Left-back Stephen Ward felt Hull City’s greater ruthlessness was the difference between the sides during Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat to the League One leaders at Portman Road. Ward says everyone in the dressing room was hurting after the game and knows they need to play better and react when Charlton visit Portman Road on Saturday.

Mallik Wilks put the visitors in front in the second minute, Josh Magennis made it two in first-half injury time and sub Tom Eaves made it three with 13 minutes left to end Town’s home league 100 per cent record.

“They came with a game plan. I don’t think the score reflects the game went in terms of what we did on the ball and the positions we got in,” the 35-year-old said after the match.

“But at this level when you’re going to win a league, you’ve got to take your chances, you’ve got to be ruthless in both boxes.

“That’s probably the difference tonight, they were a bit more streetwise than us, we were just not as ruthless as maybe we could have been. And that’s the disappointing thing.”

The former Republic of Ireland international agreed it’s a lesson he and his colleagues need to learn quickly.

“One hundred per cent, we know that as a team,” he added. “We’re very pleasing on the eye, we play good football, we can dominate games. Like I said, it’s just getting that little bit more of a ruthless streak in us.

“From everyone, not just the front lads. Up front, at the back, throughout the midfield, we’ve got to be a bit stronger because when we have the ball, you can see in most games, we can dominate for long periods.

“On the turnover maybe we just need to be a little bit more ruthless in getting the ball back and getting back into our shape and making ourselves a bit more difficult.

“But listen, we’ve not been like that all season. We haven’t conceded many goals like that, we’ve been quite resilient, quite solid.

“But when we’re playing a team that’s up there, you maybe need to have that little bit more ruthlessness that we didn’t have tonight.”

No one needs reminding that the Blues are still to beat only Accrington of the teams in the top 10 this season, having defeated only Fleetwood and Gillingham, both 1-0 away, of the 10 teams that finished above them in the last campaign.

In addition to Hull, Town have lost at Doncaster, 4-1, Lincoln, 1-0, and Sunderland, 2-1 so far this season.

But Ward insists the Blues are capable of taking three points from one of their fellow challengers.

“Of course we can,” he said. “If you look at all three of those games, I don’t think we were outplayed or overawed in any of the games. Like I said, maybe there is that stigma that we can’t [beat the top teams] but of course we believe we can, we just maybe have to learn from the games where we’ve not won.

“Credit to Hull, they had a good away performance, but you wouldn’t say they came and outplayed us or out-footballed us but they were just more ruthless and that’s the bit that we need to get into our game.

“From last year, the lads have said the same, we maybe struggled against the top six. It’s something we need to work on.

“Starting Saturday we need to show against a decent Charlton team, who are going to be up there, we need to bounce back, we need to reflect on what we didn’t do right in the games we have lost because in a lot of the other games we’ve done well.

“But those games, we have to have a look at ourselves and look at how we approach them and how we turn the record around and get a result against one of these teams.”

Following the Addicks’ visit, the Blues have away trips to Oxford and Plymouth but Ward dismissed the suggestion that that makes Saturday’s match an even bigger fixture.

“Every game’s big,” he insisted. “If you’ve got aspirations of getting promoted, every game’s a massive game, no matter who you’re playing.

“The three points against Shrewsbury is the same as three points against Hull, against Portsmouth. It’s important we react.

“When you lose a game it’s massive that you show character that bottle that you can come back and get a result after it, and that’s what we need to do. We’ll recover and we’ll get ready to go again.”

Asked what it was like in the dressing room, the Dubliner said: “Everyone’s disappointed, we’ve got what we needed to say off our chests after the performance. And we move on, we learn from it, we’ve got a lot of good young players in that dressing room, a lot of lads will strive to go on in their careers, there's real talent in there. Anything we can do or any little pointers [we can give].

“There’s no pointing fingers, we’re in it as a collective and that’s the most important thing. And as a team we know the performance tonight at times was really good, but there were a lot of areas, especially in both boxes, that we can do better.

“The more the younger lads learn, and we’re still learning as senior pros, you’ve got to pull it all together and that starts Saturday again.”

Quizzed on whether it was an open forum with everyone getting their say, not just the more senior players, he added: “We’re all in it together, it doesn’t matter whether you’re 19, 20, 30, 31, 32, we’re in it as a team, everyone’s striving for the same thing. Everyone wants this club to get promoted.

“So, whether you’re playing well, you’re not playing well, you’ve had a good game, it doesn’t matter. If you’ve got an opinion, you say it and everyone takes it on board.

“And that’s the way it should be at a club because, like I said, we want to get promoted so if there’s anything to be said, it’ll be said and then you move on and you go again. We reflect and we go again and we show our character on Saturday.”

Reflecting on the current injury situation with Jon Nolan (groin), Gwion Edwards (hamstring), James Wilson (knee), Teddy Bishop Ankle), Cole Skuse and Flynn Downes (both knee) all sidelined at present, and with Freddie Sears having suffered a hamstring injury last night, Ward said: “That’s been tough, it’s not an excuse but it has been tough, we’ve lost a lot of key players, even as far back as Cole and Flynn.

“We’ve lost a lot of key players, we’ve got players coming back now, Nors [James Norwood] I thought was really good tonight, looked really sharp, looked back to himself. We’ve got Aaron Drinan coming back, Kane Vincent-Young’s not too far away hopefully.

“Listen, losing Teddy and Nolo for this game was a big blow at the weekend, but we’ve got a strong enough squad, that’s not an excuse, that’s something that every team is going to have to contend with this season, especially with games coming thick and fast.”

Does he believe the young players in the squad are mentally tough enough for a League One promotion battle?

“They’ll have to be,” he responded. “They’re learning on the job, so any experience that they have, I’m sure they’ll all take something from tonight’s game.

“I feel that we’ve got a really mentally strong group, a good mix of youth and experience and, like I said, they’re learning. A defeat like that, as a player you reflect on it and it can only make you stronger and I’m sure that will be the case for a lot of us tonight.”

Looking ahead to December and the return of up to 4,000 fans to Portman Road for the visit of Portsmouth, Ward believes that will give the Blues a boost.

“Brilliant, yes, Fingers crossed,” he said. “We’ve missed the fans in here. I’ve obviously not played in front of anyone, even family members being able to come to the games. It’s been tough with your family not being able to come and cheer you on and support you.

“So that’ll be a real lift and I’m sure whatever numbers we can get in here, they’ll be loud and they’ll get behind the team because we’ve missed them and you need them in your home games, especially games like tonight. You do miss them.”

Ward is aware that there is negativity among the support, particularly after Tuesday’s result, but accepts that that comes with the territory and he hopes fans will stay behind their side.

“Listen, that’s the nature of playing for a big club, and we are a big club in this division,” he said. “But at the end of the day, we will give it our best to get promoted, we will work as hard as we can and having the fans behind us will be an extra man for us really.

“I would hope they’ll stay with us as long as possible. We know we need to play better and react but let me tell you the lads are hurting in there tonight and we want it as much as anyone.”

Photo: Matchday Images

jas0999 added 19:25 - Nov 25 We simply aren't good enough.
0

muhrensleftfoot added 19:43 - Nov 25 To be honest older season ticket holders like me have had mostly 20 years of crap. Joe Royle did well under the circumstances , Jim Magilton did OK, and Mick had one season. Otherwise it's been awful to be a Town supporter You always have hope but it never lasts. Lambert is the absolute worst of the lot. At least Jewell had a sense of humour. PL is brainless incoherent, and unpleasant. (Re his recent interview post Shrewsbury,amongst others last season). The sooner we are rid of him and his bewildering tactics the better.

5

postmanblue added 19:45 - Nov 25 Action not words.
0

Steelmonkey added 19:54 - Nov 25 So Hull came with a game plan, does that explain why we were so poor, didn't we have one, or did Lambert tell the players what is was but did they understand him with that thick Scottish accent. On a positive note I thought Norwood had his best game in a town shirt last night, he actually looks fit now so why was he taken off? His replacements didn't make any impact on the game at all. Why some players are getting on the team sheet and others don't amazes me. Woolfie didn't have the best of games but I'd put that down to not having him as play regularly as he was last season. I'd actually persevere with Hughes in the side, another who would benefit from a run in the side but we need to switch to a four man midfield and have two up front, the middle three are getting overwhelmed How on earth are we suffering with so many injuries, I've never been a Dozzell fan but he has probably been one of our more consistent players, and we have missed him whilst he is suspended. For those moaning about our first home defeat, just think on that there are supporters of teams in league one that would swap our positions as soon as, even if it was possible. Has anyone thought that the reason the team not being nailed on every game is that some are not capable of playing every game and that some who do get in are just aren't good enough.

0

Chris_Knights added 20:02 - Nov 25 I've read some of the comments in the forum and some valid points .... I'm not and never have been a Lambert fan. I have a simply view of the current situation. We have the best squad in the division by a country mile and yet don't have a clue how to win regularly enough to get out the division .... that's down to one thing. Poor coaching!!! This town team are good enough to go up but not with this manager ... not in a million years

2

Help added 20:49 - Nov 25 So on Saturday we play a team who were beaten by the team bottom of the league. Which team do you think is going to use the defeat on Tuesday to motivate and bounce back from the defeat.
0

chopra777 added 21:15 - Nov 25 Having looked at the goals against Hull, there is a mental block. Fear of conceding a penalty or a free kick. Lack of motivation by the manager. Having a fear of not being able to defeat promotion hopefuls and a fear of not repeating not season's failure. Our team needs a shrink to sort things out. Lambert is only a manager not a miracle worker. Stop the winging and support your team. Life is difficult at present and a winning team helps. The league position is not bad, there is still hope. Come on you blues get it right.

-1

Steve_D added 21:40 - Nov 25 Steve it's your turn to go talk the talk , here's. The script it's done ok for the last 3 yrs no one has noticed it's the same old cr. P
0

dirtydingusmagee added 21:45 - Nov 25 Lambert may as well be a cardboard cut out. His whole body language and attitude is that of a no hoper, he is like a 45rpm record playing at 33 we will never get anywhere whilst he is manager [except lower].
1

madmouse1959 added 00:34 - Nov 26 Whilst Marcus Evans sits back and over sees the slow destruction of this club it is now a footballer, who has only been here less than a year, who has the gall to come out with that. Evans avoids the supporters. Evans remains anonymous to this town and its people. It will all go pop if some serious action and better recruitment is not undertaken.
2

paris_mitchell_in_oz added 00:51 - Nov 26 Well, let's face it, we're not going to beat anyone if we start games with no midfield.
1

eddiespearitt03 added 05:44 - Nov 26 Ipswich used to compete in Division 1, the FA Cup, the League Cup and in Europe. The workload at this club now concentrates only on an unconvincing League One campaign. What does that tell you.? The busy treatment table does not help.. The problem might be that any new manager who attempts real change at this club might suffer the same fate as Paul Hurst. So it is up to Marcus Evans to grab the bull by the horns and re-shape this club.

1

BettyBlue added 07:37 - Nov 26 We'll always have next season at ITFC
0

BettyBlue added 07:41 - Nov 26 How on earth does Marcus Evans plc make any money if Paul Lambert's record is an indication of the calibre of his management people.
0

wkj added 07:43 - Nov 26 It didn't look like it at the end of the Hull game to be honest, they looked fairly jovial really.
0

Michael101 added 09:32 - Nov 26 Question,how bad Evans become a millionaire??,if he made the same appointments as he has done at itfc he would be bankrupt. Every manager has been norfolk and good.
0

Razor added 10:23 - Nov 26 EDDIE HOWE NOW
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls