Town boss Mick McCarthy admitted he would have been happy with a point before kick-off after the Blues’ 1-1 draw with East Anglian rivals Norwich City at Carrow Road. Jonas Knudsen netted his second derby goal of the season on 63 but Jacob Murphy equalised for the Canaries six minutes later.

“Yes,” McCarthy admitted when he was asked whether he was happy with a point. “I think we’ve had to be tough and resolute and organised and hard-working because they’re a good side.

“We scored a really good goal from probably our best bit of play, which warranted a goal, I think.

“Bartosz has won the ironic man of the match award because he was absolutely magnificent and then he’s not happy that he let the shot in. But he was terrific.

“They’ve had the better chances, I haven’t seen it but apparently we should have had a penalty but it makes no odds whether we should or we shouldn’t, there’s no point in whinging about it.

“We had a goal disallowed in the game at home which should have been a goal, so perhaps we haven’t had our luck in that respect but I think we carried a bit of luck at times, and a bit of magnificent goalkeeping which kept us in it. I’m delighted with the point.”

McCarthy was frustrated the Blues weren’t able to hold on to their lead for longer: “They got back on level terms, but I would have taken a point before I set off.

“We’ve got a point, I’m not going to complain about anything. We’ve out in a good performance.

“They put a £9 million substitute on [Alex Pritchard] and I put one on who cost £20,000 from Forest Green [Kieffer Moore].

“I’ve a right wing-back [Jordan Spence] I took on a free. My lads are great, they’re playing against a team which has cost a helluva lot of money and has just come down from the Premier League but I couldn’t be any happier or prouder about my lads, they’re great.”

Asked whether he was frustrated at not getting an early penalty with replays showing Mitchell Dijks clearly manhandle David McGoldrick at a corner, he said: “I haven’t seen it.

“Was it a penalty? Yes? Well I’m really upset, I’m going to moan about it then! ‘Bloody hell, it should have been a penalty!’,” he joked.

“What’s the point? The referees have their job to do. We had a goal disallowed in the first one, but if I look through the season we’ll have had penalties which should have been, goals which shouldn’t have been, offsides.

“I’m glad I haven’t seen it so I don’t have to come in here and bitch about it. I’m relying on you for info.”

McCarthy agreed that Bialkowski had been magnificent: “He’s been that all season, to be quite honest. The one from [Alexander] Tettey from the edge of the box that he saved, he one down from [Alex] Pritchard when he came on. He’s outstanding, he really is. I’ve got no axe to grind with him at all.”

Is he the best in the Championship? “I’ve said that in the past. It’s pretty subjective and I’m not a goalkeeping coach but I’ve been a manager and a coach for a long time and if there’s anybody better or anybody who has served any team better and made as many saves and got as many points for their team, I’d be very surprised.”

McCarthy felt it would be unfair to blame the former Southampton and Notts County man for the Norwich goal. Should he have saved it? “Not really, I’m not a goalkeeper-coach. He’s come in and he’s annoyed that he didn’t save it.

“Think of all the other saves he made, he probably thinks he should, but he’ll get no blame apportioned from me.”

McCarthy was delighted with the way all his squad performed: “I always am. I’ve never come in here and complained about players. They always leave everything on the pitch. They don’t bring anything back in with them, that’s for certain.

“They’re good guys and it’s a testament to the them that we’ve gone unbeaten in the games this month against really tough teams as well.”

"The Town boss also had praise for David McGoldrick, who was instrumental in his side’s goal and has been in impressive form in recent weeks.

“It’s lovely to have good players back fit and well and firing on all cylinders and not trying to get back fit,” he said. “He’s been outstanding over recent weeks. It’s lovely to have him back.”

“It’s unfair on him if he’s not up to speed, if he’s not fully fit. When you get a player like him you want him to play and the temptation is to play him all the time and leave him on the pitch, which can be to his detriment.

“He’s worked very, very hard to get himself back to that level and we’re getting the rewards from it, he’s been good.”

Also back as a sub, for the first time after undergoing back surgery in September, was Tommy Smith, who came on as a second half sub.

“I think he’ll know he’s been out there as well, to be honest with you,” McCarthy reflected on his New Zealand international central defender.

A third 1-1 draw in a row against one of the division’s higher flyers extends Town’s unbeaten run to five games, continuing their February form which has seen them go through a tough month unbeaten.

“It does and it puts the brakes on any run which they might be having, which doesn’t upset me greatly, if I’m being honest,” he added.

He says he takes extra pleasure from taking points from sides, such as Norwich, with much bigger budgets.

“I think we all do, myself and the players and TC, the coaching staff do,” McCarthy admitted. “If that’s the Ts and Cs of my job and we have to get them in that way, take loans and take frees, we got Danny Rowe as well who we took from Macclesfield, he’s looking good, he’ll get fit.

“If that’s what it is and we keep getting the best out of them, that’s what we do and it’s very rewarding, I have to be honest.”

Norwich manager Alex Neil thought his side were profligate in front of goal and also had praise for Bialkowski.

“We put in a good performance over the 90 minutes. I thought we created a lot of good opportunities,” he said.

“I thought we were wasteful at times with some of the chances we did have and I think the ones that we did make good clean contact and put goalwards I thought their goalkeeper pulled of three really good saves.

“I can’t be critical of my team. I thought my team went out and worked extremely hard. Ipswich had one shot on target and scored the goal.

“When you don’t take your opportunities and are quite wasteful, then what can happen is that that sucker-punch can come your way.”

Photo: TWTD

runaround added 15:54 - Feb 26 Mick's always happy with a point but so am I today! They were the better side but goals are what counts & looking like they won't make top 6, which with their squad will be a massive failure! Bring on the Derby games next season
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jas0999 added 15:57 - Feb 26 Much prefer a point than a defeat. But I remain disappointed that we didn't go there and be a bit more positive. Effort was excellent though and Barts performance earning the point.
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Michael11 added 16:02 - Feb 26 Credit to Mick and the boys today. Very good team performance. We rode our luck at times but we showed heart and passion and that's all we ask for. Thought Bart (minus the goal) and Didz were outstanding today. Berra back to being solid. A lot of positives to take. Hopefully we keep the momentum up and back the manager with a good budget next season, whoever it may be.

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battyblue added 16:05 - Feb 26 Thats the problem one point McCarthy ,,Dino out looked like a pub team first half little better second no one trying to get in the box no one follow up and no support,,Mcgoldrick stand out for us .
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cat added 16:11 - Feb 26 MM happy with a point, all to familiar headline over the last couple of seasons, oh and don't forget the budget!!. There are teams in and around top six who have not spent loads. The championship this season is the weakest I have known it for a few years and looking at the table this seasons been very poor and disappointing.
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NITFC added 16:14 - Feb 26 So we have survived the difficult February unbeaten. Only one win but unbeaten nevertheless. And without Tom Lawrence for the last 2 games. Not a classic today of course but the way we were playing a month ago none of us could have forecast this result. Didz is fit and back to his best and (one mistake apart) we have a hell of a goalie. And a word for Skusey today. There were many negative comments this morning about his selection but I thought he had a great game

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Devereuxxx added 16:18 - Feb 26 @battyblue What absolute rubbish. A good away point against a team who on paper should be beating us. I'm personally very happy with our display. And to go 1-0 up, even if for 6 minutes, was fantastic. Next season, we'll have them.
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dav86 added 16:23 - Feb 26 Evans give the man some bloody money and let's give it a real go next season, otherwise we'll be stuck saying the same thing we say about royle......if only he had money, what would he have done
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Mark added 16:30 - Feb 26 I am delighted with the point as it damages Norwich's promotion bid and makes us safer from relegation. When the ref added 5 minutes on (where did they come from?!) and they got that late corner we all knew what could happen, but to get the draw was a relief. Credit to the manager and coaches for the organisation, the players for the effort, Knudsen for the goal, and Bialkowski for a brilliant performance. Just look back at those February fixtures. Reading, Villa, Brighton, Leeds, Norwich...to go unbeaten during those games is sterling work.

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nix290 added 16:35 - Feb 26 I don't post often. Just lurk generally. I can't believe people are still moaning about today's result. In his time at Town, McCarthy has spent £1.5m. In the same period Norwich have spent £57m. Let's have a little perspective about our results and expecations of our manager, eh?
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bedsitfc added 16:36 - Feb 26 My biggest concern today was jarome won most aerial battles against berra. We need a budget that allows us to be contenders again. Marcus your supposed to be a business man where does allowing an asset (Ipswich town fc) lose value come in to your business head.
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blue75 added 16:42 - Feb 26 A good point today but why always bring up how much they've spent? Our wage bill is in top ten in the league so should the team be in the top ten? Our players are paid a lot more than Lincoln players so should we beat them cos we're paid more no!! Stop using money as an excuse we all know you budget is sweet fa, just like amount of entertaining/passing football you play. If you don't like you budget just leave!!!

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nix290 added 16:48 - Feb 26 The thing is, budget has EVERYTHING to do with it nowadays. Without money you simply are to going to win. Going by your attitude blue75 you think it's just a matter of "trying a bit harder" which is ridiculous. It's about more than that.
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blue75 added 17:03 - Feb 26 Yes nix290 I would like to see all the players try a bit harder, that is try a lot hard to string to passes together and not just aimlessly hoof the ball away from a defensive position. Those things don't cost money it takes good coach and tactics something McCarthy lacks his teams have never been easy on the eye, just hard to break down. I'll also point out again Joe Royle had less to spend and had to reduce our wage bill, which he did and he play good entertaining football!!! McCarthy takes us all for mugs and gets paid around £2 million a year, I'm sure that's a good wage at this level!

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bluey123 added 17:05 - Feb 26 Come yon you Super Mick fans 2 wins in 10 games and all you think about is destroying scum from promotion well all I am interested in is ITFC couldn't care less about anyone else . McCarthy happy with a point says everything about this moron McCarthy OUT
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Bildestoned added 17:51 - Feb 26 Not enough credit here for Skuse. Come on some of you, that humble pie will go down a treat believe me.
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Andy32Cracknell added 17:53 - Feb 26 Im sorry, i might get hammered for it but i thought the performance was dire apart from a 5 minute spell when we actually played some good football and knocked the ball about and passed and moved. Defensively we were ok but going forward was a joke, I honestly believe that MM has a good squad of players available to him but sticks to his crazy long ball tactics which i dont understand. We need to get someone in who is capable of bringing out the technical ability of the squad available to them.

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potter added 17:54 - Feb 26 blue75 Yes I agree royle was in a similar position but don't forget he may have not spent money but we had a fantastic academy product then. We had likes of Darren Bent, Darren Ambrose, Owen Garvan, Ian Westlake and Matt Richards coming through. Not all might have been stellar players but they were week in week out first teamers. Only 2 we have had in last few years since mccarthy been here is kenlock, emmanual, Bishop and hyam and let's be honest with that there not 1st team players week in week out

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OldClactonBlue added 18:09 - Feb 26 What did Skuse do of a positive nature, to help us win the game? Perfect for MM as his good stuff is just about stopping the opposition.
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bohslegend added 18:19 - Feb 26 Blue75 you don't like people mentioning our lack of funds (small even by top of league 1 standards) ?? Then you mention our wages are top 10. So give MM credit for punching above our weight last few seasons finishing top 7. Spent almost nothing, wages top half, net effect = miracles by the manager. Nodge spend €57M and you don't think that makes a difference between the expectations???? Give over.

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therein61 added 18:34 - Feb 26 Leave Skuse out and the negative football stops the man is a liability without him today and toumani in our midfield would have stifled there's and given Didz the service his nonstop wholehearted display deserved he had them all over the place at times hence the number of times he was fouled but of course our great leader thinks Mr Skuse is brilliant!!!!!.
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sirmichealmills added 18:57 - Feb 26 Hmm, Ive got split opinions today on many fronts, I thought we played alright, but I don't know if I'm being unrealistic thinking we could give em a proper toe to toe with shots on goal, camped in their half game. Knudsen scored, but I thought he was woeful apart from that. Didzy was great, Norwich on the whole I thought didn't play very well, I was surprised how poor they were really, especially as we were going to get stuffed (apparantly), Bart was superb. I'm just happy we didn't get a hiding, but why do I feel down with a point?

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blue75 added 19:42 - Feb 26 Bohlegend you can mention McCarthy's budget as much as you want! Unless you've gotta few million you want to throw away it's not going to change. The owner has wasted £86 million+ that goes up 6 more next season. Even if he did throw some more at it McCarthy's not the man to spend it just look what happened to his £35 million team. Potter yes we had kids come through Joe had no choice but to play them, Burley was the same when he had to play scowcroft and naylor as our 1st choice strike partnership for a while! McCarthy chooses not to play our kids, but takes unproven players in on loan in the same positions.

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Safetyfirstmrwark added 19:45 - Feb 26 Imagine if Lawrence had been playing... I do think the team need credit for today's performance. Still think the biggest problem is we need investment from an owner who might actually care; McCarthy evidently has the ability to put out a football playing side when he wants to (under pressure from us, the fans, but hey that's our job) and when he has the players that can execute it. Evans, invest or do one.

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bigfatjoe87 added 20:21 - Feb 26 Its very easy to get disgruntled when things are going the way they should be but I have to say your man Darren Eadie was right today on sky without mick we probably would of been relegated with our budget and squad. Personally I don't like both skuse and dougie together in the team because we do become negative with both there. But the new faces have freshened things up for ourselves and it is showing by the fact that were not getting beat at the moment (which is surely what has to happen before we expect to beat everyone). Manager of the month for me if you think of were Ipswich where in January. Now i have giving out about Mick but we have to realise that in four years hes only spent about a million quid which is pennies in this day and age so before you start a rant at Mick lets think about the support hes been giving and in reality its only been verbal off ME. He needs money and that's a FACT. And with everything that went on in Brazil last year i somehow dont think he has there to throw at Ipswich Town

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