Kieran McKenna lauds Ipswich display in win over Oxford

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna felt the 3-0 victory over Oxford at Portman Road was the result of “a good performance” from his team.

Goals from Freddie Ladapo, Wes Burns and leading scorer Conor Chaplin ensured the three points for Town and maintained second spot in League One.

McKenna admitted it was “nice” to send the majority of the 28,072 fans home happy after they turned up in “great numbers”.

He added: “It was a good performance against a tough team, a difficult opponent who came and gave us a good challenge, started the game well and we had to stand up to that. A good game all round, good performance, good win.

“Good to have bodies back, good to be able to bring on options from the bench and a good start to the week.

“It was a difficult first 20 minutes, they started well, we couldn’t quite get to grips with it.

“I thought there was a few in the first 15-20 minutes finding their touch, finding their lungs, finding their legs and tactically getting to grips with the game.

“But I thought after about 20 minutes we done that and got to grips with it and got the first goal and from there we really never looked back.”

Town took the lead in the 39th minute through Ladapo, who was quickest to react to keeper Ed McGinty spilling a shot from Chaplin, and Burns grabbed a second goal in the 45th minute from a Leif Davis corner.

The home side made it three in the 81st minute following a neat pass from Sone Aluko who spotted Chaplin free in the penalty area and he found the back of the net.

Oxford boss Karl Robinson conceded his men had been beaten by the “best side” in the division.

He said: “I thought for 30 minutes we were very good and should have taken the lead but not taking chances when they came along in the first part of the game and then the goal, we lost control and lost every individual fight.

“With all due respects to Ipswich this is one of the best teams we’ve seen for a long time in every area of the football pitch and you have seen the quality and the willingness to run forward.

“We have been completely beaten in all areas against the best team in the league. So we have got to make sure we learn from that.

“We lost the dual in the central area in the second half and it’s something we have spoken about. In every aspect of the game we were nowhere near it.”