'We can't keep making silly mistakes' - Cook on defeat at Burton

The Blues collectively were caught napping at a quickly taken deep free-kick prior to Joe Powell giving the Brewers a deserved 19th minute lead.

Town quickly drew level, Lee Evans' dead ball delivery turned into his own net by Tom O'Connor, and then looked to be the team pushing for a winner as the all-action Brewers increasingly tired after the break.

Scott Fraser saw a penalty saved by Ben Garratt just before the hour mark, but Ipswich continued to push and livewire substitute Kyle Edwards struck the bar with a superb long-range effort.

It was Burton who grabbed all three points though after a counter-attack led to Matt Penney clipping the heels of Powell in the box and Akins converted from the spot.

"It's just disappointing isn't it?" said Cook, whose new-look side started the campaign with a home draw against Morecambe and a Carabao Cup exit to Newport.

"Burton were excellent at times in the first half, but we managed their threat, the threat was there no more and we'd got to the stage where we'd moved up to the halfway line, we were now dominating the game and it was about whether our flair players could open them up and get that winner.

"When Scotty is putting the ball down it looks like it's going to be great day for Ipswich and we'd go on. Unfortunately we end up on the back of a defeat that I don't think we deserved.

"Those silly individual mistakes, which we're making at the moment, we can't keep making them."

Joe Piggott is just off target with a header at Burton Albion. (Image: PAGEPIX LTD 07976935738)

He continued: "You can never kid supporters. If you're a manager telling everyone the world is going to be alright and they're watching the world not be aright you're a bit delusional.

"Today we were at a point in the game where we couldn't lose. We were in control of the football match. We'd managed their best spells and then there were little mistakes in possession where we get a bit loose, get a bit causal and we're not set. All of a sudden they counter-attack, we're all out of position and it's a penalty.

"Physically our back four wasn't the strongest today but they'd done well. They'd managed that moment in the game.

"We're really disappointed in the goals and we're disappointed we didn't score more because we felt on a lovely pitch we'd get chances. We've just got to keep working away it.

"I don't think Scotty Fraser missed a penalty for MK Dons did he? No-one misses deliberately. I just lick my wounds as a manager. Compliments to our supporters who travelled in great numbers.

"I think everyone will probably say we did show some glimpses of what we're hopefully going to be about. But we do want to get up and running quickly.

"Last week, there was a point in the Morecambe game where we couldn't lose and we nearly did. Today was the same. Both games should have either finished 1-1 or we go on to win 2-1.

Ipswich Town manager Paul Cook, pictured before his side's 2-1 loss at Burton last weekend. (Image: PAGEPIX LTD 07976935738)

"We're in possession of the ball. If you stop the clip where we've got it, they have no-one in our half... and they score. It came from a mis-placed pass. We work hard on it in training. Those passes are simple. The decisions where we play and what we should be doing in possession.

"What happens sometimes is when the game gets... not 'easy', because that's disrespectful Burton, but when we're high up the pitch and retaining possession comfortably, we've got to be better than that.

"It can't happen again and it won't happen."

Cook was without the injured George Edmundson, Toto Nsiala, Conor Chaplin, Wes Burns, Sone Aluko and James Norwood for this game, while recent addition Hayden Coulson wasn't ready having recently suffered with Covid.

Kyle Edwards, who only arrived earlier this week, stepped off the bench and produced several classy moments.

"You saw with Kyle Edwards what a good player he's going to be for the club" said Cook. "You've got to stay with the positives. Edmundson is in the building, Coulson is in the building, Chaplin's a little injury. We're all down today, but there are so many positives.

"I thought our travelling support was terrific. Great credit to them. Good luck to Burton, they're a tough team to play against and they put you under pressure at all times, but we should have left with something today that's for sure.

"We just keep going. It's such a long season and there will be highs and lows. We know we've got to sustain winning football and I've got every confidence that we'll do that. I know what's in the dressing room, I know what's coming in the building, I know how the fitness levels have been.

"We've had to put a new squad together. We're disappointed not get anything today. Even if we'd drawn people would have been talking about two unbeaten. Everyone will write different scripts - that's football and it doesn't bother me. I've been in football too long to know that you just keep picking your points up as you go along and you'll be okay.

"Louie Barry has made his debut today. Macauley Bonne has come on. We're finding the best permutations - who plays as the 10, who plays as a nine? We have got good options now. Chaplin's injured now, which is a blow, Norwood's injured, Wes Burns is injured, Sone Aluko is injured. We have got a few little niggles.

"The reality is we'll keep working away.

"I'm miserable tonight, so I'll just stay miserable for a bit before we look to Tuesday (trip to Cheltenham)."

The EADT and Ipswich Star understands that the Blues are closing in on the addition of Accrington Stanley centre-back Cameron Burgess.

Asked about that, Cook smiled and replied: "I don't know nothing about that at the minute. What did Arsene Wenger used to say? 'I didn't see it'. I don't know!

"I'm not going to discuss that. We are strengthening areas of the pitch. I don't want to disrespect other clubs about potential signings. We'll just keep doing our business as best we can."