Improve quickly or you can kiss goodbye to any play-off hopes.

Fuming Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy delivered a damning verdict following his side’s lacklustre 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

The Blues boss admitted his side were second best throughout at the Riverside, Danny Graham scoring twice in the first half as Aitor Karanka’s side ended a 12-hour goal drought in style.

Reading and Brighton’s 1-1 draw means that Ipswich remain just four points adrift of sixth-spot, but McCarthy’s men – who have played two more games than rivals Wigan – are also only six points above 15th.

“I’m not going to try and take any silver lining out of what anyone else has done this weekend,” said the Blues boss, whose team take on a Yeovil side fighting for their Championship survival, at Huish Park, tomorrow night.

“None of the players have ever let me down for lack of effort, lack of endeavour, lack of work rate or spirit. Never ever.

“We’ve got to play better than that in the remaining 12 games to have any chance of being anywhere near the play-offs though.

“Forget what anyone else does. We’ve got to perform better.”