Blues boss Mick McCarthy was happy with his side’s point from their 0-0 draw at Millwall and their Easter total of four.

McCarthy said: “It’s a good point, without a doubt. Four points from Easter, three from the home game and one away at Millwall, great.

“It wasn’t a very good game, it was pretty poor, two teams in a relegation scrap. I think we’ve been there all season long and I think it’s dawning on Millwall that they are because they’re one point better off than us and the other teams have won.

“It was nervy, conditions weren’t great, it was blowing a gale, it was a bouncy old pitch. It wasn’t conducive to a great game of football and yet there were quite a lot of chances as well and either team could have won it. I’ll take a point all day long.”

The Blues boss made five changes to his starting line-up and believes he made the right decision: “I’m pleased that I did because I’m not sure that we would have had the energy otherwise. They had an extra day to recover after their previous game and that does make a difference.

“I think it gave us that bit of energy to cope with a difficult dour game. It was very tight in the middle of the park, there were lots of balls in behind. It just gave us that little bit of freshness.

“But in fairness, Lee Martin’s been an ever-present, Chops and Frank Nouble would still have been in the team but for getting injured, Guirane N’Daw’s been an ever-present, and Jay was the one who played well on Saturday.”

He says Andy Drury was always going to be rested, but also had a minor knock which was why he was left off the bench: “Andy was going to be left out for Guirane anyway and he reported a tight groin yesterday. He was all right today, I guess when you think you’re playing you’re all right, if you’re on the bench you might not be all right.

“I made that decision for him. I said that if he has to sit for 60 minutes and come on that wouldn’t be right, so I left him out all together.”

Lions manager Kenny Jackett thought his side had the better of the game’s opportunities: “I felt that we had the better of the chances. Ipswich had a couple but we had more and slightly more clear-cut.

“It’s interesting, since the FA Cup quarter-final, we’ve won two and drawn one and the gap’s closed at the bottom.”

Jackett was also pleased with his side’s holiday points total: “Over this Bank Holiday weekend we’ve got four points out of six, which is a good return.”

Photo: Action Images

havinit69 added 18:49 - Apr 1 4 points from 6 is a great return. Especially with our run in!
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jas0999 added 18:54 - Apr 1 Another good assessment from Mick. As I said on another thread, where we were when Mick took over to having fifty points today, is nothing short of excellent. Okay, away goals are not forthcoming, but other teams now struggle to score against us. Four points, no goals conceded is a good Easter return. Well done to all.
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TimmyH added 19:13 - Apr 1 Yep we certainly would be floundering if PJ was some how still in charge. Mick's done a good job and particularly with the defense which really has been our saviour in regards to keeping out of that bottom 3. Still a long way from being over and another toughy at Derby coming up, just got a feeling we're going to have to win away sooner or later.
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TimmyH added 19:14 - Apr 1 I should say sooner 'rather' than later.
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Talbs77 added 19:15 - Apr 1 4 Points over easter with no goals conceded is an excellent return. However what worries me in this loopy league is the fact we just can't pull away from the bottom 6 who incredibly keep winning. I'm revising my survival target from 53 points to 55, I still think we will be ok although our home games look really tough (Palace/Hull/Birmingham). But there are worse teams than us down there and we will be ok (I think!!), although one thing I do know, this league is absolutely bonkers with anyone up to Derby still possibly going down.

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h32 added 19:26 - Apr 1 ..... fact is we have four games coming up which we will need to be at 'our very best' in - AND WILL NEED TO SCORE GOALS - because without WE DON'T ACRUE 3 POINTS - and that will be crucial.
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TimmyH added 19:27 - Apr 1 Agree Talbs - good return for Easter and we all would have taken 4 points, what worries me is how other teams keep finding results. I feel Bristol City might struggle to get out but perm any 2 from 12 thereafter it's getting that ridiculous! How long we can keep winning at home and then getting a point away is anyone's guess, I've just got a feeling that that sequence might stop this weekend. One thing that is on our side is that we have a manager whose been there and done it so I should think he's quite a calming influence in the changing room regarding nerves (if there are any at the moment). Interesting few weeks coming up.

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Mark added 19:34 - Apr 1 Another good result today, but the other results continue to defy belief, with even 10-man Blackpool managing to beat Palace! Last season Doncaster went down with 36 points, and Coventry and Portsmouth dropped with 40. This season Hudderfield have 47 points with seven games to go and they are in the bottom three!
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PutneyBlue added 19:47 - Apr 1 on form, isn't it Bristol City, Blackburn and either Sheff Wed or Huddersfield down?
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PutneyBlue added 19:48 - Apr 1 or even Leeds?
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TractorBoy666 added 19:55 - Apr 1 I reckon around about 7 teams on the last day of the season are going to be in danger of getting relegated, I feel we could be one of them. Our goal difference worries me a little, but the Easter results looks promising. Just need to continue picking up these points away, and do the job at home and we will be fine. This has been one crazy season!
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StowTractorBoy added 20:11 - Apr 1 Just back from the game and what a poor game it was between two teams equally as poor as each other although Millwall did have the better chances. The wind was awful and I agree with Mick I would take a draw all day as points are all that matter at the moment. Making five changes was a bold gamble but, I trust Mick to know what he is doing, but my goodness one of these days Loach's luck will run out as he fumbled at least 3 balls today and never took one cross - all the more credit therefore to Smith and Chambers the latter getting my man of the match. Not many other performances of note but a hard workmanlike effort by all. We had one golden chance which Chopra headed over from 5 yards and Nouble fluffed a decent opening blazing over when well placed. Hyam had a super effort from the half way line cleared in front of goal which had certainly caught goalkeeper Forde out. Postives are another away point and clean sheet and a hard working team effort. Negatives a very shaky goalkeeper although he did make a couple of decent stops one from his initial error. No creativity from midfield and a very punchless looking attack where McGoldrick was badly missed. Lots more to be done as we have without doubt got one of the hardest run ins. Like others can't quite believe we have 50 points and are nowhere near safe.

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Langdon_Blue added 20:21 - Apr 1 Its incredible that everyone from 10th and below aren't safe from the drop. I believe that we have enough about us to avoid the bottom 3, but as exciting as this is for the neutrals, I wish our form would have pulled us away and to safety by now....well done to all over Easter, coyb!!!
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ericclacton added 20:31 - Apr 1 Great fantastic, have a drink.
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Kikapu added 20:58 - Apr 1 Thanks for the report Stowtractorboy.
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BuckieBlue added 22:43 - Apr 1 1 goal conceded in 7 games, 4 in 11 games, considering what things were like even a few games into MM/ TC's reign this is an incredible turnaround. Ok we're now only 3 points away from 22nd but there are quite a few teams below us, and the form some of them are in must make their own TWTD equivalent sites interesting reading!
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RetroBlue added 00:27 - Apr 2 Thanks for the report Stow Tractor. What really concerns me is your observations of Loach. I thought he was very shaky vs Leeds regarding those bread and butter crosses he should be dealing with. His lack of confidence will affect the defence's confidence in him - and could ultimately cost Town dear in such a close division. I just hope I'm wrong!
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BrettenhamBlue added 04:32 - Apr 2 Really hate my user name now.... Will be watching Bolton vrs Huddersfield game- think that it is critical for us that Bolton win. If we can stay 3 points above Huddersfield it could prove decisive on the last day. Their goal diff is horrendous. Come on Middlesbrough and Bolton!!! COYM and B!!!
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theobald1985 added 08:52 - Apr 2 I do think stowtractorboy is slightly if not very biased against scott loach. 2 clean sheets in a row some decent saves.Shouldent we just say well done scott keep it up?
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wkj added 12:37 - Apr 2 Mick is a wise old owl and I think more town rants realise how our fate is in out own hands- this is like our Burley years when we finished just shy of 2nd all over- as much as we want to see every team below us lose - we've gotta keep focus on our own. The atmosphere at PR vs Leeds was better than previous games and not just the crowd; but Mick giving us a wave when we chanted his name and Loach engaging the fans and the goal celebrations really showed appreciation; particularly from McGoldrick. Life is getting better at Portman road and all you fellow season ticket holders need to recruit as many friends and family for Hull as possible- lets make a racket at our closing games and show the team and staff that we really are Ipswich til we die! Exciting end to the season for all the wrong reasons but Mick is starting to really have a positive effect on the club that Keane and Jewell managed to steer off course. PS The lower teams will start dropping points soon as they are a lot of games over April that put the strugglers against each other- Shef Wed is for my money the MUST win game for survival.

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wkj added 12:38 - Apr 2 ugh my spelling is poor because phone typing is bad when in a rush haha sorry for my 4 year old sentances
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