Friday 23 January 2015 07:51, UK
Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy admitted his side were not at their best after they missed the chance to go top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 3-2 defeat at Brighton.
Daryl Murphy hit his 18th goal of the season to cancel out an early goal by Sam Baldock, before Joao Teixeira scored twice to put the Seagulls 3-1 ahead at the interval.
Substitute Freddie Sears scored late on to raise hopes of Ipswich rescuing a point, but McCarthy said: "We have to give Brighton a lot of credit.
"It was not going to be easy. Brighton played well in the first half and we didn't do well with the goals we conceded.
"We've had one or two players missing through illness and injury and perhaps Brighton have gone up a couple of percent because they are playing us."
Ipswich are not back in action until they entertain Wigan a week on Saturday, and McCarthy added: "The players are off until Monday. I just want them to have a break and recover."
Brighton have won three out of four games since manager Chris Hughton took charge, and McCarthy said he was not surprised to see the Seagulls recovering from their poor start to the campaign.
He said: "Chris is a mate of mine. I know what he's all about. Norwich were still in the Premier League when he was sacked and he was at Spurs for a long time.
"When I took over we were in the bottom six and now we are finding that teams are steeling themselves when they face us. Having said that, our first-half performance was not what I was expecting."
Hughton said the win was a "nice way" in which to prepare for Sunday's FA Cup fourth-round tie at home to Arsenal.
The former Newcastle, Birmingham and Norwich boss said: "It is a nice way to take us into Sunday. Up to know, I hadn't even thought about Sunday's game.
"It will certainly be a good feeling to go into the tie on the back of a good win and a good performance."
Brighton had only previously won two home games this season, and Hughton added: "Of course I am most delighted with the three points.
"I know Mick McCarthy well and his assistant Terry Connor but the most important thing was the three points."
Hughton was full of praise for Baldock and two-goal midfielder Teixeira, who is on loan from Liverpool.
He said: "Fair play to Sam, he's doing a job for the team and he's got high energy.
"Joao scored two superb goals and his work-rate was immense. You needed to get him on the ball with Ipswich playing a hard-pressing game.
"He is a flexible enough player coming in from wide areas and he is still young. He has been playing in a team that has been up and down this season but this will do him the world of good."
