen as other teams can see the weakness.Douglas also past it and too slow,possibly Pitman also.Neither of their teams thought they were worth keeping in summer. Coke and Toure not good enough for this league. Parr and Smith out of position. McGoldrick when fit should play. Should have resigned Jonny Williams who will doubtless score against us on Saturday,as have former players Rhodes and Bruce. Looks like de ja vu,as a desperate McCarthy starts to talk about loan signings just like Jewell. Relegation form over 2015 rather than promotion. Agree that Mogga would be an adequate replacement,and we would see entertaining football once more after a turgid 3 years. The two centre backs out on loan who are due to return,one shortly and the other in Jan should be retained. Being stuck in the Championship and becoming a second rate team in this division has coincided with Marcus Evans taking over club and BAD CHOICE OF MANAGERS,unlike Norwich City.

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grumpyoldman added 19:57 - Oct 21 I have supported this club for over fifty years through good times, (Ramsey, Robson & Burley) and the bad times (Keane, Duncan & Jewell) I have attended PR regularly but living in Lowestoft with only an occasional Saturday off in recent years it has become sporadic, but I vowed after the Bristol City game not to waste any more money on watching the crap that is served up recently. As only a supporter not a manager I may not know as much as MM but I do know that playing players in positions they are not naturally comfortable with is not a recipe for success, effort will get you so far but not without a modicum of skill, playing two similar players at the centre of midfield gives you no variety once the opposition realise this they can counter it quite easily. Having nobody with the vision/pace & skill to take players on and create chances leaves us totally predictable, if Murphy plays sling high balls towards him and hope for a knock down, this also suits Chambers playing at right back as he seems only to be able to belt the ball forward in the general direction of the opponents goal. When I saw some of the players we had signed this year I thought we could have a chance of playing a more effective expansive way. Unless things change I can see alot of people joining me by voting with their feet and staying away.

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bluefeast added 22:37 - Oct 21 The above post by grumpyoldman is spot on.
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Razor added 10:52 - Oct 22 And what guard would that be?
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mroberts added 12:04 - Oct 22 The same post match interview every time. We are poor in defense, we have no play-makers in midfield and still no decent right back. It also amazes me that Ipswich don't practice set pieces like long throw ins and corners. If this continues we will be in the relagaion fight this year. Either Mick gets things right in training or i think its time for him to move on.
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Cheshire_Blue added 12:24 - Oct 22 I, too, have supported the club through thick and thin starting with the glory days of Ramsey and entirely agree with the comments of grumpyoldman. I now live 250 miles away from Portman Road and continue to be a season ticket holder but I shall not renew next year unless we see a vast improvement in results on the pitch. Despite Mr Evans claims, the Premier League is clearly not his first priority.

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