Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna expresses deep frustration over a late penalty decision that denied his team victory against Stoke, resulting in a thrilling 3-3 draw.

Controversial Added-Time Spot-Kick

Milan Smit calmly converted a 12-yard penalty in added time after referee Thomas Kirk penalized Cedric Kipre for pulling back Lamine Cisse in the box. The decision leaves promotion hopefuls Ipswich settling for a point despite leading 3-2 with just eight minutes of normal time left.

McKenna struggles to conceal his disappointment with the call. “There’s nothing other than a devastated dressing room, a really frustrated dressing room,” he states. “I’m really frustrated with our role in the last minute and the fact that we didn’t game manage and show the composure we needed.”

He labels the penalty “really soft,” highlighting the irony compared to an incident in the 96th minute of their previous match against Leicester. “The level of contact Cedric’s put on a shoulder there compared to what happened… we’ve come on the wrong side of,” McKenna adds. “So we’re really unhappy with how that’s panned out.”

Match Comes Alive in Second Half

Stoke dominated the first half with goals from Milan Smit and Bae Jun-ho, securing a 2-0 lead at the break. Ipswich fought back after the interval: Eric Bocat’s own goal leveled the score, followed by strikes from Jack Taylor and substitute George Hirst to put the visitors ahead.

McKenna praises his team’s resilience. “The group showed outstanding character and quality in the second half,” he notes. He acknowledges first-half errors but points out a near-miss when they struck the inside of the post. “We go into half-time in a difficult spot, but there’s so many other ways to dissect the game.”

Stoke Grabs Vital Point

The draw keeps Stoke in 15th place despite just one win in their last 11 league outings. Manager Mark Robins laments his side’s second-half collapse after a strong opening period. “We spoke about doing the same things – making sure that we win the duels, win the headers,” he explains.

Robins highlights defensive lapses leading to the own goal and missed tackles. “We miss things. We get either ahead of the ball or in the wrong position.” Despite the young squad’s average age of 23, he finds positives. “I’m pleased… part of me is really happy with a lot of that, apart from three moments of the game.”