Ipswich Town boss Paul Lambert has admitted he was surprised to see goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski make a mistake which led to Nottingham Forest’s opening goal this afternoon.
The Pole, who turned the ball into his own net following an error against Bristol City on Wednesday night, failed to hold Tendayi Darikwa’s shot just nine minutes into the game and, despite his best efforts, was then unable to stop Lewis Grabban from turning home the rebound.
Ipswich went on to lose the game 2-0, leaving them seven points adrift of safety, with Lambert admitting Bialkowski’s error gave the hosts the impetus to go on and see out the contest.
“Do you know what, we started really well,” Lambert said.
MORE: Stu says: Five observations following Ipswich Town’s 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest
“The first goal came after a mistake from a lad you wouldn’t expect to make a mistake. I thought it was bread and butter shot from distance with no great power. It just came away from him and that put us on the back foot. It gave Nottingham Forest and their crowd impetus.
“Second half we made a fist of it when we could have capitulated. All credit to the team. They are really young. We’ve got a lot of lads who have been brought to the football club and for a lot of them it’s their first time playing in this division this level.”
When asked if he will stick with Bialkowski for next weekend’s visit to Stoke or turn to deputy Dean Gerken, Lambert said: “Listen, I think he’s a brilliant goalkeeper and a terrific lad. Mistakes do happen.
“That’s the nature of football. It won’t be his first mistake and it won’t be his last.
“He’s a really top goalkeeper and it would be wrong for me to say anything because he’s been excellent since I’ve been here.
“Mistakes happen. I’m fortunate this football club has two very good goalkeepers.”
MORE: Report: Blues well-beaten at Forest as gap to safety grows further
Midfielder Cole Skuse backed Bialkowski, a three-time player-of-the-year, to bounce back.
“Bart’s old enough and certainly ugly enough to dust himself down and pick himself up,” he said.
“He’s one of the older heads in the changing room and he’s made mistakes in his career and he’s going to make more like anyone in any walk of life.
“He’s proven over the last three or four years – he’s been voted players’-player-of-the-year in the last three – and you don’t turn into a bad player overnight.
“He’ll dust himself down and he’ll be fine.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here