IPSWICH Town manager Mick McCarthy was satisfied with his side’s comeback 1-1 draw against rock-bottom Peterborough United at Portman Road.

Yet more terrible defending saw the Blues go behind to a Lee Tomlin goal just eight minutes into an instantly forgettable first half of scrappy football.

Town improved after the break and DJ Campbell converted a spot-kick won by Lee Martin just before the hour, with both sides then having chances to win it in the closing stages.

Asked whether it was a point gained or two lost, McCarthy – whose side have dropped to 23rd in the table – said: “Both I guess – but I’d say a point won.

“I’ll have to pick the bones out of how we conceded, but it looked like another soft, milky one. Teams just seem to score against us too easy.

“We didn’t play well in the first half, we couldn’t pass it our own team mates, but the performance towards the end of the half gave me encouragement.

“I could see us getting better, thankfully we improved in the second half, we showed a bit of intensity and I think we deserved a point that’s for sure.”

He continued: “I thought it was a stonewall penalty to be honest. He (Lee Martin) has got him (Lee Tomlin) stood up and has been clipped. I don’t know if he went down slow, but it was certainly a penalty.

“The fans deserved to boo us off at half-time because we were pretty poor in the first half, but second half I thought there was a response from everybody – both the players and the crowd.

“We were starting to look better and a goal always makes everyone feel better.

“There were chances at both ends as the game became really stretched. We’re trying to win it and that put us in danger of losing it too.

“The keeper (Stephen Henderson) made a good save at the end as they broke on us a couple of times, It wasn’t great, but it was exciting.”

Asked what he’d said to his side at half-time, McCarthy quipped: “I did ask if it was at all possible for them to pass to someone in the same coloured shirt. I’m deadly serious. Our passing was awful at times in the first half, but it did get better in the second half.”

Meanwhile, McCarthy confirmed that midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker has strained his hamstring and could be out for two to three weeks.

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