Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna was left to ponder what might have been had Julio Enciso been available for more matches after the Paraguayan scored a brilliant goal in the 2-2 draw at Everton.
The 21-year-old joined on loan from Brighton in late January but his appearance at Goodison Park was only his 11th for the club after an interrupted start to life in East Anglia.
He has been making up for lost time, with his 30-yard screamer to get his side back in the game at 2-1 his second in four games, but it has come too late to save them from relegation.
“He has an incredible showreel for a young player certainly,” said McKenna, who felt his side were worth their point after George Hirst’s 79th-minute equaliser.
“It is in some ways frustrating we’ve not had him for more of the season as he arrived late and had an injury pretty soon after coming.
“That individual quality which pretty much every team at this level has lots of can win you points and win you games and Julio is certainly one who has that.
“We’ve enjoyed having him and it is testament to him how he is working for the group because he is a loan player here for a short while and he’s not quite been able to get he momentum up that we would have wanted earlier enough in the season.
“He made a big difference for us today, a big difference at Stamford Bridge (where he scored in a 2-2 draw) and Bournemouth and we would have loved to have had him earlier.”
Everton boss David Moyes tried to take the positives out of a game they were leading 2-0 thanks to Beto’s header, his ninth goal of the season, and a 25-yard swerving effort from Dwight McNeil, his first since September on his 100th appearance after a long injury lay-off.
“I’m disappointed. We never shook Ipswich off really. They were always there or thereabouts,” he said.
“We just couldn’t quite get there. We did a lot of good things and we tried some different things to see how players play in different roles.
“I thought we did really well in the opening part of the game, got the goals eventually but the goal just before half-time rocked us a bit and gave Ipswich something to keep going at. We couldn’t quite get the third goal.”
Everton have dropped 10 points from winning positions when they have led by two or more goals this season and Moyes added: ““We’ve done that a couple of times but not seen it out.
“The game was always tight. We should have done a little bit better.
“I’m disappointed we didn’t win but I think there are a lot of positives in how we’re playing, what we’re doing and trying to create chances.”
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