IPSWICH Town boss Roy Keane had sympathy for his opposite number, Ian Holloway, after the Blackpool manager was sent to the stands by referee Eddie Ilderton during Saturday's fiery FA Cup tie.

Carl Marston

by Carl Marston

IPSWICH Town boss Roy Keane had sympathy for his opposite number, Ian Holloway, after the Blackpool manager was sent to the stands by referee Eddie Ilderton during Saturday's fiery FA Cup tie.

Keane was not disagreeing with Mr Ilderton's decisions to send off both Ian Evatt and Rob Edwards, for professional fouls, but he hopes that Holloway is not punished for his show of dissent on the touch-line.

"I've always had a lot of time for Ian Holloway," insisted Keane.

"Being emotional is part-and-parcel of being a manager. I've never had a problem with Ian before, and I hope that they (Football Association) go easy on him.

"He just got frustrated, but I didn't hear any abuse. So long as they don't cross the line, managers should be entitled to get emotional.

"The three major decisions today were all very tight, the two sendings off and the penalty.

"Arran (Lee-Barrett) seemed to get a good touch on the ball, so he's disappointed with the penalty.

"And I felt they were fouls (for the sendings off), so I thought they were red cards. But I never like to see players sent off, I never have.

"Their lad (Ian Evatt) might say that he touched the ball, but perhaps only after he fouled Jack (Colback). It was deemed to be a foul, and it looked like it," added Keane.

The Irishman felt that his team were not at their best, especially in terms of squandering a host of late chances to kill off nine-man Blackpool.

But he was still happy to mark his first FA Cup game, as Ipswich Town boss, with a victory.

"I'm happy to have got through, but disappointed with our performance, because we had the chances to kill off Blackpool in the last 15 minutes," continued Keane.

"But it's about time that we recorded back-to-back wins, which we hadn't done since May. We needed that, and I thought that we always looked dangerous on the break.

"I think we're getting there. The signs are better, but I think that there is still a lot more to come from us.

"We could have kept the ball better today, and that made it a long afternoon."

Keane gave a special mention to goalscorers Jack Colback and Owen Garvan.

"Jack did well for me again, and now he's adding a few goals to his game," said Keane.

"Jack is finally finding his feet after a few months. He's a young lad who has goals in his locker, and he will enjoy one or two days off this week, because he's worked hard and he's been away from his family for a while.

"Owen (Garvan) had some opportunities earlier in the season that he did not take.

"But he took his goal well. You always hope that your substitutes are going to contribute."