Ipswich Town: Vaclav Hladky on Leicester City draw

The Blues struggled in the first half at the King Power Stadium, but they continued to stand toe-to-toe against the Foxes and showed a big improvement after the break, drawing level in the 89th minute through Jeremy Sarmiento.

“We didn’t quite find the right way in the first half, but the second half was definitely better,” Hladky said after the game. “We’re pleased with the point. Let’s carry on.

“We were talking at half-time and saying that it wasn’t really us in the first half. We had to do something different in terms of intensity and pressing. We changed it in the second half, so it was a great improvement.”

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The result was vital for Town, making them one of just three teams to take points off the league leaders on home soil.

Hladky believes that it’ll provide a huge boost for the rest of the season, but revealed that even after the equaliser, his side were looking to capitalise on the momentum and win the game.

The goalkeeper believes that Ipswich will gain a lot of confidence from their performance against the league leaders (Image: TEST)

“We’re pleased with the point, first and foremost,” he stressed. “But even after the equaliser, we thought ‘come on lads, let’s try it more’. There were five or six minutes left and we felt that energy.

“It was a great game against a tough opponent. They’re top of the league and we’re pleased with our performance against them. It’s not easy because they’re an experienced team and that gives you the confidence for the rest of the campaign.”

Hladky was certainly one of the players who struggled in the first half, albeit that he was far from the only one. He looked nervous in possession, often clearing the ball long into dangerous areas, which is unlike him.

The improvement after the break was clear. His confidence seemed to skyrocket, and he made some crucial saves to keep his side in the game.

“We expected two strategies from them,” the goalkeeper explained. “One of them was a pure man-to-man, which is what it was. We couldn’t find the right way and we couldn’t find the right connections. It wasn’t really us, the first half.

“We reset at half time and spoke about things we could go through, about being more brave. I think the second half was definitely better.

Jeremy Sarmiento's late goal saw Town take a point in Leicestershire (Image: Pagepix)

“We’ve got 15 minutes at half time and we go through loads of clips on the screen, trying to find a way to improve ourselves. That was the case today.

“Sometimes it’s like that. Sometimes it’s a game of two different halves, that was the case today, but our reaction in the second half was absolutely spot on.”

A big factor behind the improvement was Kieran McKenna’s use of substitutes. Jeremy Sarmiento and Hutchinson both had a big impact in the final 30 minutes, with the latter striking at the death to earn a point.

“It’s already been two seasons that we’ve seen the great addition of the guys coming from the bench,” Hladky said. “I’d say we’re always looking at the 60th minute or the 70th minute when fresh power comes in and delivers something a bit different.

“It’s great. We have 25 players and that makes a big difference for us.”

For now, Ipswich remain second. That’s despite a dip in form and a 21-match unbeaten run from Southampton, while Leeds United are also lingering just outside the automatic promotion places. Their resilience is clear for all to see, and Hladky knows that they won’t crumble if they fall behind in a game.

“That’s not us,” he stated. “That’s not our mentality, and even if we have a game where we’re 2-0 down, we’ll still have belief in our way. I think we proved that again.”