Ipswich v Doncaster: Blues boss Mick McCarthy conceded that his side ‘got away with one’ in this afternoon’s 2-1 home win over Doncaster, but hit back at opposition manger Paul Dickov’s claim that Luke Hyam’s unpunished challenge on Gabriel Tamas in the build-up to Luke Chambers’ winner was a potential leg-breaker.

Minutes after Chris Brown’s penalty (83) had cancelled out Daryl Murphy’s opener (47), Town hit back to seal all three points as Chambers lashed home a fine low shot at the back post in the 86th minute.

Hyam left Tamas in a heap in the build-up to the deciding goal, with fuming Rovers boss Dickov insisting that his player had been left with six stud marks down his shin and that he could not understand how it wasn’t a red card let alone a foul.

“I was just talking to Brian Horton (Doncaster assistant boss) about it and he was saying much the same,” said McCarthy. “Firstly, Luke Hyam hasn’t got a bad bone in his body. I’ve known players who would leave their foot in, but he doesn’t do that. He was just trying to win the ball.

“As it turns out, it was a foul. I’m not trying to be smug about it. We’ve had decisions go against us and it’s horrible when it happens to you.

“But I say to my players, if you think it’s offside – put the ball in the net. If you think it’s a foul – put the ball in the net. Just put it in the net and argue about it afterwards. If he disallows it then so be it. If he gives it then sometimes you get away with one.

“He (Hyam) was certainly doing nothing other than trying to win the ball. I didn’t even think it was a foul at the time. I didn’t know what all the fuss was about. It’s easy when we all see it afterwards though isn’t it?”

He continued: “I think we just about deserved it. It was a hard game, just as I said it would be. We went for it at half-time (bringing on strikers Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Frank Nouble) and thankfully it worked. I think we got away with one in the end though.

“It was one of those games where we had to grind one out against a team who were well-organised, prepared and fighting for their survival.”

Left-back Tyrone Mings – making only his fifth league start for Town in place of Aaron Cresswell (tight groin) – had a hand in all three goals. The former non-league man had forced a good save out of keeper Sam Johnstone in the first half, swung in the cross for Murphy’s opener, fouled Mark Duffy for Doncaster’s penalty equaliser then drove forwards with the ball in the lead-up to Chambers’ winner.

Asked if he was pleased with the youngster’s display, McCarthy quipped: “Not when he gave the penalty away I wasn’t. It was stone-wall, no doubt about it.

“I think he should have been helped actually. He should have been in front and Tommy Smith should have been behind the player who got fouled. It was only a tangle of legs, but it was clumsy. I think he was knackered. He kept going though and he responded really well. It was just as well he did because he would have got a kick up the hole if he hadn’t!

“Look, I’ve said on numerous occasion how much I think of Ty. He was involved in both goals for us so I’m really pleased with him. It’s hard to come into the team after so long out and play well.”

On Chamber’s sweetly hit winner, he added: “It was great wasn’t it? We’ve had a few goals from defence. It was nice to see him get the winner because he’s been excellent Chambo. He’s been playing out-of-position, but you wouldn’t really know it.

“He had a bang to the head and thought he was Carlos Alberto!”

An angry Dickov – whose side are now just three points above the drop zone – said: “We were 1-0 down, we reacted really well against a good team, got back in the game and then to lose it at the death in the manner we did when it was a blatant free-kick on Gabby Tamas...

“Gabby was lucky not to get his leg broken. He got a bad one right down his shin and the referee’s got to see that.

“If he gives the right decision, the goal doesn’t happen and I’m getting a little bit sick of talking about decisions which don’t go our way. For him not to give it, I can’t get my head around it.”

He also felt his side ought to have been awarded an earlier spot-kick, saying: “Chris Brown should have had a blatant penalty at the back post in the first couple of minutes and then he got booked for winning the ball. Then Gabby got six studs down his shin and nothing happens. That inconsistency is a little bit frustrating. I’m going to go and see the referee now.”

Asked if Tamas had picked up a bad injury, Dickov said: “He got six studs from his knee all the way down his leg. I think Ipswich is a fantastic club, they’ve got a fantastic manager and really good players, good pros, and I don’t want to see anybody sent off, I want to make that straight, but it wasn’t just a foul it was red card.”

– See Monday’s EADT and Ipswich Star for match analysis and more reaction.