Ipswich boss Lambert lauds ‘fantastic’ second-half display by leaders

Ipswich manager Paul Lambert was impressed with his side’s second-half demolition of Tranmere in their 4-1 victory but insisted it was a “hard, hard game”.

Luke Garbutt put Town ahead before the break with a wonderful 25-yard free-kick but Tranmere levelled soon after through Stefan Payne.

The hosts would not be denied though, and they retook the lead through Kayden Jackson in the 48th minute before Jon Nolan and Kane Vincent-Young, with a wonderful solo effort, secured the points.

Lambert said: “Every game is hard. It was a hard, hard game, a really tough game. You don’t have a divine right to win games, you don’t have a divine right to play well … it’s impossible.

“You’re going to get games like this. Teams come here and see the stadium, see the atmosphere and they are going to rise above it. I had that most of my career and I know what it’s like.

“Nothing surprises me. We played really good second half. I thought we were absolutely fantastic. We always looked a threat, the goals were great and I’m really, really happy with the team.”

Ipswich are still unbeaten in the league this season, winning seven of their 10 games to move two points clear at the top of the table.

Lambert added: “The whole place is bouncing at the moment. Kane’s goal was a great goal. He’s at the top high end of his game at the moment, he is playing so well and his performances has been outstanding.

“It’s a really tough division. That’s why you have to be realistic. The important thing is that you keep a cool head and you stick to your way of playing and hopefully that breaks teams down.

“The second half I thought we were excellent. The team was really relentless, the longer the game went on. It’s just about patience and trying to keep it calm.

“The goals really rounded everything off. And I think I’ve got the personnel to change whatever system I want to go to. I think the squad is really strong throughout the whole dressing room.”

“We seem to adapt which is great, I am really, really pleased with the lads.”

Town took the lead in the 35th minute when Garbutt rifled a left-footed shot into the top right-hand corner of Scott Davies’ goal.

However, Rovers were level four minutes later thanks to Payne.

The hosts restored their lead soon after the restart when Jackson slotted home after Davies spilled a Garbutt free-kick and Nolan and Vincent-Young completed the scoring.

Tranmere boss Micky Mellon, whose side are at the other end of the table with nine points from 10 games, said: “If you are going to be successful in League One you have got to take on the challenge of players darting across your penalty area.

“We will go and look at the video and DVDs and we’ll get people to work on them and being a consistent force and doing the club proud. We have got a lot of work to do and keep working on the things we do right and we will continue to do that.

“We were causing problems and there were opportunities. We have got to improve and be as clinical as they were.

“We need to keep our football simple. Individuals need to get better and there was a lot of players who had very good performances but as a team we have to be getting better.”