Blues boss Paul Jewell felt his side deserved their 1-0 home win against Barnsley and was frustrated that the margin of victory wasn’t larger with scorer Daryl Murphy and Lee Martin both missing good chances.

Jewell said: “I think we deserved it. I think we should have been out of sight. We missed three or four gilt-edged chances at 1-0 and we nearly paid the price.

“I think sometimes we get a little bit too cocky when things are going well. We’ve had two one-on-ones with the goalkeeper and not hit the target.

“We fully deserved it but because our lack of ruthlessness or not being clinical enough we’ve ended up having to rely on Arran to make a really good save not so far from the end.

“On the balance of play I thought we were the better team, but I’m a little bit disappointed that we didn’t see them off.”

The Blues boss is pleased that his side have continued their good run, stretching their home unbeaten record to eight matches and having lost only twice in 13 overall.

He says it’s important to keep that up with one eye already on the 2011/12 campaign: “The end of the season is important because whatever happens this season, hopefully if you can have a good finish, it can keep up the momentum towards next season.

“We’re delighted to win 1-0 but if our standards are going to be higher, and we want them to be, we’ve got to just make sure we don’t over-elaborate.

“At times I think we can be over-elaborate when there’s no need to, complicate the game when there’s no need to, and like today we’re waiting for that final whistle.”

But overall, after completing March’s marathon of eight fixtures having picked up 15 points and only losing once, Jewell is pleased with his squad, particularly their form at Portman Road: “I think the players deserve terrific credit because they’ve won six out of the last seven home games and up until then we have been very edgy at home.

“We were quite flat in the first half, started the second half really well and got the goal. We should have been three or four up, didn’t take our chances and Barnsley are a good team, they’ve got good footballers and they were always going to push us back.”

Scorer Daryl Murphy was pleased to net for the fourth time since rejoining the Blues on loan from Celtic: "I was delighted with the goal and it was a good win for us.

"Chops played me in with a great pass and I managed to hold off the defender before firing into the corner.

"I actually thought it was going to come back off the post, but thankfully it went it and I think overall we were worthy of the win."

Tykes boss Keith Hill also thought Town deserved the win: “To be honest, it would have been harsh on the opposition [if Barnsley had equalised] with the way they started the second half. They huffed and puffed themselves in the first half, a lot of long distance speculative shots at goal, nothing really got through.

“But the way they started the second half and the way we started was disappointed from our aspect, but obviously encouraging for Ipswich’s point of view.

“The manner in which they scored the goal was disappointing from a defensive point of view, but after that, on the counter-attack, maybe they should have sealed it more comfortably.

“I can’t be too disappointed with the courage that my players showed, the endeavour, the effort and the commitment, but we’re not making good decisions in the final third, and that’s obvious, especially away from home.”

Story syndicated from TWTD.co.uk

Photo: Action Images

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