Paul Jewell delighted with Gianfranco Zola comments but now wants Town to kick on

The Watford boss – and footballing purist – paid a gushing tribute to Jewell’s side following their 1-0 victory at Vicarage Road on Tuesday night.

But while pleased to be on the receiving end of such positive comments, the Blues boss just wants Ipswich to carry on performing.

He said: “The performance was excellent. The manner and the way we played meant it was a great night for us and the fantastic support we had there.

“It was nice to get a late goal as many teams have done that to us since I have been here.

“The only thing I thought we let ourselves down on was I thought we didn’t work the goalkeeper hard enough. Our shots ratio were high but on target was not good enough – so that is an area we need to improve.

“They (the players) know they did well, but they know that is finished and we need to kick on now. We are not getting too excited or carried away but we are going into games in confident mood.

“We played well, but that is behind us – we look forward to the next game and that is a very difficult obstacle in Blackpool tomorrow.”

Jewell admitted he hadn’t though much about the Hornets’ hoodoo prior to the match with Town going 15 matches without a win over Watford before Michael Chopra’s late winner.

He revealed: “I never mentioned the run of results against Watford, I only realised when my wife text me and said ‘I hope you break the bogey run against Watford’. I said ‘thanks for reminding me’. I had forgot all about it.”

Jewell said he was left impressed by the manner in which new Watford boss Zola took the last-minute 1-0 defeat.

He added: “He was very honest. A lot of mangers say they should have won the game, but we were the better team.

“It is very nice for people to say nice things, but we don’t take too much notice when good things are said, like we don’t when bad things are said.

“Hopefully, Ian Holloway will be saying the same on Saturday night.”