Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna declared the long-awaited East Anglian derby with Norwich as a “great occasion” and claimed that his team were better by a “considerable margin” in spite of them drawing 2-2.

His opposite number at Carrow Road, David Wagner, meanwhile, said his first ‘Old Farm’ clash between the two sides – the first for nearly four years – was “exciting” and was what was expected.

Jonathan Rowe struck twice either side of the break for City while Nathan Broadhead and Wes Burns were the Ipswich scorers.

Ipswich dominated the first half and should have been ahead by at least three goals but failed to capitalise on their superiority.

Broadhead spurned two chance to put the Town ahead. The first came when he danced round a couple of tackles to leave him one on one with Angus Gunn in the Norwich goal but he put his shot narrowly wide of the left-hand post.

Moments later he picked up a cross from Wes Burns but fired the ball just the wrong side of the same post.

Town then spurned their third good opportunity to take the lead when Burns smashed his shot over the bar.

McKenna said: “It was a great occasion in terms of the build up and the supporters did the club proud in terms of the atmosphere they created.

“I thought it was a really good performance and we were the better team by a considerable margin, created lots and lots of chances, give away very few chances and there was lots of things that we can build on from the performance.

“Of course the frustration is conceding two goals from hopeful balls that ricochet around in our box, but beyond that there’s so many positives that we can take from the performance.

“Of course, only a point and we would have loved to have given the supporters the victory, but I think the team can certainly take a lot from that game.

“We have been so clinical at home and I think that’s a 3-0 performance in the first half if I’m honest and we go in at 1-1.

“The goals we gave away were disappointing, it’s two moments of concentration in our penalty box and a little bit of fortune in both which can happen.”

Opposite number Wagner felt the game had gone as he anticipated.

He said: “It was exciting and more or less what you expect, what you like to have… a lot of battles, a lot of energy.

“The lead changes during the game as well and I’m absolutely delighted about the shift my players put on the pitch, great togetherness, great working attitude, super fighting spirit and this the reason why it’s a deserved point for me.

“Obviously if you can’t win it you make sure you can’t lose it and this is what the players have done. We take this point.

“You have seen why Ipswich is so good at home and so good in the season in general. This was their first draw, every other game they have won and this makes it a good result for us.

“It was deserved because of the fighting spirit and of the effort which they players bought the pitch and they always believed going and fighting and close the yards in between the lines.

“Technically it was a very, very good game, they are a good side. We take the draw and this is why it was a deserved point for me.”

Mark Robins admitted his disappointment as Coventry salvaged a point against Norwich with a 1-1 draw at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Ben Gibson’s 88th-minute own goal handed the Sky Blues a point and maintained their unbeaten home start to the season after Jonathan Rowe poked in his sixth of the season before half time.

The Sky Blues had chances to take all three points after Milan van Ewijk and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto had chances to steal all three points in added time.

Robins explained: “We deserved a point very much so, but I think we can be a little bit disappointed that we didn’t go on and win it.

“During the game that’s the first time we feel that we’ve been able to have any sort of meaningful possession, and even though we went behind we knew we were in the game.

“We got in at half-time at 1-0 and we knew we were in the game, well in it. The fact that we were shows that there’s been a significant step forward been taken.

“The fact that we ended up pinning them in for large parts of the second half and especially at the end, when I made the changes, I think that had a benefit because it re-energised us, which was really important.

“The ball into the penalty area for the own goal, the quality on the ball meant that Gibson had to head it and thankfully it hit the back of the net.

“It keeps our unbeaten record at home intact and that’s huge. This point is a big point on the back of the two previous wins, so seven points from three games is really good and we can look forward to building, and hopefully we can start to get a few players back now and hopefully things will start to look a little bit better after the international break.”

Norwich manager David Wagner rued the missed chances that could have seen his side double their lead in the second half as he reflected on a hard-fought point on the road following three consecutive away defeats.

“The result is because we conceded so late, even if I can say I think it was a fair result.” said the former Huddersfield boss. “I was very pleased with how the players execute our idea, to give Coventry a little bit possession, make sure we defend from a low block and be a threat on the transition.

“I think it worked, they put in a real shift. Obviously, you have to defend your crosses and you have to have some blocks but there were no real big chances which I’ve seen over a long period.

“We scored a great counter press goal and had two further golden opportunities from Adam Idah and Liam Gibbs where we have to kill the game, especially in the second half where we had this period of 25-30 minutes where we were very comfortable on the ball, there we have to kill the game and this is unfortunately what we haven’t done.

“If you defend crosses then always a mistake can happen what happened and then you concede a goal and obviously the feeling is totally different even if you have done exactly the same game, exactly the same performance because the outcome is different, but I was pleased with the effort, with the togetherness, with the commitment, it was a hard fought point which they deserved.”

Norwich boss David Wagner urged Norwich matchwinner Jonathan Rowe not to get carried away after his Carabao Cup first-round winner at QPR.

Rowe’s header in the final seconds at Loftus Road secured a 1-0 victory and an away tie against Bristol City in the second round.

The 20-year-old has scored in all three of the Canaries’ games this season and his manager has challenged him to keep improving.

Wagner said: “It’s great that he scores goals and great for him as an individual.

“If you work hard you will get your rewards and this is what Johnny has done.

“He’s a talent but he has a lot of work to do – keep the feet on the ground and make sure you work hard and continue what you are doing.

“We will support him but we will challenge him as well.”

The game produced very few clear-cut openings before a late Norwich flurry, with Ashley Barnes missing a great chance for the Canaries before Rowe netted.

“I think it was a deserved win and that we were the better team – the team which really chased for the win,” Wagner added.

“It was not a top performance but as the game went on I thought we created opportunities without being clinical in the final third.”

QPR boss Gareth Ainsworth was encouraged by the performance of his young players.

Both managers made several changes and Ainsworth brought on academy products Alexander Aoraha and Rayan Kolli in the second half for their senior debuts.

Ainsworth said: “I got what I needed tonight and that was seeing the commitment and the standard of the players that haven’t been playing.

“We had players on the pitch from the academy during the game and two debutants at the end who are playing against players who have been sold for millions.

“So I’m really proud of the boys, but it is gutting to lose the goal at the end. The boys didn’t deserve that. Gutted but very proud.

“It’s cruel but it’s a lesson for some of our young boys, and the future looks quite rosy here.”

Jonathan Rowe’s goal in the final seconds gave Norwich a 1-0 win at QPR and a place in the second round of the Carabao Cup.

As the tie appeared to be heading for a penalty shoot-out, Rowe headed home Kellen Fisher’s cross for his third goal is as many games.

The game produced very few clear-cut chances before a late Norwich flurry.

Canaries substitute Ashley Barnes missed a great chance when he sent a free header wide of the target.

Rangers keeper Joe Walsh was then called into action, saving with his legs to deny Gabriel Sara, and City went close again when Przemyslaw Placheta fired narrowly wide.

QPR’s best opportunity fell to Lyndon Dykes, who was unable to react quickly enough after Albert Adomah’s cross had been headed down by Elijah Dixon-Bonner.

Scotland striker Dykes went off in obvious discomfort shortly after the hour mark having appeared to pick a knee injury – a concern for the R’s given their lack of attacking options.

The Canaries will be away to Bristol City in the next round.