Town boss Mick McCarthy admitted that the Blues were beaten by a better side after losing 1-0 to Hull City at Portman Road.

“I thought the first half was pretty even,” he said. “The second half, although it wasn’t long into it, I thought we started well and put a decent cross into the box but unfortunately for us the keeper caught it and they showed their quality because the left-back Andrew Robertson is off and running and [they scored].

“It’s always disappointing however you concede but had we scored that we’d be waxing lyrical about it because it was a fantastic goal, everything about it, the pass, the finish. They showed their quality then for 10 minutes, it could have got worse.

“What I would say is that I always credit our lads for sticking with it and as bonkers as this league is we could have nicked something in the last minutes.”

Town claimed penalties in the first half when Brett Pitman appeared to be pushed by Robertson and in the second when Jonathan Douglas went to ground as he broke into the area.

“I’d like to see the penalties again,” McCarthy added. “I thought they were good shouts for penalties.

“I think they had a couple as well that they were shouting for, but I don’t think he was ever going to give one tonight whatever happened.

“In the first half we could have nicked the lead, I thought, for our performance before half-time.

“But that’s the fine margins of the Championship, of any league really, but of the Championship certainly, but we blinked first.

“I think they’ve only conceded 19 goals so they’re not an easy team to break down. And I might add that they’re a bloody good team full of bloody good players and, to be honest, they were the better team on the night.”

McCarthy was disappointed to concede so soon after the break: “The talk in the dressing room was about making a good start, don’t concede because it’ll be hard if you do because they don’t give goals away. But we did.

“I can’t say, having looked at it, that we did a lot wrong. It was a fantastic goal really. I hate saying that but that’s just the way it is because it was a bit of quality.”

The Blues boss admits that his side’s play-off push is starting to slip: “If you lose five out of six in all competitions, that is just the case. We’ve lost three on the bounce now but we’ve got to try and remain positive and get back at it.

“We have lost players, we’ve lost really important players. That wasn’t such a bad performance against the league leaders, who are really good team.

“But we’ll need to play better than that and have a bit more quality, I think, which is really important.”

McCarthy felt Hull did to the Blues what his Championship-winning sides did to other clubs by keeping Town to few chances, particularly in the second half.

“I remember being at Wolves and winning the competition and being at Sunderland and we had games where nobody had shots against us because we were a really good team and we won it by eight points on two occasions.

“They are a good side. Perhaps we should give them a bit of credit for being a good side. We didn’t have that many shots but we had our chances in the first half and if you score those it’s a different game.”

Reflecting on the difference between the two squads, Hull having benefited from parachute payments after being relegated from the Premier League last season, he said: “I look at the two players up front who cost collectively £15 million, Abel Hernández and Mohamed Diamé. Not bad, is it?

“In terms of that we’re comparing apples and pears, it’s two different things. What we’ve done is compete against a really good side and actually could have nicked something.

“They were the better side, they are the better side, they’re top of the league, they’re a better side than us, I’ll just hold my hand up. But that doesn’t mean we can’t beat them just because they’re a better side and for a period in the game I thought we might.”

McCarthy said he was pleased with Ben Pringle’s home debut: “I thought his contribution was good in a tough game and certainly his freekicks and corners have good quality.”

He confirmed that Luke Hyam suffered an injury when he went off in the second half: “Hyamsy had a fitness test before the game today. He came in this morning with a tight hamstring, he had treatment, went home and had a kip and it felt all right.

“He was fine in his pre-match test and he worked his nuts off and just had it tighten up, so hopefully he’ll be OK.”

The Town boss said Ainsley Maitland-Niles was fit despite being omitted from the 18: “No, he was just left out.”

Hull manager Steve Bruce felt his team’s superiority showed after the break: “It was difficult for us in the first half, I have to say, against a really committed Ipswich team who mirror their manager in terms of their effort and endeavour. They made it difficult in the first half.

“But in the second half we showed that bit of extra class and really we could have put it to bed. We had two or three opportunities after we scored and didn’t take the second one.

“But overall, again we’ve come away from home and showed that resilience that hopefully will stand us in good stead.”

Photo: Action Images

prebsa added 20:39 - Feb 24 Apologies meant nice not ice. Also Essex! As I have said before it's not just me that marks you down. Note you -380 marks on your profile.
2

blueboy1981 added 20:43 - Feb 24 Men against Boys - yet again Michael. But according to you there's no better out there. What a load of COBBLERS.
5

blueboy1981 added 20:46 - Feb 24 John Duncan was entertaining - compared with this relic from the ark. John Duncan, all is forgiven.
5

essex57 added 21:02 - Feb 24 Well to all my 384 down marks supplied by 90% of the users of the news posts on twtd I say one thing thank god your not representative of the majority of town supporters.
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blueboy1981 added 21:04 - Feb 24 How does even a remotely competitive team (at home) manage to NOT get a single shot on target in 90+ minutes of play ....... ??? I know it has happened before, and will again, but this fact speaks for itself - and even bohslegend would find it difficult to defend this one. He's very quiet - I wonder why ... ??
7

blueboy1981 added 21:13 - Feb 24 essex57 .... have given you a plus - TOTALLY by mistake. When will the 'penny drop' with you ? - if it doesn't, then you just must be related to McCarthy. I think that even you, have to admit now that you are in the minority - quite the reverse of your statement - proof on these threads for those that don't wear blinkers. Of course, there will be people who would follow the Club into the grave (and still be satisfied) - but that is only because their life is, and only is, PORTMAN ROAD. Nowt else. Each to their own.

4

armchaircritic59 added 21:38 - Feb 24 What do you think guys? Are the players actually incapable of stringing a few passes together on a regular basis or they told/coached not to do so? Have to say i find both appalling, and the former unbelievable of professionals playing at the second highest level in the country that gave the world the game!
4

prebsa added 22:08 - Feb 24 Essex57 blueboy1981 puts it perfectly if you think that still then you really are deluded!
2

Lukeybluey added 22:32 - Feb 24 We just needed to hoof the ball higher, that's all.
5

MicksZzzTactics added 23:35 - Feb 24 LuckeyBluey: 1st class 'postmodern-like' sarcasm! Very much appreciated .... so thumbs up ... and keep 'em coming folks, please! And apropos our rather depressing current team's -- meaning more precisely those strongly advocating it i.e. "The Dinosaurs" aka MM & TC's -- ever soooo beloved recurring (recurring as in with THIS prehistoric management duo in charge probably lasting to 'Kingdom Come'!!!) affinity for and unwavering belief in 'HoofBall', and it being the ONLY way to success???!!!, another fairly good fitting old quote springs to mind: "IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED .... FAILURE MAY BE YOUR STYLE!" - Quentin Crisp :-) lol

7

GiveusaWave added 23:36 - Feb 24 armchaircritic59 Sadly none of us are privy to what's happening on the training pitch and the kinds of tactics that are discussed before games. But its clearly self-evident that hoofball is the tactic of choice for our first team and U18's. Its unclear with our U21's as we do seem to mix it up a bit. More depressingly, this is hoofball in its most extreme (hoof it as high and hard as possible up the pitch, doesn't matter what direction. Our strikers won't have a clue where its going but neither will their defenders so "in theory" we have a 50/50 chance of winning it). This doesn't take into account the quality of the opposition or the fact that its normally 2 strikers against 4 defenders, so the chances of us gaining something from it are not stacked in our favour. Wimbledon were more well known for long-ball. Hitting huge balls down channels or straight to the strikers. Less of a "hit and hope" tactic. Hoofball does seem highly effective in non-league soccer (where defenders make a lot of mistakes) or against teams that are basically of better quality. So what we are saying to the opposition really is "You are better than us. Therefore if we play football we will lose. Therefore the best altrernative is to NOT play football. By NOT playing football we may well get a draw or win as your quality will be negated by the huge hoofs down the pitch. To say its horrible to watch is an understatement. Awful football, truly awful.

11

MicksZzzTactics added 23:44 - Feb 24 Extremely 'spot on' Bontcho Man!
3

yorksblue added 07:28 - Feb 25 This is probably going to cause a stir, but until this clown goes, I'm not going to waste time and money on my team. Even tho I'm only 20 miles from Huddersfield I'd rather stay home and watch Rugby. How sad is that!
2

Juggsy added 12:41 - Feb 25 As a I loyal supporter for over 40 years, I actually forgot we were playing the other night ... such is the current apathy around the current anti-football regime. Every result the pain is becoming less as it is expected. Sad.
4

Cheshire_Blue added 13:41 - Feb 25 The minority on this site would appear to relate to the vast majority who support the team at Portman Road.
-5

Seasider added 16:27 - Feb 25 This time last year 3rd,this year 10th.Have just heard McCarthy more or less write off getting anybody else in Loan window as they would need to go straight in team. Why not,is it favourites stopping it,or is it Mr short arms,deep pockets that's the problem. I wonder if we shall ever find out.Perhaps from Micks auto biography?
6

TimmyH added 17:00 - Feb 25 John Duncan...superior win% percentage to Mick, and yet Duncan has a bad name by many supporters who remember the Robson era due to his poor style of football and failure to get us in at least the play-offs (also in a time of financial problems for the club). I wonder how Mick will be remembered in 20 years time?
2

brittaniaman added 19:52 - Feb 25 I think Mick Mills said that are 9pts worse off this season than last season !!!!
0

yorksblue added 20:21 - Feb 25 Twtd shop T shirt showing MMs head with the word "HOPE". About time 2 letter word beginning with N was added.
0

roytheboy added 10:12 - Feb 26 I'm not advocating Mick and Terry leaving, what I desperately want is for the two of them to realise that they need to change their style very quickly, they will never please the Ipswich faithful with Hoofball and Head Tennis and if we ever get back into the Premiership we will never survive there playing this boring, unattractive and (at the moment) very unsuccessful style of Football.

0

martin587 added 18:26 - Feb 27 Poor display tonight
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