Ipswich 3 Middlesbrough 1: Mowbray bemoans the lapses which cost Boro

It could have been even worse for the visitors after goalkeeper Jason Steele made a string of fine saves and young Ipswich midfielder Luke Hyam missed a golden chance with the goal at his mercy.

Mowbray said: “They deserved the victory for the honest and hard work they put in.

“For 20 minutes, we played some pretty decent football and got ourselves deservedly in front.

“But Ipswich are a team who do the basics well. They close you down, put their foot through the ball in defence and ask questions of you, and we fell a bit short defensively.

“We need to learn lessons and find a way to play against teams who work so hard to press the ball. We didn’t ask enough questions of Ipswich in the second half.”

Mowbray said: “In the last quarter of an hour, we pushed both full-backs forward and left ourselves one-on-one. That means you are going to be vulnerable.”

David McGoldrick was warmly praised by his manager Mick McCarthy after his double secured the victory for Ipswich.

The striker equalised after Albert Adomah’s smart opener, before Ipswich cruised to a deserved three points with an accomplished second-half performance.

Luke Chambers headed in a deep cross from Aaron Cresswell after 57 minutes before McGoldrick burst clear of Jonathan Woodgate to slot home in stoppage time.

McCarthy, who remains second favourite, behind Martin O’Neill, for the vacant Republic of Ireland job, said: “I thought McGoldrick was outstanding and he has been all season.

“He puts in a real shift and he is a proper player. We are lucky to have him.”

Ipswich Town: Gerken, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Anderson (Edwards 68), Skuse, Hyam, Tunnicliffe (Tabb 84), Nouble (Murphy 46), McGoldrick. Unused substitutes: Loach,Hewitt,Wordsworth,Taylor.

Middlesbrough: Steele, Richardson, Rhys Williams, Woodgate, Friend, Carayol (Emnes 63), Leadbitter, Whitehead (Kamara 63), Butterfield, Adomah,Jutkiewicz. Unused substitutes: Hoyte, Andrew Halliday, Gibson, Leutwiler, Smallwood.

Referee: J Linington (Isle of Wight).