Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna said his team’s 4-1 FA Cup victory over Rotherham was a “good performance” and that his side are a “match for an awful lot of football teams.”
Two second-half goals within five minutes of each other from Conor Chaplin and Freddie Ladapo helped secure a third round success for the Suffolk side in a game with three penalties.
Cameron Humphreys opened the scoring at Portman Road, only for Conor Washington to equalise for the visitors from the spot.
However, Chaplin and Ladapo gave the hosts control, before Wes Burns’ penalty confirmed the hosts’ place in the fourth round for the first time in 13 years as Sky Bet League One prevailed over the Championship.
McKenna said: “It was a very good performance and I thought from start to finish we dominated and controlled the game in all aspects.
“(There was) one moment that made the game difficult but other than that I thought it was a good team and individual performance and great to get the win and get on to the next round.
“We had been so dominant in the first half that we deserved the goal and the breakthrough and we showed the right level of aggression and positivity but also patience and the control that we need.
“We got the goal and in the dressing room at half-time we were focused on the next half and getting a fast start.
“One moment and a couple of seconds lapse and Washington goes through to get a penalty and the complexion and energy of the game could potentially really change from there.
“But credit to the players, I thought the leadership of the players was really good.
“We are a match for an awful lot of football teams and knowing we have a fourth round tie is a nice bonus.”
Meanwhile, Rotherham boss Matt Taylor said he took responsibility and blame for the result.
He said: “Up until Ipswich scored their first penalty I was relatively pleased with where we were in the game. But on the back of the goal we capitulated and that showed our lack of confidence at the moment.
“Was it a penalty? Probably not. Did we score a goal in the first half that shouldn’t have been disallowed? Yes. Are things going against us at the moment? Of course they are. But the scoreline at the end shouldn’t be a reflection on what the boys did today.
“I take the responsibility and the blame for the mistakes that were made. It is happening too often and has been happening for a long time now. Every time we make an error we seemed to get punished for it.”
Town took the lead in the 43rd minute when Humphreys scored but the visitors equalised when Washington netted his penalty.
Chaplin converted the second spot-kick in the 74th minute and Ladapo rounded goalkeeper Viktor Johansson to make it 3-1 in the 79th, before Burns put the third spot-kick away with three minutes remaining.
