Tom lays down Law as Coyle’s men sunk
IPSWICH ......... 3 BLACKBURN .. 2
MICK McCARTHY hailed Tom Lawrence after the Leicester loanee scored twice – including a 30-yard stunner – to give Ipswich the points over Blackburn.
Lawrence grabbed a goal in either half to ease some of the pressure on Macca’s men.
With Lawrence unlikely to remain at Portman Road beyond his season-long loan, McCarthy admitted the attacker had carried his team-mates in recent weeks.
He said: “Tom is flying at the minute and he should rejoice in the fact that he is playing as well as he is in a struggling side.
“He has been carrying us with his performances and goals and he will have plenty of options in the summer.”
Town endured a tense last 15 minutes after Danny Graham pulled a goal back from the penalty spot but McCarthy felt his side were well worth the three points.
He said: “There has been some doom and gloom which comes with not winning games and not playing well. But I thought we put in a good performance and should have won more comfortably.”
Lawrence gave Ipswich the lead in the 38th minute when his free-kick inexplicably went through the wall and under goalkeeper Jason Steele, but Blackburn equalised before the break through Hope Akpan’s calm finish from 15 yards.
The home side regained the lead when Christophe Berra slid in to net his first of the season before Lawrence made it 3-1 just four minutes later with a fantastic effort that nestled in the top corner.
Graham’s penalty gave Blackburn hope and manager Owen Coyle was left frustrated after his side were denied a second spot-kick when Derrick Williams appeared to be manhandled by Josh Emmanuel.
Coyle said: “I am convinced it was a penalty. Referees have a tough job but they have to get the big decisions right.
“We shot ourselves in the foot today but I do feel a little aggrieved.”