McCarthy Relieved as Goalless and Winless Run Ends Tuesday, 18th Oct 2016 22:57 Town boss Mick McCarthy admitted there was a feeling of relief after the Blues defeated Burton Albion 2-0 at Portman Road to end their five-game winless and goalless run. “Of course there is,” he said. “I’m not going to tell a lie about it because we’ve just gone five games without a win. “I think I’ve said to you before that at Wolves we were top of the league and we went 13 games I think it was without a win. “And we were still top of the league when we won and that was a real sense of relief. We went and beat Crystal Palace 1-0 and then Sheffield Wednesday 1-0, both away games. “And that was a sense of relief and we were top of the league. So if we were 17th or 10th or top I think after five games without a win there’s always going to be a sense of relief.” He added: “It’s not been nice over the last couple of weeks because a small minority start to doubt me, doubt the players, doubt the club and that atmosphere can be difficult to play in. “It took a while for the game to get going. I know we scored early on. We all prefer it when people have got happy, smiling faces and want to come and watch us and like us. “Hopefully that will go some way to achieving that. Did somebody say we’re three points off the play-offs? I was shit yesterday, I couldn’t do my job and I ought to be out the door. Today we’re three points off the play-offs, it’s bonkers. “It doesn’t bother me, by the way, it’s a matter of fact, it’s just a crazy old league, we’ve got a lot of games to play and that was a tough, tough Championship game.” Reflecting on the match itself, McCarthy said: “It’s nice, a win and some goals. I think they’re a very capable team. I think they play a system that can be difficult to play against. “They get men forward, they’ve got two big fellas up front. I thought they were a constant threat. “The game was open and I did think if it was left wide open we’d win as I thought we’d got better players up at the top. “We got off to a good start, it was great from Chambo. Another clean sheet, which is fab, five out of seven games we’ve had clean sheets. “We’re not going to be beating teams three, four or five-nil, we might have a better chance when we’ve got Didz and Jonny and people back, but it’s never been that way, so keeping a clean sheet and winning 2-0 suits me fine.” He continued: “I believe they attack with six players, they have the two wing-backs and two forwards and two midfield players, they leave four at the back and I was happy to defend with six and leave four up against their four. “Thankfully it worked in our favour in the end. We had the better finishers on the night.” McCarthy was happy with the performance of lone central striker Leon Best - “He is [getting sharper and sharper], I’m pleased with him” - and was delighted to see Freddie Sears finally end his goal drought. “He’s been so selfless in the way he plays, whether he’s wide right, wide left, in a four or a three or up front in a two. He just goes and plays,” he said. “Never once does he question and he gives us such energy and such pace and he’s a constant threat in behind. “What was it 27 games? Thirty-eight! It was worse than I thought. I’d said I’d watched three series of Scandal since he scored, it’s probably four actually. “But, do you know what, I’ve never once considered leaving him out because he’s terrific, he really is. He contributes in such a way that he causes problems for everybody else.” McCarthy was pleased to see his entire team celebrating with Sears, including keeper Bartosz Bialkowski: “I like that when all the team celebrates goalscorers. I just hope he didn’t pull his hamstring when he sprinted up the pitch, Bart. “I really like that about the team, that they do celebrate together, nobody’s left out, nobody’s stood watching and I think because it was Freddie I think it was a little bit extra special.” The Town boss says he was going to leave Jonathan Douglas out of his side anyway but the midfielder has a minor knee problem. “I changed the team because I wanted Bish and Kevin Bru in the team at home and I thought they’re hard to break down with the way they play and that they might give us a bit more subtlety, Bish certainly running with it,” he added. “But Dougie’s been brilliant, he has got a bit of fluid on his knee, to be fair. For a guy of 34 he’s incredible and he’ll be back in on Saturday. “Jonny Williams has just got a bit of a tight thigh and we’re protecting him. He’ll be all right, I think he’ll be involved on Saturday.” McCarthy also confirmed that David McGoldrick, who scored for the U23s as they drew 2-2 at Colchester on Monday, will also be in the squad travelling to the North-East for Saturday’s game against leaders Newcastle United. Burton manager Nigel Clough was delighted with his team’s performance on his club’s first ever visit to Portman Road, but disappointed with their finishing. “We made enough chances to win three matches,” he said. “It was the same story as Saturday. The one thing we can’t do is put the ball in the back of the net for them. “In terms of the way we played, it was the best that we’ve played this season in the first half, without a doubt. “So, I’m delighted with the level of the performance, just not the finishing and the couple of soft goals we’ve given away at the other end. Everything else tonight was very good indeed. “To come here and play like that gives an awful lot of encouragement. And we played well on Saturday as well, so it’s one of those cases where we might be rubbish on Friday and get a result.” He added: “I’m very pleased with an awful lot of things, aspects of the performance tonight. You’ve got to remember, to put it in perspective, we’re Burton Albion coming to Ipswich Town and we’ve played like that in the first half. We’re disappointed we’ve lost but certainly not disheartened with the performance.”
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