Dampener put on Keane's birthday.

Coventry City 2 Ipswich Town 1

IPSWICH manager Roy Keane blasted his side's defending as they began the Coca-Cola Championship season with defeat at Coventry yesterday.

Clinton Morrison had Coventry 2-0 up midway through the first-half with a lob and a header, and while Jon Walters quickly pulled one back, Ipswich were unable to find an equaliser.

Jaime Peters, Lee Martin and Walters were all denied by fine saves from Keiren Westwood in the Coventry goal and Keane cut a disconsolate figure at the final whistle.

Keane admitted yesterday morning he finds it hard to sleep after a defeat and could be set for a restless 38th birthday today following Morrison's brace.

The former Sunderland boss said: "We gave two very poor goals away and lacked sharpness in the final third but that will come in the coming weeks and months.

"The first goal came from a goal-kick and the starting position of everyone was very poor. And the second one, Clinton has headed it at knee height. If you're a defender and he heads it that low, you take his head off, it's as simple as that.

"I'll be down tonight but the day my appetite isn't affected by defeat, I'll be out of the game. I am trying to learn from my experiences at Sunderland and not get too downhearted but I will not get home, put my feet up and have a whistle.

"But I've been like that since I was eight or nine years old. The beauty of it is that we have a game on Tuesday night, so that can cheer me up.

"There will always be disappointments in football but I will be OK - don't worry about me. This will put a dampener on my birthday for sure but Roy Keane's birthday is not, and should not be, important in the grand scheme of things."

Keane introduced new pounds 1.7m striker Tamas Priskin as a late substitute, but insisted his business was now done in the transfer window.

He said: "I will constantly be asking my players who is the man to get a goal in the last five minutes. They didn't answer that today but they will have to learn how to soon."

Coventry boss Chris Coleman hopes the result can bring an end to the 'negativity' he feels has surrounded the club during pre-season.

Coleman sold both Scott Dann and Daniel Fox to Birmingham and Celtic respectively, but has pledged to bring in replacements before the end of the month.

He said: "Throughout pre-season, there has been a lot of negativity around us.

"We've lost two very good young players which the club never wanted to do but if Manchester United can lose their best player, then Coventry City certainly can.

"All the talk before the game was about Ipswich and Roy Keane and where they will finish, but I prefer that.

"We won't come up against a stronger side and we were flustered at set-plays but we got through it and no one went missing in my side.

"I'm sure Roy will go back home and kick his cat because he hates losing but that's a feather in our cap."

MATCH FACTS

COVENTRY: Westwood, Osbourne, Wright, Turner, Van Aanholt, Bell (Clarke 63), Gunnarsson, Clingan, McIndoe (Ward 82), Best (Eastwood 61), Morrison. Subs (not used): Konstantopoulos, Cain, Grandison, Jeffers. Goals: Morrison 10, 24. IPSWICH: Richard Wright, Bruce, Balkestein, McAuley, Delaney, Walters, Norris (Garvan 56), Peters (Priskin 67), Martin, Trotter, Stead (Wickham 66). Subs (not used): Supple, David Wright, Colback, Smith.

Goals: Walters 28. Ref: Russell Booth (Notts). Att: 16,279

CAPTION(S):

UNHAPPY Roy Keane yesterday.