Kieran McKenna thinks Ipswich are heading in the right direction

Posted Wednesday, March 09, 2022 by PA

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna said his team are heading in the right direction following the 2-0 home victory over Lincoln.

Goals from Wes Burns and Kayden Jackson within 10 first-half minutes secured a 2-0 win for the play-off chasers in front of nearly 25,000 at Portman Road.

The win stretched the Suffolk side’s unbeaten run to eight games in Sky Bet League One, leaving them three points off a top-six place.

Burns was in the right place to fire the ball past Lincoln goalkeeper Jordan Wright for the opening goal in the 22nd minute and was involved in Town’s second when he squared the ball across the six-yard box for Jackson to tap in.

McKenna said afterwards: “I was pleased with the performance. We are going in the right direction and we keep improving and hope that results keep coming.

“I thought the first half was very good and we got off to another fast start, which is important for us – and we are doing that better and better.”

It was the seventh time that Ipswich had kept a clean sheet in eight games and the 10th win in 14 games for McKenna, who continued: “We got the early goal and the reward with the two goals – and in the second half I wasn’t really disappointed.

“I thought Lincoln are a team who keep coming after you so you’re not always going to have loads of control and possession, you’re either going to cut through them and score or the game’s going to be a little bit end to end.

“In the second half we stuck at it, defended well and didn’t give up too many opportunities.

“I thought the work-rate was fantastic and I thought we managed the game well.”

Lincoln boss Michael Appleton said: “I have no complaints about the result but I’m really happy for the players that they dug in and proved we can compete with most teams in the league.

“We just came up against a very good side and we had to hang on at times. We were aware it was going to be a tough night.

“There were a couple of moments in the first half before they scored that we had a few chances and I have no complaints, we didn’t fold and tried to play it tight.

“We knew we had to get blocks in the way but we are off the back of a very good game against Sheffield Wednesday and we find ourselves in a position with teams in and around us that we have to be competitive with.”