Keane vows to bounce back

Keane: Bounce back

Roy Keane has vowed to drag his team through their bad run of form after they fell to a 3-1 defeat against Barnsley at Portman Road.

Ipswich are enduring a difficult campaign and this latest defeat sees them occupy 11th position in the Championship, when many, including Keane, thought they would be pushing for promotion.

Goran Lovre gave the Tykes the lead and Martin Fulop scored an own goal to double the visitors' advantage. Garry O'Connor notched the third before Tommy Smith grabbed a consolation for the Tractor Boys.

Keane said: "It was a poor result and performance but that's the way it's going for us at the moment. No sympathy. We've just got to get on with it and look to bounce back next weekend.

"I was frustrated. I could give lots of excuses about players missing and the second goal summed up the way things are going, when their shot hit the post and went in off our keeper. But we've got to stick at it."

On the home fans poor reaction to the defeat, he added: "When you lose, every decision is going to be analysed and criticised. That's the nature of football these days.

"We've got to remember the fans were pretty supportive last year. We went 14 or 15 games without victory and they were very good to us.

Great

"A couple of weeks ago we were all great. Now we've lost a couple and they (the supporters) want me out and they're questioning substitutions.

"But they can question all they want. We can't control the supporters. I see better managers than me saying 'it's just not happening'. We've just got to stick at it - and we will do."

Barnsley manager Mark Robins described his side's display as the best produced since he has been in charge.

He said: "It was without doubt the best performance since I became Barnsley manager.

"And it was a continuation of what we saw on Tuesday night against Preston.

"The players took the confidence they gleaned from that game into today. We passed it well, the movement was fantastic and what we added today was our finishing.

"It's a step in the right direction and very pleasing.

Week

On his side's turnaround in form, he added: "What a difference a week makes in football.

"A couple of weeks back we'd lost two games in the same space of time, against Coventry and Burnley. There was a massive over-reaction and that's the nature of the Championship.

"There will be a lot of clubs spending time down the bottom of the league this year because there's not a massive difference between the bottom and the top.

"It's been difficult for us and we've had a tough spell away from home but we've got to make sure we kick on and take advantage of the six points we've just picked up.

"It was entertaining and good to watch and that's what we're after."