Kieran McKenna pleased with performance and result as Ipswich beat Bristol City

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna said he liked the way his team “went about our business” against Bristol City as they downed the Robins 2-0 and moved into second spot in the Championship.

Bristol City’s head coach Gerhard Struber said in the critical moments in the game “we were not so sharp” after his team slipped into mid-table after being in the top six at Christmas.

Jack Clarke scored twice, once in both halves, after he stepped in for the injured Jaden Philogene and duly became the Tractor Boys’ leading league goalscorer.

His goals resulted in Ipswich registering their fourth win on the trot. They leapfrogged Middlesbrough by a point ahead of their game on Wednesday, while they remain eight off table-toppers Coventry, who won at home to Millwall.

McKenna said: “Of course a good result, I thought a good performance, I liked how we went about our business, to be honest, against a strong side.

“We were really good on the challenges and the duels which you need to be against a strong Bristol City side.

“Good quality for the first goal, really unlucky with an incredible save from the goalkeeper to go 2-0 but didn’t and they came out pretty strong second half but we were really clinical to get the second goal and I liked how we saw the game out.

“We have had lots of games here where at 2-0 we sort of ran away with it and it looks like it could be three or four or five but tonight we defended on shape, the boys stayed really disciplined, the subs came on, fought for a clean sheet, gave really very little away and good signs for the mentality of the group.”

The defeat meant the Robins have won just one of their past five league games and Struber said: “We gave this game so cheaply away.

“In critical moments we were not so sharp and what you have to be against a team on this level and this is the shame and this is in the end where I can say ‘yes’ it’s Ipswich but I would say we have to have a moment in the first half where we have to score.

“You have to be ready and the second goal comes from a timing and a direction and was of course a killer blow.

“We were in the driver’s seat and we had more control, we had a little bit more momentum for ourselves, maybe not the biggest chances but we have much more control and then in the second half in a really bad timing to get the second goal.”