The Northern Ireland international - on loan from Sunderland - is now set to start against Cardiff tomorrow as Keane looks to his finishing in a time of crisis.

Keane said it was 'like Groundhog Day' as his side wasted chances galore and keeper Matthew Gilks pulled off wonder saves - and he even looked as tired as Bill Murphy as he said it.

But the Ipswich chief saw enough of Healy's half-hour to think he can be the answer. He said: "David did well, but he has had a stop-start time. He was sharp, he looks likely every time he gets an opportunity.

"I can't put my finger on why his club career has not reflected his international career, but it's maybe because his international record is so outstanding. He just needs a run of games and has never got that."

Healy and young sub Connor Wickham really picked up Ipswich after Daryl Murphy had blown real openings to score in a frustrating game for the Suffolk side.

Blackpool were let off the hook thanks to Gilks who made one fabulous save from Healy's glancing header and then somehow stopped him putting in a rebound after Wickham hit the bar.

Healy was celebrating the first one until Gilks clawed it away and the keeper said: "That is up there with the best I have ever made. I thought it was going in myself.

"I don't know how I stopped the second, I just got my body in the way and made myself big. Fortunately it hit me somewhere and I kept it out."

If Keane's side face a fight to survive the Seasiders are just relaxing on the fringe of the top six and going virtually unnoticed. Ian Holloway was just happy his game plan worked.

He said: "Roy Keane knows how to play against us - he has beaten me twice already. He was expecting big Ben Burgess to play, but I went with the smaller strikers.

"You can't play the ball in the air against their two centre halves. They are like the Twin Towers, proper roof inspectors. You have got to keep the ball away from their heads."

Ironically one inspector failed his test when Gareth McAuley failed to stop a Charlie Adam long throw to let Jason Euell pop in the only goal of an intriguing contest.

Alan Nixon (Daily Mirror)