Lambert: We had most of the game and the ball

PAUL Lambert bemoaned Ipswich Town’s lack of cutting edge after being thumped 3-0 at home by in-form Hull City.

The table-topping Tigers romped to a comfortable success thanks to goals from Mallik Wilks, Josh Magennis and Tom Eaves, and rarely looked in danger once Wilks netted inside two minutes.

While Ipswich saw more of the ball at Portman Road, keeper Matt Ingram was barely tested against a side that came into the game on the back of six straight home wins, while City notched their sixth away success.

“We can’t lose an early goal, early doors, after two minutes but after that we were so dominant with the ball,” said Lambert.

City fashioned good chances in the first half, with Wilks going close, before Magennis volleyed over and Emmanuel passed up a good opening, with the Scot frustrated at the work of his side in both boxes.

“They’ve probably had two attacks in the first half and they score,” the Scot claimed.

“We had most of the game, most of the ball.

“There were some really good moments, balls across the face of the goal and we defended really strongly, but the big thing is we have to be more ruthless in both boxes, we were a bit too nice.

“You can’t be too nice and that’s probably our problem.

“Football is not just an easy game.

“You’ve got to be nasty and have to realise that you have to win games. In the second half we had a lot of the ball without creating too much and the third goal takes the sting out of the game and we lose.

“They were more clinical than us in both boxes.”

Despite that crushing defeat which leaves Town five points behind the leaders, Lambert is confident the Tractor Boys will still be in amongst the promotion argument come May.

“We lost a game. We’re still a really good side, we’ll still be up there. We just need to learn from this,” Lambert said.

“What can I say? We try our best. We’re trying everything to win games. We’ve been beaten.

“There’s a long, long way to go. They have to try and keep going.”