'We did more than enough to win' - McKenna on Bolton draw

Aaron Morley put the Trotters ahead with a 25th minute penalty, given for a Leif Davis trip, before Lee Evans equalised in the 38th minute following a corner routine straight off the training field.

Roared on by a crowd of 26,688 , the Blues pushed hard for a winner throughout the second half and should have got it in stoppage-time when Sam Morsy fired straight at keeper James Trafford from close-range.

"I thought we did more than enough to win the game," said McKenna. "Especially in the second half, but even in the latter stages of the first half.

"It was a quite edgy first 20 minutes. That can happen. It's understandable. It's human emotions playing in front of a crowd of that size after the build-up to the game.

"There was nothing really in the game, very bitty, not many balls in play and obviously we got a blow with the penalty. To my eye that was a little bit soft and came from nothing.

"The most pleasing thing was the response of the players and the crowd. Everyone stayed really positive and together when it would have been really easy to drop their heads and get disappointed.

"It was a well-worked equaliser and then we started to find our rhythm at the end of the first half. Second half, once the ball was able to stay in play a little bit longer and we could find a bit of flow I thought our football and our physicality really took over.

"We had more than enough chances to win a game of this level. It just wasn't to be on the day, but I'm sure we'll keep improving from here."

On Morsy's late chance, the midfielder unable to convert Wes Burns' sweeping low cross, McKenna said: "He's pretty tough, so I don't think he'll waste too much time losing sleep over it. I thought his performance was fantastic, I have to say. In every pre-season game, including against Premier League teams, he was one of the most dominant players on the pitch.

"Today there was a lot of good players on the pitch, but I think the level he is operating at the moment is extremely high. He's just got to keep pushing and pushing now, as I know he will do.

"If he keeps doing what he's doing then he'll get goals throughout the season."

A crowd of 26,688 watched Ipswich Town's opening day 1-1 draw with Bolton. (Image: PAGEPIX LTD 07976935738)

Substitutes Tyreece John-Jules, Sone Aluko, Kayden Jackson and Greg Leigh provided Town with an injection of energy in the second half.

"It was planned for them (John-Jules and Aluko) to come on as a pair and get their link-up going together," said McKenna. "Tyreece is getting stronger and stronger every week and I think everyone is starting to see what we saw in him. If he can stay fit and keep getting stronger then he could be a massive player for us this season.

"Greg is settling well and getting more and more used to what it's like here.

"Leif (Davis) and Marcus (Harness) had a real good energy. The start of the game was very bitty, it wasn't so easy for them to shine, but second half they helped set the game up well for the fresh legs to come on and give us that added impetus."

McKenna concluded: "It's one game of 46. To be honest, whether it was a win, draw or loss today I'd probably be saying the same thing. Three points against Forest Green next weekend is now massive. The way we get them is by having an outstanding training week, do all the right things and go there with the correct mentality knowing it's going to be really tough with it being their first home game in this division.

"A draw's a draw, it could have been a win, probably should have been a win, but I think we'll take the positives from it and move on to next week."

Bolton boss Ian Evatt said: "For the first 35 minutes we were in control, but then the set-piece equaliser wobbled us and we lost momentum. We fatigued and they attacked better than us. Credit to them. There won’t be many teams who come here and get anything."