Kieran McKenna talks up importance of Ipswich’s win over Port Vale

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna said it was a “really good win” for his team after they came from a goal down to beat Port Vale 2-1 and maintain their League One automatic-promotion charge.

Mal Benning’s superb volley just before half-time put the visitors, who sacked boss Darrell Clarke on Monday, ahead against the run of play.

But it was cancelled out by Nathan Broadhead’s strike in the 53rd minute and the forward also converted an 84th-minute penalty to leave the Tractor Boys one point clear of third-placed Sheffield Wednesday.

McKenna said: “It was a really enjoyable way to win the game in the end and it was a really good win.

“We’ve had some big victories here this season especially since Christmas, today wasn’t like that, it was a big challenge with how low they were defending and made it even bigger by them scoring a great goal just on the stroke of half-time.

“We found ourselves in a situation of great adversity and we went and tackled that in the second half. It makes it a really sweet victory and a happy dressing room.”

McKenna said Port Vale scored a great goal to take the lead just before the break.

“We didn’t defend it that badly but he volleyed into the far corner,” he added.

“It was a tricky situation. 1-0 down is really, really difficult but we showed great spirit, great belief, fitness and sticking to our principles and going out and delivering in the second-half performance.”

Vale interim manager Andy Crosby said he was proud of his team’s performance against a side which has “quality players” throughout the squad.

Crosby added it has been a tough period since the dismissal of Clarke.

“It’s been a tough 24 hours for everyone to digest the news but football moves on and we knew we had a really important game to prepare for,” he said.

“We’ve tried to use the time really wisely with a plan to come here and frustrate the opposition for long periods which we did.

“In key moments we could have gone into transmission but we didn’t and I think it maybe told in the second half but in terms of the effort of the group and the togetherness of the group, the support of each other, there was a togetherness before the game and we have to maintain that for the rest of the season.

“Getting in front before half-time gave everyone a boost, we knew the second half would be more challenging but to concede in the first period of the second half meant we were right on the back foot.

“They’ve got quality players and they are top of the league for a reason.”