Town boss Mick McCarthy felt there wasn’t a lot in the Blues’ 2-0 defeat at Huddersfield until the home side took the lead just before half-time, but admitted the Terriers’ second goal 12 minutes after the restart put the West Yorkshire side’s victory to bed.

“I thought we’ve been beaten by a good team, that’s what we’ve been beaten by,” he said. “But I think up until 43 minutes there wasn’t a lot in it.

“They had the ball, we didn’t have many chances but neither did they. We got done by a bit of a wonder goal, to be honest.

“The game is generally getting the ball off them and stopping them playing and then playing when you’ve got it. Our problem was that we didn’t play particularly well when we had it but we did stop them playing.”

He admitted it was a blow to go behind despite having managed to do that, adding: “But we had to be better with the ball [in the second half].

“We hadn’t created many chances but it was 1-0 and I don’t think the second half started at any great rate either. Then they get a freekick and they score from the resulting melee afterwards.

“And unfortunately that kind of put it to bed because we were struggling to get chances out of it, although Jordan Spence, who I thought was good today, if we’d scored from his run and shot, and who knows. It’s fine detail.”

Despite the result, he felt the first-half performance showed a reaction to the FA Cup exit at the hands of non-league Lincoln.

“Without a doubt,” he said. “I was never worried about getting a response from Tuesday night, whatever happens in the FA Cup, I’ve no idea.

“But the lads have been great all season in terms of the way they go about their job, their professionalism, their work-rate.

“Yes, we could be better with the ball, [but] no question I was pleased with the response from the lads.”

He dismissed the suggestion that the failure to make much impact having gone two behind was down to a hangover from Tuesday or a lack of confidence given this season’s struggles.

“We’re playing against a team who are playing very well in the top six and they are full of confidence,” he said.

“And the place is bouncing as well, even driving up you could see that, the number of people that are here. That has a really positive effect on the team.

“It’s not quite the same for us, but I’m not suggesting we lack confidence, no, not at all.”

Town are entering a tough run of games and he admits that the prospect of relegation remains a concern when the Blues - who are nine points from the bottom three - aren’t winning games and sides below are gaining points.

“It depends what happens next week, I guess,” he continued. “If we go to Preston and win and suddenly we might be 12 points clear of the relegation zone and suddenly we start looking upwards again. But while teams start catching us up it always becomes a worry, of course.”

McCarthy was happy with debutant right wing-back Jordan Spence’s display: “I was really pleased with him.

“Josh Emmanuel has done nothing wrong but Josh was just knackered on Tuesday night, having played Saturday-Tuesday, he’s not gone through that yet, Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday. I was happy with Jordan, he played really well, I thought.

“If I’ve got fresh legs and fresh legs who can play as well as that I don’t see any reason I wouldn’t use them.

“Developing players [is one thing], we need to pick up points, we need to be hard-nosed and that’s what we’ll have to be for the rest of the season.”

McCarthy was also pleased with substitute Kieffer Moore, who was also making his debut: “I thought Kieffer did all right actually, I was pleased with him. What is he going to do? He comes on as a sub, you’re 2-0 down.

“He had a good turn in the box and didn’t quite catch it right. He held it up a couple of times, he won a few headers.

“If he does that well having come on for 20 minutes, he did OK, Kieffer, I’m happy enough with him.”

Owner Marcus Evans was at the game before leaving five minutes prior to the end, as he usually does, but McCarthy says the two didn’t meet up.

“No, I’ve got things to do, I’ve duties to perform, I’ve got to speak to the radio, the TV and other media,” he said. “I spoke to the players, so no I haven’t spoken to him yet.

“I didn’t even know he was here. If he’s here to watch my performance and see what the fans think of me, great, that’s fine. But I don’t think so somehow.”

In addition to the lengthy list of injuries keeper Bartosz Bialkowski missed today’s game through illness.

“It doesn’t help but we’ve struggled with injuries all season and I could do without the sickness bug hitting us between now and next week,” McCarthy added.

Regarding the long injury list, aside from Teddy Bishop, who will play for the U23s against Liverpool at Tranmere tomorrow, he says no one else is close to a return, including David McGoldrick, who has been out with a hamstring problem: “No, he’s not been on the grass yet.”

Huddersfield manager David Wagner was pleased that his side, who are up to third, got back to winning ways having lost at Sheffield Wednesday last week.

“I think after the first five, maybe 10 minutes it was a very strong performance from the lads," he said.

“Very energetic, very focused, very concentrated. We scored two wonderful goals and defended very well.”

He added: “In my opinion a very good performance and a massive three points for us.”

Photo: TWTD

BlueandTruesince82 added 21:58 - Jan 21 Have to say I thought other than the fact that they defended better than us, passes better than us, tool their chances better than us and scored 2 more goals than us it was very even affair Geoff
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JCBLUE added 22:09 - Jan 21 Another wonder goal & another muppet substitution. We have lost every game this season when Douglas comes on as a sub, and we only win circa 25% when he starts. Our win ratio when he doesn't play is over 70%, work it out Mick!!
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TB42 added 22:11 - Jan 21 "There was nothing wrong with what we did. Huddersfield are a very good side. You need to keep doing what you believe in and hopefully nick a few results....." Mick McCARTHY quote on the BBC Sport website. Therein lies the continuing problem, we are back to the Einstein definition of insanity!! He keeps doing what he has always done, still expecting a different result.... Same tactics, keep playing players our of position and keep playing the favourites, irrespective of form, in favour of those who play well .... If this approach were correct then we would not keep losing!! I do not accept we have a poor squad, we have a squad that is badly managed and motivated. we need a change. To all those doom and gloom Mick supporters who keep responding with their obligatory "be careful what you wish for" consider this - Mick's culture is ingrained into our team. The longer he stays, the worse it will get because he has clearly demonstrated he cannot or will not change. As a result, any new manager will have a much harder job to turn things around....

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GiveusaWave added 22:17 - Jan 21 We were lucky to keep it at 2-0 Mick, may as well have laid out a welcome mat for their forwards in the last 20 mins.
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airliner added 22:22 - Jan 21 Killing us softly with the same old tripe! ME and Milne need to wake up and smell the coffee . Please someone buy the club and get rid !
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munstermanagement added 22:28 - Jan 21 I don't know the answer but I'm crying typing this. Mccarthy doesn't give a t%%s about us. What we gonna do people?
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dirtydingusmagee added 22:28 - Jan 21 yet another good side, bloody hell it isn't fair! Hang on ,weve been beaten by lower teams ,oh yes even Lincoln, , o yes I remember they are good teams too,in false positions .Mmmmmmm weren't we a good team once, Sadly we never will be again with Evans using the till from Open all hours and a manager who is still in the world of lace up leather balls, and who is arrogant enough to dictate to his employer when he decides he will leave .

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madmouse1959 added 22:38 - Jan 21 Something he said on Channel 5 tonight "My lads do not throw the towel in, they are good lads " ....Ok we kept going Mr McCarthy , but the only reason was that the ref had not blown the full time whistle. It is hard work listening to this rubbish every week. Once again he turns the question on to the other team and how good they were.
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madmouse1959 added 22:44 - Jan 21 How come we have so many players on the sick when we have not even broken a sweat in most games ? Explain that .
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bostonusablue added 22:49 - Jan 21 tB42 I marked you down by accident. Agree with everything you said.
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algarvefan added 23:48 - Jan 21 He'll be gone by Monday....you heard it here first!!!
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Kulturarv added 00:08 - Jan 22 No Mick, not the second goal. It is in fact you and Marcus Scrooge who put the team and the club to bed quite a while ago. Could you please help us to wake up from this nightmare by leaving. And please tell Scrooge to sell to someone who is interested in football. Scrooge seems to like Town as much as he likes the Brazilian Police Department.
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midastouch added 00:22 - Jan 22 BillyBaxterwasbest, you said we can't have good times all the time. Please remind us exactly of when was the last good time? Do you mean finishing in the Play Offs and getting beaten by Norwich? Personally I found that horrendous. Living in Norfolk I got more stick than you can possibly imagine whenever we get turned over by our arch rivals! I'd of rather finished 7th that season and simply avoided the grief! And you put a thumbs down on my comment on Mick making a cock up in bringing on Douglas at half time. Do you honestly see bringing defensive Douglas on to chase a game at half time as being a tactical master stroke ? Personally I saw it as managerial insanity! The last really good time for me was reaching the League Cup semi final and beating Arsenal at home. That was honestly the last time I was really proud to support Ipswich. I did also like it when we beat Boro and Leeds so well at home (that was McCarthy's zenith) but it started to go pear shaped after Xmas that season. It was a season of two halves. And I can't remember for certain but one of those games when we stuck a few in, I've got a feeling McCarthy was in hospital while Sideshow Terry was orchestrating things! I realise we as fans need to get behind the team as much as possible but I think it's shocking that none of the players from Tuesday night have come out and apologised for the Lincoln debacle! When they can't even come out and say sorry for causing us such an utter embarrassment on national tv it's makes it hard to want to get 100% behind them. I'm sorry to say it but I honestly believe some of those players are not fit to wear the shirt! Not all of them, but definitely some of them! Why do you seem to back Mick to the hilt when he's serving up such utter garbage? It's true there are a small handful of hardcore Mick fans but I'm finding it hard to see what they still see in him based on how bad things have got this season. And last season wasn't exactly a barnstormer either! Things have got turgid at Portman Road for far too long and it's time for change. At least that's how I see it but I respect some might still back Mick even if I am finding it hard to see why. However, I recognise everybody is entitled to air their views and opinions.

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midastouch added 00:32 - Jan 22 In fairness I did take my lad to see the Barnsley game at the start of the season and we really enjoyed it, I'm certainly happy to concede that one to Billybaxterwasbest. If we'd of had more games like that to shout about Mick wouldn't have lost so many fans. But sadly exciting games like that one at PR have been way too few and far between now for a long time now. And Mick doesn't help himself either by having a pop at the fans. Remember after the Norwich game. If they had of won that game fair enough if he wanted to make the point, but we only bloody managed a draw and that wasn't good enough to come out and say what he did. They'll prob turn us over at their place again and so again we go another season without any bragging rights whatsoever! I'm sick of being in their shadow, and unless we demand change it's only going to continue I expect! Ok they're not pulling up trees, but they're still higher in the league than us, we still haven't beaten them in how long, and if you had to pick between us and them who might make an unlikely bid for the play offs still this season, I think it's fair to say they've got a much better chance still than us! Hate to say it but true! :-(

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arablue added 02:13 - Jan 22 Mick, it is your tactic and choice of personnel, NOT their second goal that killed the game for us. You are looking at the effect, not the cause. If you do (look at the cause), you might learn something about the game...past track record carries little weight if you are in results driven environment like the club is in..
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arablue added 02:16 - Jan 22 @TB42 spot on! nailed it on the head. Doing the same thing, again and again, and expecting a different result is utter madness...
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arablue added 02:21 - Jan 22 The hard core supporters are riding their emotional waves with Mick ( to where I do not know..). Granted this is a game riddled with emotions, and that is why we love this game and club to pieces... BUT there is that tipping point where common sense and rationality should prevail over pure emotions...the regression the club is going through now has got to stop. and the management team is the first stop for progress to happen...

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battyblue added 05:02 - Jan 22 When i wrote to the club regarding this excuse for a football manager and what he is doing to the club i got a reply stating that the manager was evaluated on results not style of play,so in that case he is absolutely dross and should be given the sack straight away to enable ITFC to regain a little respect before the season end.
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Marcus added 05:07 - Jan 22 If you're going to play Dougie, play him in his proper position as a box-to-box midfielder. Playing two deep midfielders smacks of panic. Don't play Skuse and Dougie together, it's clear they don't combine well. We desperately need a creative midfielder but it seems we're in the market for a defender who can kick long balls and a target man - I WONDER why?
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Johnhoz added 06:17 - Jan 22 It wasn't a wonder goal. We lost the ball in midfield and allowed him to run forward unchallenged.
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Marcus added 07:48 - Jan 22 ME is looking for a replacement and keeping Mick in place until someone is lined up. It's so obvious.
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Palestine added 07:54 - Jan 22 What do people think about Alan Pardew for manager? Guess he ony wants a Prem job but just wondered.
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bayblue added 08:29 - Jan 22 "Promote" MM to "Director of Football" - ignore him till his contract runs out - get rid of 2 or 3 fringe players to pay for a new manager - job done!
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grumpyoldman added 08:38 - Jan 22 If only you were right Marcus, but the article about the Leeds player on loan and Taylor training with us does not really support your hopes because they are both MM type of players
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BlueandTruesince82 added 08:53 - Jan 22 Personally wouldn't fancy Pardew. There is something dodgy about him, something of the night one might say but perhaps that's unfair.
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