Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy said he ‘lost the plot’ with his players after they conceded a late equaliser in today’s 1-1 pre-season draw at League Two side Cambridge United.

The Blues passed the ball as well as they have done this summer and finally broke the deadlock in the 83rd minute through Andre Dozzell’s crisp finish, but they were pegged back in the 89th minute when the ball broke free in the middle of the park and Joe Pigott raced away to score one-on-one.

“Up until the last couple of minutes that was alright, but the last couple of minutes was bull**** football,” blasted McCarthy, visibly still trying to control his anger minutes after his dressing room talk. “We’ve conceded a goal from it and I’m fuming.

“We just slowed the game down and we weren’t playing forwards. I’m not tolerating that. I’ve just told them – that’s garbage. To concede that goal was really p*** poor.”

He continued: “I thought James Blanchfield was good, Bish (Teddy Bishop) was good, Tristan Nydam did well. There are some positives, but I’m just fuming after that late goal. It’s not often I lose the plot, but I just did in there. I don’t like pre-season games, but I don’t like conceding goals at that time in games either.

“We did it at Brentford away last year, Nottingham Forest away, Bolton away... You don’t get anywhere with bull**** like that. I’m not tolerating it. I’m not having it. It’s not good enough.

“That’s unforgiveable for me. If he whacks one in from 30 yards, fair enough, but we had the ball and gave it away. It’s not good enough.”

McCarthy confirmed that Dean Gerken missed out with a tight hamstring and that the absent Adam McDonnell had taken a kick in training. Luke Hyam went off after landing awkwadly, with the Blues boss saying: “You all saw what I did. I don’t know what he’s done other than twist his knee.”

Meanwhile, McCarthy scotched national reports that there had been interest in Tommy Smith and Daryl Murphy. He said: “Nobody has made a phone call to me.”

On the prospect of any incoming transfers, he said: “There’s no update. We’re still working on it. Hopefully we’ll get something, but at the moment there’s nothing.”

– See Monday’s EADT and Ipswich Star for more from McCarthy and Blues skipper Luke Chambers.