While results on Good Friday went Watford’s way in their bid to launch a late surge for the play-offs, they also went Ipswich Town’s favour but the Tractor Boys were unable to make the most of it as they lost 3-1 at Vicarage Road yesterday.

The Tractor Boys boss acknowledged his players were keeping track of the scorelines from elsewhere the day before they faced the Hornets but they were not all doing so together.

McCarthy said: “Of course they did [look out for the results]. It’s a misconception, we’re not all sat together waiting for results to come in. They’ve all got iPads, iPhones, they’ve all got the internet, they all follow football. Yes of course and we all thought they were great results for us but unless we get our result then it doesn’t make a blind bit of difference.”

When it was pointed out the win put the Hornets back into the play-off picture due to their game in hand, the Ipswich boss responded: “And we’re still one of them and isn’t it great.”

“I’m disappointed with the result today but I’m not disappointed with how we played at all,” he continued. “Who knows? It could all turn on its head. We all fancied Forest at one stage, we all fancied Reading, we all fancied Brighton, we all fancied Bournemouth were flying, we just suddenly get a chance to get into the play-offs, it’s still in the mix with three games to go.”