Kieran McKenna calls comparisons with Sir Alf Ramsey’s Ipswich ‘premature’

Kieran McKenna called any comparison between his Ipswich team and Sir Alf Ramsey’s “premature” after their 1-0 win at Bristol City.

The young manager saw Nathan Broadhead’s low 16th-minute shot secure a 10th Championship win from 12 games, improving on the club’s previous best start to a season in the second tier under Ramsey in 1960-61.

Both sides hit a post in a thrilling encounter, skipper Sam Morsy for Ipswich at the end of the first half and substitute Harry Cornick for City when his shot rolled agonisingly along the goal-line before being cleared.

Ipswich survived a late onslaught and a delighted McKenna said: “We are enjoying the moment, but any comparison with great Ipswich teams and managers of the past is certainly premature.

“We want our fans to go on dreaming, but we are keeping feet firmly on the ground. This game showed how difficult it is to win Championship fixtures.

“For 65 minutes we played some really good football after they had made a good start and when we needed to show resilience at the end we did.

“Again the players have shown their thirst for winning matches. They were committed and we defended with organisation and spirit against a very good team.

“Perhaps we were a bit rusty at the start, but after that we began to play really well.

“We are aware that it is a unique start and that’s great. A gap is opening below Leicester City and ourselves, but we aren’t looking too closely at that because there is a very long way to go.”

City boss Nigel Pearson said: “We could feel unlucky because we played well.

“They are a good side and I couldn’t have asked more of my players. It was a really good game.

“You could see why they are on a good run, but we stretched them to the limit and they will be happy to have gone home with all three points.

“We maybe let them off the hook at times, not quite being able to find that elusive goal, but there were a lot of positives.

“Our substitutes had the desired impact, with Harry Cornick doing well in that respect.

“If we can perform like that with what at the moment is a narrow squad, then it augurs well.

“We have a number of injuries and hopefully we will get some players back over the next week or two.

“I can see why Ipswich are where they are in the table. They have good players, but also clearly a good atmosphere behind them.

“They play with a lot of togetherness.”