Ipswich v Millwall: Ipswich Town manager Mick McCarthy hailed his side’s work-rate after their impressive 3-0 home win over Millwall this afternoon.

After home keeper Stephen Henderson made three good saves in the opening half an hour, the Blues became the first side to score against Millwall in five games when DJ Campbell finished off a sweeping move.

Campbell turned provider for Daryl Murphy five minutes after the restart, with the on-loan QPR striker then making it eight goals in 12 appearances from the penalty spot soon after the hour.

It sealed a third successive victory for Town, with 16 points having been secured from McCarthy’s opening eight games in charge. For Millwall, it was their first defeat in 14 matches.

“I thought we deserved it in the end, to be honest,” said McCarthy. “I thought it was a good game. Hendo kept us in it a couple of times early on, but overall I’m really pleased.

“It wasn’t easy, not at all. The lads are knackered, let me tell you – they’ve put a shift in. We stopped a good side playing. Teams can only play how much you allow them to play.”

With Murphy playing superbly following his return to the starting line-up, McCarthy said: “He was outstanding. It’s about creating a bit of insecurity sometimes. Chambo (Luke Chambers) got left out and he’s been excellent since coming back in, Murph got left out and has come on and made a difference (against Nottingham Forest and Bolton) and then put in a really good performance today.

“The biggest response for me was Andy Drury. I took him off last week (at Bolton) because he had a poor game, no other reason and I said that to him in the dressing room, but he was absolutely outstanding today.

“That’s the beauty of having a squad who are all motivated and wanting to play.”

Meanwhile, the Blues boss says he has tried to contact QPR manager Harry Redknapp about the prospect of signing DJ Campbell when his loan spell expires in the New Year.

“I’ve left him a message, but I think Harry has got plenty on,” said McCarthy. “We can’t do anything about it – it will run its course.

“I would think there will probably be other clubs interested because he’s scoring goals. He wants to sign for a club permanently and there will be various circumstances that will determine what will happen.

“Let’s wait and see.”

Meanwhile, Millwall boss Kenny Jackett said: “We should have been a goal ahead. The (Chris) Wood goal from (Shane) Lowry’s pass in the first half (fourth minute) was clearly onside – I’ve seen it again.

“Their keeper has made three very good saves and we’ve gone in at half-time 1-0 down when we could have been one or two up. That happens though.

“The start of the second-half was a poor one from us. We concede two poor goals and that takes the game away from us.

“I felt that Murphy and Campbell were a handful for us. They’ve got the three goals between them and have made key contributions. Murphy in particular ran the channels.

“The result is 3-0, but there are fine margins. We’ve had the detail at the back and a forward who has caused sides problems recently, but Ipswich found an intensity today in front of 17,000 people.”

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