Town boss Kieran McKenna felt his players didn’t deserve Fleetwood’s last-gasp equaliser in this evening's 1-1 draw at Portman Road, despite not having played as well as they can.

Cian Hayes’s 96th-minute deflected goal levelled Luke Woolfenden’s second minute opener which looked to have seen the Blues to three points until the dying seconds.

“Could I see it coming? No, not in the context of the game, really,” McKenna reflected. “I thought in the second half we worked ever so hard.

“Of course, we can play much, much better than we played in the second half. On the other hand, there was a grit and a resilience about us to see the game out, we gave away so few chances.

“They had the header from the set play, but other than that I thought we were really resilient and solid and they didn’t look like scoring and it’s a long-range deflected goal, it’s a lucky goal, there’s no two ways about it.

“It wasn’t coming in terms of the flow of the game. In terms of the flow of the season, I think probably a lot of people in the stadium, because we’ve had quite a few things go against us very late in games, that feeling is there until you get some more games over the line to take that away, that’s the only way we can do that.

“I thought the goal was unfortunate and undeserved for the efforts that the players put in.”

He added: “To be honest, if the game had finished on 93 minutes, I would have been saying I really enjoyed it because it was a feisty game, they came to play, they came to compete.

“We played well in bits but in the second half we didn’t play well but we can’t play well for every half of every game this season.

“We’ve spoken about that lots and especially in the situation we’re in at the moment, we’re not going to be perfect, we know that, and we have to be tough and resilient.

“And I thought we were tough, I thought we were resilient, I thought we stood up to the physical challenge and I thought we did enough to earn a gritty win. So, I’m disappointed for the players because I thought they put a lot into the game.”

Regarding former Blues loanee Josh Earl’s celebrations which saw him dismissed for making obscene gestures towards Town supporters, he said: “No interest, to be honest. It doesn’t make any difference to us.

“He doesn’t miss a game [against us], he probably misses a game against rivals of ours. I heard the officials saying that that’s what happened. I’ve no interest in it.”

Town would have gone top had they won with Plymouth losing 2-0 at home to Port Vale to extend their League One winless run to three matches.

However, McKenna says missing out on going first doesn’t concern him at this point in the campaign.

“No, honestly I wouldn’t have felt any different if we’d have won or drew as we did if Plymouth had won or drew,” he insisted.

“It’s a gutting result because of a very fortunate late goal, which has completely changed the narrative and has changed the emotion of everyone associated with Ipswich. But the results of other teams at this stage of the season don’t interest me too much.”

McKenna admitted his team need to take more of their chances at Portman Road having scored only three times in their last four home matches.

“Yes, in this spell of home games we need to score more goals,” he continued. “We’ve had plenty of play, plenty of opportunities, plenty of chances and the return hasn’t been good enough for that.

“We know that, the players know that. People don’t miss on purpose or don’t mess up moments on purpose and we need to keep working to improve.”

Asked whether his side ought to have been awarded a penalty in the closing moments when Kayden Jackson appeared to be fouled, he said: “I haven’t seen it back. At the time it looked like a penalty, it looked like he was in front of the defender and the defender barged in front.

“I have seen the one on Cameron Burgess in the first half and I thought it was ridiculous. He got rugby tackled from behind [by Earl].

“I’m really, really, really reticent to talk about referees but at some stage you’re just hoping that there’s going to be some levelling up because in every game there have been two or three big decisions to be made here and the referees seem reluctant to make them, outside of the general performance of the game.

“I thought we were good for at least one penalty and the theme continues at the moment and probably the only time we’ve had penalties this year was when I spoke about it after Barnsley, so I don’t want to speak about referees but I hope that the case is that things are given without managers having to shout and holler from the sidelines and publicly.”

Fleetwood boss Scott Brown was delighted with his side’s display aside from the opening few minutes.

“I thought the performance was outstanding after the first five minutes,” he said. “It shows the determination of these lads to come back.

“A lot of teams could go 1-0 down here and then with the momentum and their fans, and with the players they’ve got, it could see them go on to score three or four.

“But we’ve managed to go in at half-time and it’s still 1-0. We knew we would get a chance so we had to make sure we stayed in the game.

“Our possession stats are exceptional, against the team with the best in the league, and there were times when we were even able to dictate play.

“It’s a tribute to the lads' fitness levels that they continued to drive forward with belief and they threw everything at it.

“The game plan worked today but we need to make sure we can turn the draws into three points.

“We’ve had a lot of draws this season but this one feels like a win against a fantastic team at a fantastic stadium.”

Photo: TWTD

Cheshire_Blue added 10:27 - Dec 3 We lack the ability to break teams down and kill games off. Poor game management will cost us promotion. How many times have we seen this before ? Just not good enough.
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yorkieblue62 added 11:57 - Dec 3 Perspective.... not killing teams off & conceding late late goals to cost points is a problem but not as big as being played off the park & losing games as has happened previous three seasons. Only if & when we start getting dragged into the play off picture by the likes of Barnsley & Derby will I be worried but we have to show that we can more than match the other table toppers....posh, portsmouth, plymouth & Sheff wed ... over the next 2 months

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barrystedmunds added 12:30 - Dec 3 We really should've have run away with this league by now but we have this maddening trait of inviting teams back in to games that we should've nailed. We're not going to be “on it” every week, no team is, and I think we all accept that, but boy is it infuriating to snatch a draw from the grips of certain victory on a pretty regular basis!!! 😡😡😡😡🩱🩱

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bluesince76 added 13:31 - Dec 3 2 points dropped again lucky goal need 2 new strikers in Jan window that can actually score regularly or our stay in this terrible league could go on.
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RobsonWark added 14:34 - Dec 3 McKenna couldn't see it coming...23,000 fans in the stadium could! You have a very short memory Kieran. Charlton is the obvious example. How many other games did we lose from a winning position this season?
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hyperbrit added 17:20 - Dec 3 to be fair Town's position in the league is incomparably better than lasts year's,but frankly the lame excuses must stop. League 1 looks to me more like the Championship of a few years ago but unfortunately the referees are not. This means that Town must accept that they will often have to play 12 men and not make these silly excuses when that happens. The opposition is aware of this flaw in Town's logic and takes advantage of it.Fortunately Sheffield Wed. and Plymouth were unable to take advantage of yesterday's debacle. The players and McKenna must see this as a let off no more.

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blueboy1981 added 17:50 - Dec 3 Let's be thankful we are still in Division 3 shall we ? - at the present rate we would be destroyed in the Championship when we cane under and kind of pressure. How many times this season have we taken the lead, and should have pushed on ? - but instead capitulated, time and again. And there is no sign of that obvious flaw being eradicated, in fact it is so predictable for most of us that it will happen. What an advantage, and encouragement that is then to even weak opposition ?? But, as always there are Supporters who will condone whatever is served up, with an attitude of ‘at least we are not bottom' or ‘other teams do the same'. Personally, I couldn't give a flying f#ck what other teams do - if we WIN, what others do is of NO consequence or interest. There has to be a Will to Win from the Club, Team, and Supporters - that's what Competition is about. If not, Why Bother with any of it ??

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blueboy1981 added 17:52 - Dec 3 …. ‘any' not ‘and' !
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Nomore4 added 17:55 - Dec 3 Try showing support #arnie m. Before every game you post what a struggle it will be and will probably lose…… not the sharpest tool are you…..
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ThaiBlue added 20:44 - Dec 3 Take your blinkers off mckenna to many times now we have not killed games off and letting in late goals.a habit that needs to stop now and as your the gaffer sort it out now before we start slipping out of 2nd place.we think we are good but we really aint at the moment.
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blueboy1981 added 20:44 - Dec 3 ArnieM …. you are right in much of what you post - unlike some Supporters who will always be satisfied with being second best, and try to convince the rest of us to be the same. That's the main reason Ipswich Town FC is still in Division 3 - using League 1 as the description, somewhat obscures the real terminology of current status level. If we do not correct our current flaws, watch the Home crowd start reducing post Xmas … !!

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hyperbrit added 02:02 - Dec 4 unfortunately the stench of mid table mediocrity is still hanging like a cloud over Portman Rd. long after Mick and Evans have gone. That is why we do better on the road imo.
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braveblue added 08:51 - Dec 4 Second in league after 20 games. Best football played for many years. A few unfortunate points dropped late in games. Manager now being questioned re decisions. Crazy. Just support him!!
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Nomore4 added 09:43 - Dec 4 Spot on brave blue……so many negative t#####s on here
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Len_Brennan added 09:52 - Dec 4 Should nothing be questioned braveblue? Should no obvious errors or flaws be commented on? What do you think the purpose of messageboards like this for fans is, if opinion & debate is not allowed? The is quite a distinction between being a fan who wants the best for the club & therefore comments on mistakes or weaknesses that could cost a promotion, and just being negative for the sake of it.

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buckleshamblue60 added 10:41 - Dec 4 Unfortunate yes, undeserved, absolutely not - was he watching a different game to the rest of us? And to say that is being disrespectful to Fleetwood, who performed extremely well in the second half IMO. Is he beginning to feel the pressure a bit? And if he told the team at any stage in the second half to "manage the game out", I think he may need to reflect on that. I think we just need to give it full beans until we are at least two goals up at home, three away! However, we remain second in the division, which we would gladly have accepted at the start of the season. Reflect, learn, improve. COYB.

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blueboy1981 added 13:37 - Dec 4 There's an element of Bullsh#t about McKenna - no other possible explanation for such comment.
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blue86 added 13:38 - Dec 4 Blue boy 1981 is right you know! We have only played 20 games and have already lost twice, plus we are only 2nd in the league... .just not good enough really. I just hope we have enough points to stay up.
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gippeswyk added 22:37 - Dec 4 Reality check people. Town are second just a point off top and we're nearly midway through the season. So many negative people and drama queens on here. This is the best set of results we've had for 10 years and KM deserves huge credit. Temper your disappointment from one result, not even a loss, and enjoy the fact Town are very much on the right track for promotion.
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Michael101 added 18:19 - Dec 5 G ippes wyk ,yes you are correct ,but if we carry the same form as the last 4 games then we won't even make. the play offs.
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blueboy1981 added 15:25 - Dec 6 blue86 - Yes, and you are one of those that would still be satisfied with that ! You're one of those Supporters I refer to … in not expecting much … !!!
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