COOK BURNT BY HOT GILLS New boss downed by Oliver
PAUL Cook is looking to bring “sanity” back to Ipswich Town after his first game as manager ended in defeat at Gillingham.
Vadaine Oliver’s second-half double orchestrated a disappointing beginning for Cook after Jack Tucker had struck early at Priestfield.
Luke Chambers had got Ipswich back on level terms, and while their three-match winning run ended, the manager feels he has seen plenty to remain optimistic.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, there is potential with these players,” he said.
“Like any club, you can have a bad day and when that happens everything looks bad.
“The most important thing is that the next day becomes a good one. I’ve been in the building for a couple of days now and I’m learning all the time.
“We know we’ve got to get out of this league. In two years we’ve seen a big turnaround in players coming in and out the club too quick, we need to bring sanity to the club.”
The hosts took an early lead when Tucker volleyed home his first league goal after Robbie Cundy had diverted Tom O’Connor’s free-kick into his path.
Gillingham dominated, but Town almost grabbed an unexpected equaliser on the halfhour mark when Troy Parrott’s overhead kick hit a post.
An unmarked Olly Lee should have doubled the lead after 63 minutes when he met Ryan Jackson’s throw, but headed straight at former Gills goalkeeper Tomas Holy.
That miss looked like proving costly two minutes later when Chambers looped his header from Josh Harrop’s free-kick over goalkeeper Jack Bonham to equalise with Town’s first attempt on target.
The hosts retook the lead when leading-scorer Oliver capped a brilliant counter-attack to meet Kyle Dempsey’s cross and fire past Holy.
After Ipswich substitute Kayden Jackson headed against the crossbar, Oliver wrapped up Gillingham’s victory with a stunning curling effort ten minutes from time.
Cook continued: “It was always going to be a difficult game. You’ll never leave Gillingham and a Steve Evans
team without having to earn the right to win.
“Gillingham were the better side and I felt that, aside from a ten-minute spell after we equalised, that we were never in this.
“We possibly conceded the second against the run of play in that moment but, for long spells, Gillingham were the better team. It’s a really disapadded pointing day for us. We conceded three really poor goals and when you do that away from home the likelihood is that you’ll get beaten. “We know what we can say about the game – I prefer to be brief and say what I need to say in the dressing room.”
All eyes were on the man replacing Paul Lambert, but Gillingham were far from there to make up the numbers. The home side were good value for their win, with Oliver in particular impressing to move to four goals in three games.
“He’s a great lad, he gives us a real focal point,” said assistant manager Paul Raynor. “I wouldn’t like to play against him if I’m a centre-half.
“They all know they’re in for tough afternoons when they come up against him. He’s goals to his game – he’s becoming a real threat now.
“He’s eager to learn and he’s taking his chances. They were two great finishes from him today. I’m delighted for him.”
Back-to-back wins in March have left the Gills looking up and not down the table, but talk of the play-offs are not in Raynor’s mind just yet.
He added: “We were magnificent. We knew that Ipswich’s players would be eager to impress, but we didn’t allow them to impose their game on us.
“But it was all about us, the quality that we produced and the three goals were absolutely magnificent.
“We’ll let the fans dream. Of course it would be absolutely amazing as we all want the best for the club but we need to keep expectations at a steady level.
“Games are coming thick and fast, we’ve got to keep focusing on who’s coming next.”