Latest: Ipswich boss hits back at critics as Portsmouth rivals given ‘reality check’ after promotion set back

Here are the main headlines from the latest round of action in the third tier.

Ipswich impress

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is adamant his side have already been written off to finish in the automatic positions.

After a run of one win in six league games, the Tractor Boys picked up a much-needed three points against struggling MK Dons.

The Town head coach has insisted his men will go under the radar as they look to push for a place in the Championship.

‘I did hear the scorelines,’ McKenna said to the East Anglian Daily Times.

‘Look, we have to focus on ourselves. There are other teams in the driving seat and the pressure's on them to be honest.

‘We've probably been written off by some for certain positions.

‘We've just stayed focused on us all the way through and will let the other ones worry about the pressure and where they are. We'll just take it game-by-game.’

Plymouth problems

Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher has insisted his side were given a reality check after their surprising 5-2 defeat to Peterborough.

The loss at the Weston Homes Stadium saw the gap to leaders Sheffield Wednesday rise to three points, while Ipswich closed to within five points.

After a midweek semi-final Papa Johns Trophy victory, the Pilgrims head coach delivered some home truths in his side’s promotion hopes.

He told Plymouth Live: ‘It's a reality check. If we don't do the basics properly, we don't start games in the right manner, we don't try and get on second balls, we don't pass the ball well enough and we don't defend one-v-one well enough then you get punished. It's a little reminder but we will move on quick.

‘We allowed Peterborough to go two goals up from poor play all round and I had to make two changes pretty quickly. I got an immediate reaction, which was brilliant, and we are back in the game.

‘We just needed to try and defend better and then take one of the chances that we were going to create in the second half to get us back into it.

‘Again, we conceded another poor goal and gave ourselves a mountain to climb, but we got back in it. I just feel as though we caused our own problems today.

‘When you do that against a Peterborough team who have got really good forward players then you are going to struggle.’

Derby damage

Derby boss Paul Warne believes his side were ‘smoked’ by play-off rivals Barnsley.

The Rams suffered a damning 4-1 defeat to the Tykes at Oakwell as their promotion hopes were dealt a shock blow.

And it was a result the Derby head coach had no complaints over, insisting his men were blown away by Michael Duff’s outfit.

‘I’m a little bit frustrated but Barnsley deserved the win,’ speaking to Yorkshire Live.

‘I don’t think there was much in the game. They smoked us in that first half and we never really recovered.

‘Their press was good and we were too slow moving the ball across the back line.

‘It was just one of those days where it felt anything that could go wrong in our box did, and anything that could go right for us in their box, didn’t.’