McKenna’s ‘pride’ in Ipswich side as they triumph in SA1

Kieran McKenna watched his side keep up the pressure at the top end of the table in SA1 yesterday as they scored twice in the first half to run out 2-1 winners against a Swans side that have now lost four straight at home in the league.

That is a run not seen for more than thirty years for the Swans which is a worry for Luke Williams and his coaching staff but at the other end of the table McKenna was naturally happy with the result.

Ipswich went into the game with some level of pressure on them due to wins prior to them playing for both Southampton and Leeds but they stood up to the task in hand and capitalised on a couple of defensive lapses from the Swans to take all three points back to Suffolk.

The goals – scored by Nathan Broadhead and Conor Chaplin were sandwiched either side of a fortunate goal from Jerry Yates and, despite the Swans best efforts, Ipswich held on and always looked the most likely to add to the scoring with Rushworth called into action to tip shots from both Moore and Al-Hamadi onto the woodwork.

“I loved I, I have to say. It was a proper away performance and I couldn’t be more proud,” McKenna said after the game. 

“It was wet and the pitch was a mud bath in the end we produced some quality play to go through the pitch and made opportunities to go and score two good goals. 

“Then the resilience and the spirit we showed was outstanding because the boys have left every single thing they had out there for the club. That makes you very proud, especially with the new players doing the same as well meaning every single player working to the same ethos. 

“The support was fantastic and I’m sure very wet as well, but hopefully wet and happy.

“It was disappointing to concede from the second phase of a set play but the reaction was great from the group, which is what we have come to expect because there is big changes or wild swings, whether we lead or are behind. 

“But we got into that mode straight away and scored a really well-worked second goal, with a lovely ball from Cameron (Burgess) that you can’t really replicate without a left-footed centre-half really. Leif took it well, Kieffer made a great run to make space for Conor and then we know how good he is in those situations. 

“We were unlucky not to get the third goal and, when you don’t get that, you know there are always going to need to be situations where you have to defend your box. 

“We did that, Vas (Vaclav Hladky) made a couple of good saves and we put bodies on the line. Given the conditions, the opponents and the weather we did a very good job.”