Matt Holland has promised Ipswich will bounce back from their recent run of league defeats.

Holland was skipper for the day with Tony Mowbray suspended and scored a smashing first half goal to give Town hopes of at least a point before going down 2-1 in front of nearly 40,000 fans at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

He said: "At 2-1 down we went for the jugular and we wanted to win. We created chances and felt we could have won the game.

"Sunderland are a long way clear with a lot of quality players but we came here and gave it our all and I felt we were the better side.

"We need to play like that against the Port Vale and Bury's and we will be back up towards the top."

Ipswich slipped to fifth from second over the weekend and with an FA Cup tie at Everton next week won't get another chance for league points until the home game with Port Vale at the end of January.

Holland's goal came after an excellent move between Mark Venus, Richard Naylor and Fabian Wilnis.

Holland said: "I didn't have any other thought other than to hit and it went in. We gave it our all and we were the better side.

"Come two or three weeks time we will have everyone back with Mick Stockwell, Jason Cundy and James Scowcroft all pushing for places.

Holland defended the tackle that brought him his first yellow card for Ipswich in 92 appearances.

He was besieged by angry Sunderland players after catching Alex Rae with a late and high challenge.

He said: "There was no malice whatsoever: I went for the ball but was a bit late.

"The Sunderland captain Kevin Ball said there they had no problem and accepted I went for the ball. I apologised to Alex Rae and he accepted it, though he did catch me a little later."

His only other booking came at Bournemouth where he played more than 100 games.

Sunderland boss Peter Reid said: "I didn't want the lad sent off. He caught Alex but tackles are part and parcel of the game."

Ipswich went behind to two Niall Quinn goals before Holland hit a marvellous 20 yard shot to pull one back before the break in a much-improved Town display.

Blues' boss George Burley said: "We did everything we set out to do. I couldn't ask any more of my players.

"They showed a lot of character. There are not many teams that will go to Sunderland and play like that.

"We were unfortunate to go two goals behind but I felt we deserved to get something out of the game.

"Matt got us back in the game with a tremendous strike and we had a number of chances but we didn't get the equaliser."

Reid said: "Ipswich are a very good side will be among the forerunners in the pack at the death."

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