Town boss Mick McCarthy hopes top scorer Martyn Waghorn can go on a goalscoring run having ended his drought by scoring twice as the Blues won 2-1 away at Sheffield Wednesday. McCarthy, who has never lost a game as a manager at Hillsborough, felt his side's "good team performance" was worthy of the three points.

“I think overall we’ve deserved to win,” he said. “I think it was a right, royal scrap in the first half, we didn’t allow them to play.

“For the last few years they’ve been a really good football team, they’d have passed it around and made the pitch big.

“I thought we stopped that, we matched them in every department. I thought we just shaded it, although I know Bart saved one with his face early on, it’s hit him in the kipper, but he kept it out the net, which he’s pretty good at.

“And then I think in the second half we’ve been the better team. I know they got into it when they scored, that’s always the case, they’re going to push, but it’s great to see Waggy get his goals and the second was real quality and I think we deserved it overall.”

Waghorn hadn’t scored for 15 games prior to today’s brace, does McCarthy think the summer signing from Rangers can now go on a run?

“I sincerely hope so!” he said. “I was getting growly at him in the first half because he shot from about 30 yards and missed at the near post, and then he hit one with his right foot.

“It looked like he was getting frustrated at not scoring, and I know he was. He started snatching at them and doing things he shouldn’t, so for him now to get his goals he can calm down a bit, play his game and he’ll get more.”

Regarding the winning goal, he added: “When we got the freekick, TC was telling him to shoot. Whether he took that on board or not or he just decided himself I don’t know. You see the corners and the freekicks he takes, he’s got a wand of a left foot.”

The victory was Town’s second in a row, their first back-to-back victories since winning at Derby a the end of November and then at home to Nottingham Forest at the start of December. Does McCarthy feel his side how has some momentum at a vital stage of the season with only 11 games left to play?

“I hope so,” he continued. “Two really good wins, to go to Preston and Sheffield Wednesday.

“Of course, having missed the Hull game, I was asked whether it would affect us and I said I hoped it wouldn’t and it didn’t. We’ve still got that game to play on Tuesday next. Six points from two games is great.”

The win moves Town seven points from the play-offs with a game in hand but McCarthy continues to play down his team’s chances of making the top six having previous ruled the Blues out of the running.

“Still have,” he insisted. “I keep saying, I didn’t say we’d stop trying, ‘That’s it, we’ll pack up and stop playing and stop trying to win games and get there.

“But I still think it’s too much. Seven points behind you say? With a game in hand? Let’s hope we win the game in hand, eh?”

The Town boss was pleased with the impact subs Freddie Sears and Grant Ward made: “I think Muzzy did some really good work, dropping deep, picking it up and running but we had a different threat when Freddie came on. He runs in behind, stretches it and he was excellent, as he has been. He’s very selfless.

“Grant Ward as well, but they’ve all played well, it’s been a good team performance by us today.”

Regarding Mustapha Carayol, who was replaced by Sears in the first half having picked up an injury, he said: “He’s hurt his groin.”

Sheffield Wednesday have now lost five in a row in all competitions and are without a win in six. Manager Jos Luhukay says as a result his players are lacking in confidence.

“I think over 90 minutes we have a team with no belief in themselves," he said.

"They don’t have the confidence to play offensively and to create chances and over 90 minutes I think there were only two or three chances that we had, and Lucas [Joao] scored one of them.

“But it was not enough today to make a result or to get the points. Ipswich also had maybe three chances and they scored twice and, of course, it was a fantastic freekick, the second goal.

“At the end we have not the dynamic for playing offensively with more movement, with more chances to come to a good result.”

Photo: TWTD

Skip73 added 12:27 - Mar 7 Ipswichthickandthin. The 'proper blokes' don't get injured because thats exactly what they are - Proper Blokes.
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Lightningboy added 15:01 - Mar 7 Christ,we grind out 2 wins and here they all come back again,the Mick in brigade. Have some frickin' ambition.
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Pilgrimblue added 16:25 - Mar 7 Beating a crap side doesn't change my view that Mick has run his course. A better test comes this Saturday when the same sort of tactics may not work!
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dirtydingusmagee added 17:21 - Mar 7 Black Shuck, your posts are so frickin boring 'Never about the game , football, manager, [in or out] just a load of b#llocks.
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jas0999 added 17:31 - Mar 7 Waghorn has been seriously good value for money. More so than Garner in my opinion. Just goes to show what you get from permanent additions and a small cash investment. Miles better than cheap frees and loans.
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Seasider added 17:42 - Mar 7 "A right royal scrap.We didn't allow them to play.They've been a really good football team;but I thought we stopped that,and matched them in every department,just shaded it " These quotes are all negative by Mick McCarthy,which shows his attitude to the beautiful game;which I am afraid will never change. This is all very well away ; but he has the same philosophy for home games as well,and this is why Ipswich have only 3 more points at home (27) than they have away (24). I go to all home games,as I have said previously;but have not been away since the early days of McCarthys tenure.Partly but not exclusively because of my age. I do however admire those that do trek all over the country,as it can be quite a hassle;so I am pleased that they are seeing so much reward for their efforts. I have not stopped going because of this man,and wont either if his contract is renewed;but I can see why others are not going to home matches anymore,and they have a perfect right to please themselves,and post on here. What gets my goat is the petty squabbling and name calling on this site,which invariably gets a down mark from me.

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fransthyssen added 17:30 - Mar 8 2 away wins back to back and people think MM is a genius, the 6 PTS are great but let's hope we're more positive and adventurous come Saturday at PR for the fans most of all. Might change my mind about MM if we make the playoffs lol.
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heathen66 added 21:58 - Mar 8 You never know Mick If you play him in his proper position as a striker (with Garner and two proper wingers then there is a very good chance he may do. He is not a No.10, so don't play him there Playing players for the sake of playing them does them no favours like Sears (wide Mid), Like Chambers (RB) and like McGoldrick (Wide Mid) to name just 3 of the current squad. Either play them in the proper position or do not play them at all. The squad is big enough not to fit square pegs in round holes...so don't do it just to keep certain players in the side.

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