KEANE TO GO AND START A SURVIVAL BID
WILL KEANE clinched victory for rock-bottom Ipswich and insisted: “The great escape starts here.”
Keane celebrated his league debut after a loan move from Hull with his first goal since April.
He fired home after on-loan Norwich defender Sean Raggett blocked his initial effort.
But it was a near-miracle that Ipswich managed to repel a non-stop wave of Rotherham attacks in a one-sided second half.
Keane (above), who turned 26 the previous day, said: “Our season starts now and one win can start a run.
“I saw that at Hull before I came here. They’ve won six in a row now and look how they have climbed the table.
“I’m not saying we’ll do the same but winning gives you confidence and we’re not playing like a team at the bottom.
“We’re still seven points from safety but every single one of us believes we can escape.”
Rotherham bombarded them throughout the second half but the home defence, reinforced by ex-West Ham veteran James Collins – one of five players making their league debut for the home side – somehow survived.
Keane admitted: “It got a bit nervy and we had to hang on. We rode our luck a bit.”
Michael Smith should have planted a close-range header past home keeper Dean Gerken but nodded over.
But sub Ryan Williams, who replaced Raggett after he lost two teeth in an aerial tussle, said: “We don’t see ourselves in a relegation fight. We just lacked that final bit of skill to stick the ball in the net.”
IPSWICH:
Shawcross og Afobe Benrahma Henry
STOKE: MOTM ROMAINE SAWYERS (BRENTFORD)