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Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna said his side should have secured a more comfortable victory after dominating third-tier Blackpool in their 2-1 FA Cup third-round win at Portman Road, with the boss criticizing his team’s failure to convert their superiority into goals.
McKenna Demands Better Finishing After Ipswich Secure FA Cup Progress Against Blackpool
McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk that his team created numerous opportunities but lacked the clinical edge to kill off the match earlier. “We scored a really good first goal and we could have done better to get a second quicker,” the manager explained. “We moved the ball really really well and got into great positions. We are still working to find the last little bit in some of these games.”
The Ipswich boss revealed his frustration at the delayed second goal, which eventually came from a set piece rather than open play. McKenna stated that while his team dominated possession and created quality chances, they failed to capitalize on their territorial advantage against the League One opposition. The victory ensures Ipswich have progressed to the FA Cup fourth round for the fourth consecutive season.
McKenna criticized the referee’s decision to award Blackpool a penalty in the 94th minute, describing it as “a penalty that wasn’t a penalty” which unnecessarily tightened the contest. “The referee has decided to make it interesting, giving them a penalty that wasn’t a penalty in the 94th minute. That made it a bit tighter but we should have killed the game off a bit earlier,” he said.
Despite the late drama, McKenna praised Blackpool’s persistence while maintaining his team performed well throughout the encounter. Looking ahead to the fourth-round draw, the manager expressed his ambition for a deep cup run while emphasizing league priorities. “We want to go deep in the FA Cup and look forward to the draw. It would be nice to play a Premier League team, but the league is the priority,” McKenna concluded.
