Town boss Mick McCarthy hailed an outstanding performance from his team as they beat Bolton 2-0 at Portman Road but admitted he was relieved to see the Blues’ seven-game winless run come to an end.

“Thank f**k for that!” exclaimed the Blues boss. “I’m delighted with the performance, we’ve played well at Forest and we played well on Saturday but not really had the result, so of course there’s a bit of relief to get a win after seven games.

“I’d have taken a scruffy shinner, the ball going in off somebody’s knee, an own goal. I would have taken anything tonight to get back to winning ways.

“But it was a really outstanding performance and could have been far better in terms of the scoreline. Their keeper was outstanding, Brett Pitman’s been denied a hat-trick by some really good defending.

“A really good performance, delighted with that, and back to winning ways, thankfully.”

He added: “We had a tough spell in the first half when they had a good bit of possession. We weathered that storm and we defended corners.

“The clean sheet is a team effort but I thought some of the play from the front lads was terrific. I just thought it was an all-round outstanding performance, to be honest with you, I’m really pleased with it.”

McCarthy was delighted to see Daryl Murphy put in an impressive display even if last season’s 27-goal top scorer is still to open his account for 2015/16.

“That was really pleasing, he was back in his pomp, I loved to hear his name being sung, I hadn’t heard it for a while,” he said.

“How he’s not scored a goal, he must have killed an albatross or something, I don’t know what he’s done. He was great, he played really well, he fought his corner, did his hard yards.

“That was him last year and that’s when he got his goals and if he does that every week he’ll get them again.”

The Blues manager also had praise for Freddie Sears who was still running at the Bolton defence in injury time, although joked that he might owe one of his team-mates an apology.

“He might have a word with Didz, who might think his neck was a bit tired because he didn’t lift his head up and roll it to Didzy because he could have put it in the net!” he laughed.

“He’s been great, Freddie. He’s played wide left, wide right, up front, he’s played in three, in a four and he’s never once complained.

“I spoke to him yesterday and he just said ‘Talk to me about where you want me when we’re out of possession and what I need to do’. He’s a great lad, a great professional.”

Pitman also impressed his boss, not least for his goal: “I thought he played really well. He had one hooked off the line, which he still says was in, so I think he thinks we’ve won 3-0.

“He had one blocked after he scored his goal. The link-up for his goal was terrific. He hit it so cleanly, I know it took a bit of a deflection but it was a great goal.”

Regarding the incident when Jonas Knudsen tripped Max Clayton not far outside the area and was shown a yellow card rather than a red, McCarthy said he hadn’t seen the incident again.

“Was he past him? I haven’t seen it, if he’s past him and he brings him down,” he said. “If he’s just gone with the tackle, I think he’s gone with the wrong foot, but I’m don’t know if there was anybody else around, I don’t know if he’s just gone for the ball and brought him down.

“Let me tell you, if that’s my bit good luck, it’s been a f*****g long time coming! Hallelujah! Fan-f*****g-tastic! Excuse my French. We’ve had last minute goals, we’ve had things blocked on the line…

“I always say it’ll turn around, it will turn around, we’ll get something, and if that’s my bit of luck then happy days.”

Ainsley Maitland-Niles was subbed just before half-time with a foot injury: “He’s got a bruised metatarsal. I asked him if it’s cracked and he said no.

“It was funny because he still ran past the defender with a bruised foot. It was great for him to get his goal as well, he’s been great.”

Bolton manager Neil Lennon admitted that Town deserved to win: “I thought we were in the game in the first half but in the second half I didn’t think we competed at all.

“And if you don’t compete in this division, particularly against a team like Mick McCarthy’s, then you’re going to get beaten.

“The two goals were poor from our point of view but we were very flimsy at the back at times. I thought we had good chances in the first half.

“I thought Knudsen should have been sent off, Clayton was in and he was taken clean out on the edge of the box, he was the last man. And we had the same situation on Saturday and that was an important part of the game.”

Photo: Action Images

brittaniaman added 08:51 - Nov 4 WELL DONE THE BLUES !! We done more attacking in this game and it finally paid off !! I did notice on the back page of the programme that Bolton had the same number of players as we have got,, first time this season that has happened ??? just a small point I thought I would mention. Anyway Rotherham next and a win would keep us all happy going in to the break again.

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carlo88 added 08:53 - Nov 4 I got about nine negs for being about the only one supporting MM a couple of weeks ago. Really don't understand our current fans
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WadeyBlue added 09:10 - Nov 4 "I thought Knudsen should have been sent off, Clayton was in and he was taken clean out on the edge of the box, he was the last man". Wrong Mr Lennon, Clayton had his back to the defender and was fouled trying to turn Knudson. He wasnt clean through, so no, you are wrong. Unlucky bellend.
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yungblue added 09:19 - Nov 4 This is why the fans get annoyed, because we know that they can play well, we played well tonight scored two good goals and created 5+ good chances, we looked like we wanted to be on the front foot, in their faces from the off, this every week and we will compete in every game in this league, same again on Saturday! COYB
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beornioblue added 09:27 - Nov 4 From someone who did go , Bolton weren't that bad and they could have had a couple ... Score could have been something daft like 6-2 .. Not exaggerating, maybe that little bit of commentary you heard was during a spell where they were playing rubbish.. There were a few , but when gerks and our defence were needed they stepped up and I think that's worth praise tbh
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Stato added 09:53 - Nov 4 Gerks hardly saw the ball all night other than a couple of long distance efforts straight at him. Bolton were woeful. Knudsen did tackle with his wrong foot as Mick says and Chambers did get exposed a couple of times but not to the level that it created any chances for them. The front 3 all had good games and all could of scored. Sears though stood out above everyone.
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cantona11 added 11:14 - Nov 4 Tractorboy1985 fully agree with you on the two wing backs Knudsen I want to do well as I like him and will not have too much of a go at for the adjustment to the championship but still gets drawn inside and leaves his man on the wing and if he is going to get fwd at least try and get back to defend but like I say I'll leave him alone BUT Chambers not forgiveable as I said to a few people last night he is a pro at the end of the day and as a defender should be able to stick to his job and he has been playing there long enough to at least realise there is a winger to mark and his distribution is terrible make Berra team captain and keep him as club captain and bring in malackek (I know it spelt wrong but you all know who I mean ) at rb as he look solid and has at least played played there before but overall I'm a happy bunny good performance last night especially the front boys Sears,Pitman,Murphy and Dids when he came on all very good clever football players the link up play was great to watch

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GoldieBlue added 11:18 - Nov 4 Yaaaayyyy. We all love Mick again. In all seriousness now we can definitely push on with some very winnable games, and get rid of the Mick out idiots at least for a few weeks.
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blues1 added 12:37 - Nov 4 Chatlieitfc. Agree with u re chambers. He has doneca but better a rb of Kate but still gets done too often and doesn't do well enough going forward to be classes as a decent rv. As for Murphy. You say just because he hasn't been scoring doesn't mean he's been playing badly. Well, the fact is, he has been playing badly. He was much better last night but prior to that had done nothing. Hopefully his performance last night is gonna be the born from now on and he'll add a few goals to it too.

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sidtheswan added 12:40 - Nov 4 Strange game. Didn't feel we played as well as we did on Saturday but by far the better team and deserved 3 points . Gerken player of the month ? Someone's having a laugh although been good last 2 games .
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blues1 added 12:58 - Nov 4 Beornioblue. Bolton weren't that bad? They were garbage. Worst team we've played all season. OK, they kept the ball better than we did, but so does everyone. But they had no real threat at all and didn't have a shot on target in whole match
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Marcus added 14:05 - Nov 4 From what I worked out from the commentary (and as much as I respect Mills he would make an end-to-end game sound like a conversation in a library) Town were a bit patchy in the first half and Bolton edged it with the performance but we took our chance, in the second half we stepped up a gear and it soon became clear there was only one team in it. Do those who were at the game concur?

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blues1 added 15:17 - Nov 4 Sort of Marcus. We certainly werent outstanding as mm is saying to be honest, certainly didn't pass the ball very well. But def played better over all and fully deserved the win, albeit against a very poor Bolton side
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blues1 added 15:19 - Nov 4 Sorry about typing errors in my previous post. On mobile. Didn't check my.post
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ashfordkentblue added 16:27 - Nov 4 One swallow dont make a summer, so one win does'nt mean we've cracked it against a very poor Bolton side, we went to Rotherham last season expecting to win easily, but we lost, so fellow blues, don't get your hopes up just yet, if we beat Rotherham & Wolves convincingly then we just might have turned the corner and go on a run, But I'll bet Mick tinkers with the team selection, which could prove a disaster, lets hope he keeps the same team, but include Parr in a fullback position

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battyblue added 16:39 - Nov 4 CharlieITFC = IN MICK WE TRUST HAPPY CHAPPY keep dreaming matey but admit was a little harsh on Murphy's contribution last night but its about time he has been pants.
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CharlieITFC added 18:08 - Nov 4 Apologies if I don't name who my response is in reply to. I'm on my phone, and don't want to attempt a spelling and get it wrong! I'm certainly not claiming that Chambers is a great full back, and agree that we should have strengthened in that area, however I think some of the recent criticism towards him is harsh, he is improving and learning the position and the way MM wants him to play it, and the last few games have been the best I've seen him play there. Ultimately he isn't a full back, but he is doing a job. The whole team has been out of form, and in my opinion Chambers has been unfairly targeted. As for Murphy, I think that point also applies. The whole team was out of form, and with the exception of sears, the other strikers were especially. Murphy is something completely different to Pitman and Mcgoldrick, and because he requires attention from a couple of defenders, he leaves space for other players (like sears). And battyblue, I am sorry for singling you out, as I get this is a site for opinions, but I get very frustrated with the defeatist approach of some fans. Why can't you just accept that we played well? I am certainly not a 'happy chappy' as our recent form has been poor, but realise that form is temporary and that we will turn a corner. We need to stay positive, otherwise you end up like a team like Bolton. That being said, I do trust mick. We would not get a better manager at this level. For anyone that says he's taken us as far as he can, and that people need to forget that he kept us from relegation, in my opinion you can forget that. At the end of the day, he's improved us every year and we got in the play offs for the first time in 10 years. He is the right man for the job.

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essex57 added 19:55 - Nov 4 Strange there's only 3 pages on the match report and 2 on MM after match comments does that mean we won last night?
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FenboyBlue added 20:02 - Nov 4 He swears when he wants. He swears when he wants. Mick McCarthy, he swears when he wants. Bonkers.
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