Ipswich boss McCarthy rues ‘tiny errors’

Scott Arfield headed the only goal 10 minutes from time, bringing an end to Town’s run of four successive home victories.

Burnley impressed many neutrals with their organisation and work rate on a day when they were not as free-flowing as they have been, but McCarthy said: “We were beaten by an accomplished side, but no more accomplished than us I think.

“But they had a Johnny on the spot who took a chance by running in there and getting on the end of something.

“I didn’t think there was anything in the game.

“They defended their goal better than we did for 90-odd minutes because we just let our guard down.

“I thought we played well, I was delighted with how we played, against a good side.

“Are they that much better than us? I don’t think so.

“They’ve had people putting the ball in the net though.

“I thought it looked like a goalless draw but we made three or four tiny little errors.

“Someone said it was a great cross and a great header, but it always is when you score, we sort of left the middle of the goal, we should have stayed in, stayed narrow, but we didn’t and it cost us.”

McCarthy added: “We’re very similar in how we play, but they defended their goal better.

“We should have had a point, there’s not a great deal between us.

“I’m disappointed we didn’t get anything from the game, but I can’t remember Gerks or Loachy making too many saves. It was a tight game.

“We’re playing against two of the most prolific strikers in the league, and our two centre backs were different class, not given them too many sniffs.”