GIVE the manager more time - that is the plea of Ipswich Town winger Carlos Edwards.

Carl Marston

GIVE the manager more time - that is the plea of Ipswich Town winger Carlos Edwards.

Town were outclassed by table-topping Newcastle United in Saturday evening's televised 4-0 drubbing at Portman Road, on the day that the North Stand was officially renamed “The Sir Bobby Robson Stand.”

The great Sir Bobby would not have approved of the demolition act carried out on his beloved Ipswich, even though his other passion, Newcastle, inflicted the mortal wounds.

Yet a crestfallen Edwards still believes that Roy Keane is definitely the man to turn the fortunes of the struggling Suffolk club around.

“I hope the board gives the manager more time,” insisted Edwards.

“I am confident that Roy Keane will get it right. We have to keep our heads up and we'll be sticking together.

“There will be easier games than today, though we know that no games are easy in this division.

“I hope the board gives him (Keane) more time to get the right blend we're working for. I feel we're getting there, though obviously not today,” added Edwards.

A hat-trick from ex-Bolton danger-man Kevin Nolan, and a terrific free-kick from Ryan Taylor, left Town trailing 4-0 after just 50 minutes.

At one stage, they leaked three goals in a confidence-draining four-minute spell, just after the half-hour mark.

“We started the game well, for the first 20 to 25 minutes, but we are conceding some very easy goals,”

continued Edwards.

“Once again, it was a lack of concentration at the back. That's seven goals we have conceded in the last two games (also a 3-3 draw at Doncaster).

“We can't defend like that, especially against a team of Newcastle's quality. We made it easy for them. We gave them too much time on the ball.

“But you have to take your hats off to Newcastle, because they took their chances.

“At least at 3-0 down, we didn't roll over. I thought we dug in. We didn't just roll over and say OK, take the three points,” added Edwards.

Town have now failed to win any of their first nine league games of the season, breaking the previous club record for the longest winless streak at the start of a campaign, which had stood at eight in 1964-65.

Keane's men have lost five and drawn four of their first nine games, to earn a meagre haul of just four points from a possible 27.

That is relegation form.