Norwich City 1-0 Ipswich Town: Kieran McKenna's verdict

Marcelino Nunez's swerving 30-yard free-kick finish proved the difference in a game where the Blues, unusually, failed to create many clear cut chances.

It means that Ipswich's wait for an East Anglian derby victory extends into a 16th year and makes the prospect of the two teams meeting again in the Championship play-offs a very real one with five games to go.

"I didn't think it was our best performance by any means," conceded McKenna. "We didn't hit the level that we would have hoped to.

"I didn't think it was a very high level game, to be honest. It was nowhere near the level of the game we played (against Norwich) earlier in the season, or the game on Monday (against Southampton) or so many of the games we've played this year.

"We wanted to perform better and create more chances, but we didn't manage to do that today.

"I thought really it was just a spell of 10 minutes in the first half of set plays and decisions that went against us. That culminates in them scoring a free-kick from 30 yards that decides the game. 

"In tight games where neither team, I don't feel, are hitting the level that they've hit in recent weeks or months then it's often decided on tight margins. That can often be a set play goal and that was the case today."

Asked if he had any complaints with the foul given against Sam Morsy, which led to the winner, McKenna replied:  "The biggest one for me was the free-kick against (Axel) Tuanzebe, to be honest. That was the more frustrating one because I thought we had a really comfortable first 20 minutes of the game.

"We weren't hitting a fantastic level, but we were comfortable, the atmosphere was pretty quiet, we hadn't given much away. I thought we were in a decent place in the game.

"Then that decision, which I thought was an incorrect one, lit the crowd, lit the atmosphere. We had 10 minutes then of set play after set play. We couldn't quite get out of that phase.

"There were another one or two decisions in that phase that I thought were soft as well. That culminated in the goal. The free-kick on Samy is probably a very, very marginal one. I didn't think the one on Tuanzebe was anyway marginal from where I was. The fourth official had the same view as me and the linesman had a better view than everybody. So I'm disappointed the right decision wasn't reached there. I felt that did have an impact in the game. That was the only bit of the game that either team dominated.

"Getting away from that, our focus, as it always will be, will be on ourselves. We've got some really good games coming up. We're coming off the back of a busy run of games. Our focus will be on the next game and trying to perform as well as we can.

"We'll look at today and why we didn't quite hit the same levels that we'd hoped to. We'll try and prepare to deliver a good performance against Wednesday night against Watford."

Asked why he thought his team were below-par in such a big game, McKenna replied: "It's probably a multitude of things.

"It's the third game in a busy week. We really went to the wire in the two previous games. I don't think we managed to find our intensity.

"I'm not going to make an issue of it, but we have some physical issues in the camp due to illness and injury. That will have been a factor.

"Also, possibly, yeah, it's a really big game with a big atmosphere and sometimes that can drain the battery a little bit. That possibly could have been the case in the first half.

"This is still a big progression for a lot of this group. We'll be stronger for a lot of these experiences, certainly bad experiences like today.

"We know we've got tough games coming up. The job now is to make sure we come out of this disappointing game, this bad result, with lessons learned and go into the next game stronger."

On Thursday, McKenna said he it was 'unlikely' that Kieffer Moore would be able to play due to a back problem. The Welsh striker ended up starting the game.

"He had good confidence in the end," replied the Blues boss. "Tuesday/Wednesday he was really, really stiff and it didn't look like it would be possible, but with a spasm it can ease up. Credit to the medical team. He made good progress Thursday evening, Friday and he felt good to start. There was no rick, they felt, attached to it.

"We didn't want to take him to 90+ minutes today because we have lots of important games coming up. The season certainly doesn't end today. He came through the game fine."

Town now have back-to-back games at Portman Road coming up - Watford on Wednesday night, followed by Middlesbrough next Saturday.

"It's great to have two home games now," said McKenna. "The schedule has been and is so busy. Our last three away games were Norwich, Coventry and Hull - the teams sixth, seventh and eighth - so we knew they were going to be a big challenge.

"It's not a situation we could go into thinking we were going to win every game. We knew it's unlikely to be as smooth as that. All we can control is our effort. We'll try and control as much of the performance as we can.

"If we'd have won today it would have been fantastic to give the supporters, but pretty soon after the game it's about focusing the mindset and getting bodies ready for Wednesday night. If we'd have drawn today it would have been the same. Unfortunately, we're on the end of a loss. It's still the same."

Asked of this defeat would be harder to recover from than any other, McKenna replied: "I think that's human nature. Any defeat in the later stages of the season, when you're working towards something, are always a little bit tougher. Of course any derby defeat is tougher, especially because we know what it means to the supporters.

"For us as professionals we can't afford to let that be the case. We've done well dealing with set-backs and disappointments before and we have to deal with this one.

"We know it will hurt a little bit more for the supporters, and that causes a little bit more hurt in the group. But as a group of players and staff, sticking together, finding the response in training and finding the right energy to go again is something we've done really well this season. That's what we'll endeavour to do again."

McKenna continued: "Of course we all want this season to end in a really amazing and brilliant way, but we're trying to grow the team, the football club to the levels it once was. Each step along the way is a lesson, whether it's a fantastic experience like Monday night or a very disappointing one like today.

"This is a group that's come a long way in a short space of time. I'm confident we'll find a way to take good lessons from this performance."

On his team's lack of chances created today, McKenna added: "If I'm honest, I think the spaces were there that we usually exploit really well. I just don't think our execution in the first half was on the level. 

"Of course the feel of the game changes on the first goal. Norwich then defended really compact and with bodies. The longer the second half went on they were able to defend with good organisation and, with the crowd behind them, they always carried a little bit of a counter threat with Josh Sargent.

"There's nothing in particular that was new today in terms of stopping us. It was more about us not executing to our best level."

Asked if there was any sense that Ipswich's lengthy winless run against Norwich was some sort of psychological hurdle for his players to overcome, McKenna said: "No, to be honest it's not. Of course it's nice to win your derby. In the game at Portman Road we were very, very close to winning it. This is the first time this group has been to Carrow Road, so I don't think there's any baggage from things that happened many years ago.

"We just didn't hit the level required tow in the game. I don't think either team hit a particularly high level, but credit to Norwich, they found a way to come out the right side of the margins.

"It just wasn't our day. The clubs will hopefully meet again more regularly. I don't think either of us will be spending time in league One any time soon. It's a good rivalry, it's a good derby, there will be more matches over the next few years and I'm sure this club will have its day."

On the potential for the two teams meeting again this season, in the play-offs, McKenna said: "We don't speak about the points totals and the table much, but in reality we know there are two outcomes for us now because we've mathematically secured the play-offs.

"Of course, after the incredible work that everyone has put in to get to this point, it's possible we can secure an automatic place. That's going to take a record points total, but it's possible and we'll fight for that right to the end.

"But, yeah, let's be realistic. At the start of the season, if you'd have said we'd be in a play-off position everyone would have found that fantastic. If that's the case then we know, whoever we have to play, they're going to be a good side. 

"We also know, even coming out of today, that I don[t think there's anything for us to fear in this division. We know we can be a good side on our day.

"We'll just focus on the next five games and then see where we're at."