Ipswich have to stick together – McCarthy

Posted Wednesday, March 14, 2018 by PA

Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy called for unity after his side were hammered 3-0 by Hull at Portman Road.

McCarthy gathered his players and some of his first-team staff together near the centre of the pitch following the final whistle as the crowd of 13,031 left the stadium.

The away side eased their relegation fears with goals from Markus Henriksen in the 18th minute and Harry Wilson and Jarrod Bowen either side of half-time sealing a second win on the trot.

Nigel Adkins’ side are now nine points clear of the drop zone having also beaten the Tractor Boys’ arch-rivals Norwich 4-3 at the weekend.

For Ipswich, it was a fifth home game on the trot where they have failed to score and virtually ends their outside chances of a play-off place.

McCarthy said: “It was a tough old evening and it’s a matter of sticking together and not fragmenting because if we do it will really go pear-shaped.

“I don’t think the atmosphere represented the way we’ve been playing to be honest. It was a bad night tonight but we played a really good team with some good players.

“Fundamentally it’s a disgrace that (Hull) have been down there all season long with those players; fair play to Nigel, he has really got them going … he’s got a good team.

“We got out of shape and they picked us off and they were better than us today.

“The atmosphere was horrible. As I said to them at the end, to their eternal credit they kept going; not one of them stopped, their heads did not go down and I thanked them for that.

“As long as the lads are with me I can stand anything.”

Hull manager Adkins was pleased with his team’s performance and said: “It was an excellent away performance from the players to back up a good win at the weekend against Norwich.

“That’s back-to-back victories and to come away from home and get a clean sheet and three good goals. Our performance has been consistently good and I’m really pleased with the players to win a game of football away from home.

“It was competitive at the start of the game and we have gone and scored a good goal from Markus Henriksen from distance and hit the post (through Bowen), and then a great left-footed cross for Harry Wilson at the far post with a really good composed finish.

“Yes, Allan McGregor’s made a really good save on the counter in the first half and then we have gone and scored a really good goal and an important one after half-time. Jarrod Bowen goes and scores and I thought we defended really well, good compact shape.”