IPSWICH Town boss Roy Keane was very critical of Plymouth's ploy not to adopt the multi-ball system.

Carl Marston

Blues' progress it by

Pilgrims' ball ploy

Roy blames Plymouth for slowing flow to pub match standards

IPSWICH Town boss Roy Keane was very critical of Plymouth's ploy not to adopt the multi-ball system.

In the Championship, home teams are free to choose whether or not to use the multi-ball rule, whereby another ball can be used whenever the match ball goes out of play.

Town employ this system at Portman Road, but the Pilgrims have decided against adopting it for their games at Home Park.

“The match wasn't very pretty to watch, and if I'd been a supporter I'd have felt short-changed,” rued Keane.

“It was very stop-start. Only having one match-ball meant that it kept taking an age to come back, every time it disappeared into the stand.

“The ball took 30 seconds or even a minute to come back into play, which is awful. It meant there was no flow, and it didn't help that we were 1-0 down.

“That's what happens when pub teams play on a Sunday morning. The multi-ball system needs to be looked at and it needs to be discussed,” added Keane.

Although Town are now without a win in 14 league games, having missed a chance to leapfrog Plymouth in the table, Keane felt that his side battled well and deserved the draw.

The Irishman explained: “The game never really got going, and I have mixed emotions after the game.

“You could say that we lost two points on Tuesday (1-1 home draw against Watford) and gained one today, but I thought we deserved at least a draw.

“We knew it would be a very different game here, and it's encouraging that we are creating chances. We just need one or two players who can consistently put the ball in the back of the net.

“It was a big improvement in the second half and we're playing with confidence and freedom.”

Striker Jon Walters was a surprise inclusion, having seemed to be a definite non-starter on Friday, but centre-half Gareth McAuley limped off with a thigh injury midway through the first half.

“Jon (Walters) surprised even me!” admitted Keane.

“He trained with us and came down with us, and had some more treatment in the morning. Sometimes players just get into the mindset that they will play.

“Twenty-four hours is a long time in football, if you have an ankle injury. I know that from my playing days.

“Gareth (McAuley) has picked up a thigh strain and he will have a scan in the next day or two. It's difficult to say, but he could be out for a fortnight,” confirmed Keane.