Source: Team_Talk
Keane bemoans wasted opportunity
Keane lifted the famous trophy four times during a glittering playing career and was also a losing finalist twice.[LNB]But goals from defender Wayne Thomas and substitute Michael Antonio ended Keane's hopes of a maiden managerial victory in the competition.[LNB]Even substitute Pablo Counago's last gasp strike to reduce the deficit proved no more than a consolation for the Championship strugglers.[LNB]Keane said: "The players know they have wasted a good opportunity to go further in the competition.[LNB]"I did not think we deserved to lose the game but we certainly did not do enough to win it.[LNB]"We played well in the last 15 minutes but the game starts at three o'clock and not 20 to five.[LNB]"The starting 11 was very good so nobody can accuse us of taking Southampton lightly but our performance was not up to the standard I expect."[LNB]Ipswich enjoyed the majority of possession in a first half of few clear cut opportunities for either side.[LNB]But it was Southampton, 18 league places below their visitors, who took the lead 14 minutes before half-time thanks to a wonder goal from Thomas.[LNB]There seemed little danger when Thomas picked the ball up on the right wing, but the centre-back cut inside before planting an unstoppable 25-yard piledriver into the top-left corner for his first FA Cup goal in five years.[LNB]Ipswich thought they had equalised three minutes after half time when Carlos Edwards' long throw-in deceived everybody, including Southampton goalkeeper Kelvin Davis.[LNB]But referee Andy Hall disallowed the goal after correctly spotting that none of the half dozen waiting Ipswich players got a touch on the ball before it crossed the line.[LNB]Substitute Antonio looked to have sealed victory for the 1976 winners, slotting home from two yards after Ipswich goalkeeper Arran Lee Barrett had parried Rickie Lambert's free-kick into his path.[LNB]Counago threatened to stage a late fightback when he raced clear of the Southampton defence before slotting past the on-rushing Davis in second-half stoppage time but Saints held firm to move into the fifth round.[LNB]Southampton manager Alan Pardew, who led West Ham to the 2006 final, said: "It was a hotly contested tie between two evenly matched teams and we had to dig deep.[LNB]"Ipswich have got some good young players, who get around the pitch very well and we struggled to cope with that in the first half.[LNB]"Wayne's goal was a bit of a surprise to me but he played well today and deserved his moment of glory.[LNB]"You won't see many better strikes than that in the whole competition and the second goal came at a very good time for us."[LNB][LNB]
