Ipswich Town 3-0 Oxford United: Kieran McKenna on Boxing Day win

The Blues ultimately ran out comfortable winners at Portman Road, with Freddie Ladapo, Wes Burns and Conor Chaplin netting to send the 28,000 crowd home happy. 

McKenna admitted it took his side 20 minutes or so to find their feet but, once they had, he was impressed with what he saw from his team. 

“It’s nice to send the fans home happy because we have great numbers here,” McKenna said. 

“It was a good performance against a difficult opponent who came here and gave us a good challenge which we had to stand up to. It was a good game, good performance and a good win to start an important week (which includes games at Portsmouth and Lincoln). 

Ipswich Town beat Oxford 3-0 this afternoon (Image: Steve Waller)

“I thought we had control just before the first goal but it was a difficult first 20 minutes which we couldn’t quite get to grips with. We had players coming back into the team and a bit of unwellness in the camp so I thought there were a few players in the first 15 or 20 minutes who were finding their touch, lungs and legs and then tactically getting to grips with the game. 

“But I thought we did that, changed a few little things positionally and then got to grips with it before getting the first goal, which I thought was starting to come. From there we didn’t really look back.” 

While McKenna was delighted with the manner of his side’s three goals, the Town boss was just as pleased with how his side defended to keep a clean sheet at Portman Road for the first time in the league since the game with Derby on October 21. 

“It was a good move before Freddie’s goal, which he followed up well to cap off an excellent performance from him, which follows up a really good performance from him last week at Wycombe and also a really good training week. 

“To score another set-piece goal, through Wes, was great with a really good finish, before Conor chipped in with another before the end.  

“We could have had more goals than we did have, given how we dominated, but I am equally pleased with the clean sheet. 

Conor Chaplin scored Town's third goal against Oxford (Image: Steve Waller)

“It was earned from the squad because I thought Freddie’s work-rate was fantastic and set the tone for the rest of the team, all the way through to Christian Walton and the way he commanded his box. The subs carried that right through to the end and we are very pleased with the clean sheet.” 

McKenna was able to welcome Janoi Donacien, Luke Woolfenden, Lee Evans and Marcus Harness back into his starting line-up for the first time after injuries, with the Town boss delighted to have options available to him again. 

“It’s really important,” he said. 

“You could see today what they bring to the team but credit to the squad and individuals for how they’ve coped over the last few months because we’ve had a run of injuries which I don’t think too many teams or squads could have coped with. 

“Credit to the players for how they have dealt with that but we were missing some big experience and physical qualities in the team, which it was good to have back as well.” 

Greg Leigh and Gassan Ahadme both missed out on the matchday squad this afternoon but have not been dealing with injuries.