Ipswich Town manager Paul Cook admitted his team paid the price for not taking a hatful of chances in tonight's 1-0 Carabao Cup defeat to League Two side Newport County at Portman Road.

Timmy Abraham's deft finish put the Welsh visitors ahead after four minutes, with the Blues dominating thereafter but failing to find a breakthrough.

"I thought we played really if I be truthful - you just can't miss that many chances in a football game can you?" said Cook.

"I think it was a real smash and grab from Newport. Great credit to them.

"Both sides made changes. We created a hell of a lot of chances. We hit the woodwork a couple of times and if you don't put your chances away we all know what happens.

"Possession doesn't win you games, goals do. Unfortunately tonight we didn't score the goals.

"I was really pleased with the performance. Nowadays performances get scrutinised so quickly it's untrue. I think someone said we had nearly 30 attempts on goal. If you have 30 attempts on goal and don't score I think we have to have a look at our shooting boots don't we?

"But I enjoyed us, I really did. Some young lads came into the team - Bailey Clements, Cam Humphreys, Idris (El Mizouni), Dobs (Armando Dobra), Corrie Ndaba - and we played really well. I thought the team shape looked very strong, we had so much possession, so many crosses into the box and so many chances. Unfortunately, as everyone knows, if you don't put your chances away you don't win games.

"I thought young Louie Barry looked very exciting for his first start. All through the team we played well.

"But obviously everyone wants to win football games - we all understand that."

The Blues boss, who made 10 changes to the team which started the League One campaign with a 2-2 home draw against Morecambe, continued: "Hayden Coulson and Kyle Edwards have just come in and we've got players still coming in the building. As everyone knows there has been a lot of change at the club and with a lot of change it does take time unfortunately, whether people like to hear that or not.

"We're integrating new players into the club, into the area. Settling them in is important. Obviously getting them training and playing is very important as well.

"I think we're a work in progress. We made 10 changes from Saturday with some of the lads having not even met each other. If you expect just to win that can always be a bit tricky. You've got to pay respect to the opposition. Newport are a very strong League Two team that were beaten in the play-offs last season.

"At times we penned them in and carved them up. We just couldn't score.

"We're trying to get minutes into Sone Aluko. Scotty Fraser came on. We're all playing catch-up from pre-season and as a manager you've got to stay very focussed on your targets ahead.

"You're always disappointed to lose. You want to win games. We'd love to play a big team at Portman Road under the lights with a big crowd, but the league campaign is our priority - everyone knows that.

"We don't want to lose football matches, but I could't complain at the way we played tonight. I actually enjoyed watching us."