Lambert believes Ipswich were good enough to beat Blackpool

Posted Sunday, November 24, 2019 by PA

Ipswich manager Paul Lambert said his side was the better team after their Sky Bet League One clash with Blackpool ended in a 2-2 draw.

The result meant the visitors dropped three places to eighth while Ipswich remained in second spot, five points adrift of leaders Wycombe with two games in hand ahead of a clash between the top two on Tuesday.

Gwion Edwards’ opener was cancelled out by Joe Nuttall early on at Portman Road, before Jay Spearing and Luke Garbutt exchanged spot-kicks after the interval.

Lambert said: “I thought that we were the better team and I think Blackpool will be happy with a point. We had so much of the ball and dominated the ball and I was happy with the way we played.

“That’s probably the first team that has come here and defended as deep as that but that’s what happens.

“They defended with a lot of guys behind the ball and the front two were dropping right to the halfway line and tried to stop us from playing.

“But all credit to the team, we tried to get the result. I was happy with the way we kept going.”

Lambert praised full-back Janoi Donacien, saying: “I am really happy with him and he has come in and done great.

“We are a really good side and have only lost only a couple of games all season.”

Opposite number Simon Grayson felt a draw was the fair outcome.

“I think we looked threatening and they looked threatening,” he said. “It was quite an open game with chances at both ends and I think it was a fair result.

“Both teams could have won it, both teams could have lost it. We are the away team and it’s a difficult place to come to against a top team and we will take it for sure.

“You know you come to Portman Road and it’s a tough place, they start the game very quickly and get the crowd behind them and we didn’t deal with the first 15 minutes well enough.

“But we showed good spirit to get back into the game and held our own. We looked a threat on the counter attack.

“We showed a lot of good spirit because we withstood a lot of pressure at the back end of the game, but we still looked a threat going forward on the counter attack.”