Kieran McKenna didn’t hold back in his assessment of Ipswich Town’s collapse against Charlton Athletic, branding his players’ response to adversity as “unacceptable” after they conceded three times in just 12 chaotic minutes.

Speaking to BBC Radio Suffolk following the 3-0 defeat, the Ipswich boss expressed frustration at his team’s failure to capitalise on early chances and their inability to recover once they fell behind.

“Football has two sides,” McKenna said. “We had more than enough opportunities to score first, but once we gave away a poor goal, our reaction was nowhere near the standard required. We didn’t do the basics well enough, and instead of regrouping, we collapsed and conceded really poor goals in quick succession.”

The manager drew parallels with the recent loss to Middlesbrough, admitting that his side’s mentality when facing setbacks has become a growing concern.

“It was the same story again — when things turned against us, we crumbled far too easily. That simply can’t continue,” he added. “We need to show more character, more unity, and defend with resilience when the momentum shifts. Everyone has to dig deeper.”