Kieran McKenna hails Ipswich’s best performance so far in win over MK Dons

Posted Sunday, August 14, 2022 by PA

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna hailed his side’s impressive 3-0 win over MK Dons at Portman Road as their best performance of the season so far.

Goals from Wes Burns, Marcus Harness and Conor Chaplin took Town to the top of the Sky Bet League One table following a convincing home display in searing heat.

The Tractor Boys were largely in control, but MK Dons, who finished third last season, will look back at debutant Matt Dennis’ missed headed chance to equalise with the score at 1-0.

McKenna said: “A very good performance, obviously to anyone who was here. I enjoyed us on the ball and the amount of chances and our attacking play but loved our defending, I have to say.

“I thought the intensity of the pressure, organisation, commitment to defending as a team against a really good footballing team in those conditions was top drawer.

“Pleased for the fans, but for us now, it’s all about Tuesday night (against Burton).”

McKenna said he was not interested in looking at the league table after three games.

“It obviously isn’t of any importance at this stage of the season, it’s one game at a time, it’s a long season, all the cliches that you want,” he said. “I couldn’t care less where we are in the league and I won’t do for quite a long time.

“It’s about performances, that was the best performance we’ve had so far.

“I think we’ve had two performances in the league that had very good spells, but that was the longest we’ve been able to maintain it and it’s all about delivering another performance on Tuesday night to give us a chance of getting the points.”

MK Dons manager Liam Manning said his team are in “transition” after a third successive defeat.

“We’re in the early stages of a long journey,” he said. “I think you have to be realistic, when you look at it, we’re in transition, we’re in a bit of rebuild. Lots of new players, but we’ve also got some key ones missing, we’ve got a large number of injuries.

“That aside, for me first and foremost, when you look at the team, the performance was not required in terms of the level we’ll be looking for.

“The players are disappointed, the staff and fans, I’m sure everyone’s disappointed with elements of the performance which will have to learn quickly from and make sure going into Tuesday’s game (against Port Vale) we put right.

“Ipswich are a really strong side. When you look at the transition from last year, the consistency, they’ve obviously recruited and added well over the summer. They’ll be there or thereabouts at the end of the season, we know that. We’re just at a different stage at the minute.

“It’s tough to take but we’ll have to suck up the performance and the result and learn from it and make sure we progress and get better and don’t repeat it.”