Boss Kieran McKenna hailed Town’s 1-0 live-on-Sky home victory over Derby County as a good night for the club in lots of ways.

Wes Burns’s 67th-minute goal saw the Blues to the three points, although the margin of victory could have been wider with Kayden Jackson having missed a penalty.

“It’s a really good win, good night for the club in lots of different ways,” McKenna said. “Lots of eyes on us from the outside and I think the club did a great job.

“Great job from the supporters, fantastic atmosphere in the ground and the atmosphere matched the ground really, it was really intense. It was intense from the first minute to the last minute.

“It was as we expected, no quarter given and we had to earn everything that we got. I thought our intensity was fantastic all night. I thought we deserved the result off of the performance, especially probably in the first half. I thought we were good value for a goal.

“But a really tough game, we fought, we played well at times, we can be better. We can improve but it was a well-fought and a well-won three points as a football club.

“Probably the execution of the final pass, the execution in the final third didn’t match what went up to that point at times.

“But that can happen. When a game is so intense, so emotional, it’s hard to always find that little bit of composure when you need it and when it’s like that it’s important to keep the clean sheet and stay connected and wait for the opportunities when they come.

“I thought our pressing all night was fantastic and we were alive and connected with the game all night and that’s exactly what Kayden was for the goal.

“He anticipated the back pass, we get good pressure on the ball, force a bad back pass and he anticipates it and was unlucky not to score himself, but it was well followed-up by Wes.”

Jackson was given Sky’s Man of the Match award, which he accepted a little sheepishly having missed the penalty and struck the post with the chance which led to Burns’s goal.

“I thought he was excellent, I have to say,” McKenna continued. “I know he’ll be disappointed he didn’t score the penalty but that’s a difficult situation because Lee [Evans] is the designated penalty taker, Conor [Chaplin] is the other designated penalty taker and neither of them were on the pitch, so it takes courage to go and grab the ball and step up to take it and the keeper saved it. That can happen.

“If he’s disappointed with that, hopefully he can get over it quickly. I thought his all-round performance was outstanding, he was, as he was at Sheffield Wednesday, unplayable at times against good, experienced defenders.

“I thought it was one of his cleanest games that the he’s had for us on the ball in terms of his hold-up play and his connections and, of course, his running and his pace. Thought there were some excellent individual performances out there and his was certainly one of them.”

McKenna was disappointed Town didn’t go on to score once or twice more having gone in front.

“I think our composure in the last 15 minutes could have been better,” he reflected. “It was, of course, difficult and again the game is so emotional and so intense and the players are just so desperate to win and do well for the club.

“But we had incredible situations at the end to pick out the last pass, to break and it broke down too often. We can improve on that.

“When you get that first goal and [Derby defender and captain] Curtis Davies might have played maybe 15 minutes up front at the end, certainly 10 by the time you include the added-on time, and we keep defending well and regaining the ball as we did, then we can certainly be more clinical to go and finish that off on the counter-attacks.

“We’ll learn from that and we can improve on that and, as I said to the players downstairs, it’s October, it’s three points, it’s no more than that. We need to keep improving and keep moving forward.”

One negative aspect of the evening was Lee Evans being forced off with an injury in the second half.

“He’s got a sore knee, the inside of his knee, so that’s usually not great,” McKenna added. “We’ll have to see how he is over the weekend.”

Town are already without one of the regular central midfielders at Port Vale on Tuesday with skipper Sam Morsy suspended having been booked for a fifth time.

Derby boss Paul Warne felt his pre-match assessment that Town will go up was vindicated by the performance.

“I said before the game that Ipswich will go up and I still think it’s nailed on,” he said.

“They made it difficult for us in a game of very few chances. Sometimes away from home you just need to be resolute and take the point.

“It was obviously a mistake for the goal but we weren’t as good in possession as we were out of it and we had loads of opportunities where we should have finished with something.

“But in fairness that could be down to Ipswich’s pressing, their effort and their organisation as much as us.

“I think we can play a lot better than that but we’re not far off. The biggest disappointment for me is the injuries we picked up that mean Tom Barkhuizen and Curtis Davies are both out for a while and that’s a problem.”

Photo: Matchday Images

Mariner1974 added 00:03 - Oct 22 He might have missed a pen, but he had the balls to step up and take it, had the pace to create the mayhem for the goal, and overall the biggest threat. I know there are massive Jacko detractors since Dirty Diana, but he was the most clear and present danger to that Derby defence tonight, and i for one, am very happy he's still at ITFC. Also looked the coolest in the Black Strip. Keep up the good work Kayden

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ipswichboi added 00:07 - Oct 22 Three points in the bank. That's what we wanted and that's what we got. Great atmosphere for me tonight too. Friday night under the lights definitely helped the team get over the line. CoYB
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JaySwitch added 00:51 - Oct 22 Jackson was outstanding tonight.
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JaySwitch added 00:54 - Oct 22 Also, I had a bad feeling tonight purely based on the TV hoodoo.. That's all history now! ITID 🚜💙
4

rogie_dog added 01:06 - Oct 22 Well played boys. Hard game, 3 points, move on
3

martin587 added 06:47 - Oct 22 Fantastic atmosphere once again.The support is unbelievable and this is a big factor in us getting promotion this season.Not at our very best tonight but we stuck at it and got our just reward.Getting a few injuries now but I think the squad is still strong enough to combat what's ahead.Jackson ran his socks off and although not a great goal scorer he puts defenders under pressure with his pace.Not a penalty taker but then I expect nobody else wanted to take the responsibility. The main thing is we won.Roll on Tuesday night.Well done boys and the Boss.

6

BontyBlue added 07:50 - Oct 22 The greatest gift from last night's performance: 3 points and a Sky Sports insert video of OUR team in these TWTD reports. Heaven is Blue!
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johnwarksshorts added 07:58 - Oct 22 Not able to go to match due to work, but listened on 📻 what a fantastic result and we WON on TV.
2

Edmundo added 08:01 - Oct 22 Loved the Friday night football. Much better Sky put us on then instead of noon on a Sunday.
3

Paddy39 added 08:26 - Oct 22 Jackson, Jackson, Jackson, l'm pleased to say I was one who never wanted him out. He ran Derby ragget last night. Wes thanks you for the tap in.
8

ArnieM added 08:26 - Oct 22 Are you watching narwich scum? We're coming for you
3

Baino added 09:04 - Oct 22 The atmosphere last night was fantastic! I live in Orkney, Scotland so last night was my first experience of being at PR since McKenna took over. I usually get down to anywhere between 4 to 8 games a season and I have to say, we've always had a decent vocal support at home and away, but last night was up there as the best I have experienced for quite some time (and I started going in the mid 80s) possibly even since the old North Stand days, bar the odd game. I always felt the new two tier North stand acoustics didn't project the volume as well as the old North stand did where a full stand sounded like 40,000 sometimes but last night was next level. All four stands too, So happy to see, for myself, that we have our club back and the fans are engaged with the club again. So happy! On the pitch I feel we can still improve at some parts of the game, as highlighted by Mckenna, but overall we have a fantastic future ahead I feel and a vocal support like last night will certainly help push the lads to gain vital points over the season. Unfortunately I can't make Port Vale away due to heading to Fife for a funeral, but I can not wait for Charlton next weekend now, before heading back North to Orkney. UP THE 'SWICH!

11

SpiritOfJohn added 09:57 - Oct 22 The manager's selection of Jackson was questioned before kick-off, but you have to applaud the way that he was repaid by the efforts of the player on the night. McKenna has clearly seen something in Jackson that a lot of supporters haven't recognised, but there is no doubt that Kayden has improved under Kieran's guidance. He's not a clinical finisher but he gives us something different, and he's got his mojo back after the dark days of Cook.

5

SuffPunch added 10:32 - Oct 22 More than half of the team recruited by Paul Cook. However, the coaching regime is getting the best from them all. Kieron is a very talented football man, and we are lucky to have him.
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Marinersnose added 11:35 - Oct 22 Tonight KMK fielded what I believe is our strongest starting eleven. It was a fantastic evening at PR and the result is the most important part of the game. Agree Jack had an excellent game but he's not an out and out goalscorer and therefore shouldn't be judged in this way. JJ made so many great runs along with Jackson but we hadn't enough quality to find a pass. I felt too many were under par on Saturday and again tonight. Maybe time for Edwards to get a start . Keep the momentum.

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uppernorth added 11:56 - Oct 22 Use Walton as backup penalty taker - he's always on the pitch lol
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Linkboy13 added 12:35 - Oct 22 The black kit has had its run out for the season time to banish it to the charity shop. The Goths will have a field day Christmas shopping COYBlues.
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mike added 14:41 - Oct 22 Linkboy13, The black kit looked classy and brilliant!!
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Saxonblue74 added 14:51 - Oct 22 Agree Mike, but it's not blue!!! Why did Derby have to change kit also? No greater contrast than Black v White!
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Europablue added 17:04 - Oct 22 Great results for us today with Plymouth and Wednesday both drawing.
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Pilgrimblue added 20:47 - Oct 22 Jackson was outstanding and so often had their defence at 6s and 7s. Great strike for the goal that Wes finished off. he only had inches to play with as could have been stopped by keeper. Shame it didn't go in off the post but thankfully Wes was there to clean . Penalty miss as it turned out was of no consequence but if he gets another chance i'm sure he'll do better. When we play a quality side the opportunities are less but we did it and lets move on and reclaim top spot.

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Gazelle added 09:21 - Oct 24 Brilliant atmosphere, the way it's going we're going to need a bigger ground next season.
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