ROY Keane was not advocating cheating, but he did suggest that if one of his players had celebrated after Connor Wickham's throw-in rolled into the net, then the referee might have awarded the goal.

Carl Marston

ROY Keane was not advocating cheating, but he did suggest that if one of his players had celebrated after Connor Wickham's throw-in rolled into the net, then the referee might have awarded the goal.

Referee Nigel Miller took several seconds before making a decision, when Wickham's huge throw soared over keeper Dean Gerken and into the

net. The game was entering injury-time, so a goal at that stage would have won the match for Ipswich.

However, Mr Miller decided to award a goal-kick, rather than a goal, which appeared to be the correct decision. No other player seemed to get a touch.

"I think we could have been cuter in terms of someone celebrating, because I don't think the linesman disallowed it," explained Keane.

"I don't want our players to be cheating, but if one of our players put their arm up? I was looking at the referee and he's thinking - 'I don't think anyone's touched this.'

"All the players were all looking at each other, and if someone had put their hand in the air and said I touched it, then I think he might have given it.

"But besides that we had plenty of other chances. We shouldn't just discuss that goal. We had other chances that we didn't take," added Keane.

The first half was a bore; but Town upped their game in the second period and can count themselves desperately unlucky not to record an eighth league win of the season.

Keane admitted: "In the first half, I think we were waiting for something to happen. Talk about two different halves, it was unbelievable!

"You have to make it happen. And in the second half, players were committed, taking people on, taking risks I suppose. We were a bit braver.

"But the first half was very poor. I was glad to see the back of the first half, we never got going.

"I thought in the second half we were outstanding, on the front foot dominating. We had chance after chance.

"Their keeper (Dean Gerken) had one of those days. I don't think we were ever going to score really," concluded Keane.