Wolves boss Mick McCarthy felt his side got their just rewards for a hard-working display at Portman Road which earned them another 1-0 victory.The Molineux men rode their luck at times but thanks to a superb poacher’s goal from Stephen Ward they secured their eleventh single goal win of the season.

And Molineux chief McCarthy was in buoyant mood.

He said: “I was interviewed by a young lady afterwards who said Ipswich were all over us in the first half but I’m not sure. I think we did deserve to win overall.

“Maybe the goal was against the run of play but we weren’t making last ditch tackles or saves. I can’t remember them being hugely on top at that point.”

McCarthy felt Ward’s goal changed the game – and actually gave Ipswich more impetus towards the end of the first half.

“Stephen Ward’s goal was terrific – it was very well taken. Then after we scored that goal they had a really good spell of pressure but even then Matt Murray’s not been diving full length and making superb stops.

“Matt didn’t make a save of the quality that Price did off Michael Kightly in the second half, for example.

“We didn’t really have a last ditch tackle until right at the end when Rob Edwards tackled their man and they appealed for a penalty – which it never was. And even then, we had a similarly good chance when

“We had the opportunities to win the game and finish it off in the second half but we didn’t and I think that gave them a bit of a lift. Fair play to Ipswich and Jim Magilton – his team worked really hard for him.”