Keeper Bartosz Bialkowski hailed “superstar” Tom Lawrence after the on-loan Leicester man took his season’s tally to seven with two goals - the second a brilliant 30-yard strike - as the Blues defeated Blackburn Rovers 3-2 at Portman Road on Saturday. The 23-year-old Wales international has now scored five goals in his last three matches.

“It was much better. It was such an amazing feeling for us,” Bialkowski said of the Blues’ performance against the Lancastrians.

“Tom Lawrence — what a superstar. It doesn’t shock us because he is doing it all the time in training, and now in games.

“He has scored some important goals for us and that will, hopefully, give us a lift going forward.

“He is an amazing kid. A good professional. He knows how hard you have to work to achieve great things and that is what he is doing.

“Tom is easily a Premier League player. He is on loan from Leicester and when he goes back there [at the end of the season] he will do his bit.

“Hopefully we will be in a position when he can sign these kind of players, hopefully soon.”

Bialkowski also had praise for defender Christophe Berra, who made amends for an error which led to Blackburn’s first goal by scoring Town’s second.

“Christophe is a top player and showed great character,” the Polish keeper added. “We are all human beings and it is about how you react when you make those kinds of mistakes. He reacted perfectly and scored a good goal to put us back in front."

Reflecting on the result, Bialkowski continued: “From now on we can look up the table instead of down.

"We all want to achieve good things for this great club. I love football and I love this place, so I enjoy every day.”

Blackburn’s Ben Marshall conceded his side was second best overall but felt they ought to have been awarded a second penalty in the closing moments when Josh Emmanuel appeared to manhandle Derrick Williams in the area.

“I don’t think we deserved anything out of that game if I’m honest,” he admitted. “There were too many individual errors, including me for the first goal.

“Then a couple of other mistakes led to the other goals. Perhaps, at a push we might have scraped a draw but we didn’t deserve anything more.”

Regarding the penalty, he added: “If it is 0-0 then he may give it but it was too late in the game and he hasn’t.”

Photo: TWTD

cornishblu added 06:25 - Jan 16 ...was it only me that panicked when I saw barts photo thinking it was a story about a bid coming in for him..coyb
9

muccletonjoe added 06:53 - Jan 16 If we can get a result tomorrow then maybe bart is right and the worst is behind us . Especially if we get a couple of new faces in as well.
6

Mark added 07:35 - Jan 16 We are on BBC1 tomorrow, playing in front of the nation. Let's play with pride and go with our strongest team, and that should include Bart in goal. Bialkowski and Lawrence have 18 Man-of-the-Match votes between them on this site, so both should start. Gerken may be rusty having not played many games, and one mistake could cost us. We do not want a cup exit on live TV. COYB!

8

Dissboyitfc added 07:36 - Jan 16 You are a star as well, would be dead and buried without you.
10

Michael11 added 09:23 - Jan 16 Bart's a star too. Best goalkeeper we've had in years. Really panicked when I saw his name pop up because he'd be almost irreplaceable at the moment.
5

jocasaja added 09:49 - Jan 16 Sign him up !
2

Kesgraveblue57 added 10:06 - Jan 16 No Bart, Lawrence is not a superstar far from it, He's a good player in a crap team.
0

blackcat added 10:18 - Jan 16 As I said in my report! Blackburn's Ben Marshall conceded his side was second best overall but felt they ought to have been awarded a second penalty in the closing moments when Josh Emmanuel appeared to manhandle Derrick Williams in the area.
0

Scuzzer added 10:36 - Jan 16 You are the star of the season though Bart. If it wasnt for Bart in the early stages of the game with that one on one save it could well have been a different game altogether.
0

Lightningboy added 11:09 - Jan 16 1 (scraped) win does not change a thing..God help us if Lawrence gets injured. I'll take safety this season but Big change is needed at this club over the summer or it'll be more of the same drivel next season.
0

PortmanTerrorist added 11:42 - Jan 16 MM might get lucky and with some old heads apparently wanting out (Come on Douglas, you know you want a last pay day) and injuries forcing him to play Dozzell, Emmanuel and Kenlock more frequently, such that he might just stumble on a more vibrant way of playing. Results almost secondary right now as if we carried on with the dross of the last 18 months no one would be in the stadium to witness them ! Grant, Lawrence, Dozzell our 2 young full backs and even Webster are used to running with the ball - build a team around them with a few 'leaders' guiding them. Having said that, the signing of a tall front man sure does show that old habits........ Berra was a great defender and not too old, but we need a change of direction and his lack of pace and mobility really was exposed on Saturday, so perhaps it is time. For him if not the Club.

0

Blogs 298 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls