Ipswich boss Paul Jewell has laughed off suggestions of a late promotion challenge despite seeing his side continue their turnaround.
Bluebirds boss Mackay bemoans ref decision
Ipswich manager Paul Jewell has laughed off suggestions of a late promotion challenge despite seeing his side continue their Championship revival with a 3-0 victory against Cardiff.
The Blues swept to their fourth straight win against their Welsh visitors on Saturday - a feat they have not managed since October 2004.
Town are now 16th in the Championship, 11 points behind sixth-placed Birmingham, but Jewell joked: "I knew I was going to be asked about the play-offs.
"We've been in a relegation fight for a long time and we're just trying to put as much daylight as possible between ourselves and the bottom of the league, taking every game on its merits.
"The only thing on our minds at the moment is trying to get a result at Brighton [next Saturday]."
Jewell felt his side were excellent value for their victory, earned thanks to two goals from Lee Martin, sandwiching another from form man Michael Chopra.
"There was a spell early on when we had to ride our luck but overall we were worthy winners," he said. "We had to dig in but were resolute and had a little bit of fortune.
"Two months ago we would have conceded during that dodgy spell. Now we're playing with a confidence, belief and desire and people have taken their chances.
"When we scored you could see the confidence in the team."
Deflated
Deflated Cardiff boss Malky Mackay bemoaned a flashpoint early in the game when Ipswich goalkeeper Arran Lee-Barrett fouled Joe Mason but referee Simon Hooper only awarded a yellow card.
"It was incredible," said the Scot. "At the time, the whole stadium, even the Ipswich fans, must have had their hearts in their mouths.
"Then their manager looks at me and blows his cheeks out when the yellow card goes up.
"I calmly asked the referee about it at half-time and he felt the goalkeeper tried to nick the ball away with one foot.
"But anyone who's looked at it has seen two feet off the ground, flying in, hitting him about knee-height. It's a defining moment and one I can't get my head round."
Mackay felt his side were punished for a below-par second-half performance but denied that his players were distracted by next week's Carling Cup final against Liverpool.
"They're a very focused, hard-working group of players with no egos," he said. "They've focused on everything we've asked them to do all season and that was the case today."
