Keane hails ref as Tractor Boys motor

But Leicester boss Sven-Goran Eriksson condemned the decision to even start the match and called it "bad PR for English football" and unsuitable for television.

Keane's side had lost their previous six games but turned in a solid display to race ahead thanks to a David Norris strike and a double from Jason Scotland.

The game had kicked off in deepening snow and Attwell pulled the players off the pitch for a 15-minute period in the second half to allow groundstaff to clear the surface.

There was a real danger the game would be abandoned and deny Ipswich a much-needed win but Attwell allowed the game to resume from the 59th-minute mark.

Keane said: "The referee had a tough decision to make and he was put under a lot of pressure by Leicester.

"That's what you'd expect and if it was the other way round we would have done the same thing.

"But he stuck at it and fair play to him for that.

"It wasn't easy and he needed to look after the safety of the players.

"The fact we were three up put him under more pressure but he made the right decision.

"The ball was playing okay and both sets of players did well, but ours adapted better to the conditions.

"It was never going to be pretty but we had a nice bit of energy around our team."

Keane's Leicester counterpart Eriksson felt the dramatic game, which was televised, should have been postponed.

Eriksson said: "I don't think the game should have started.

"Everyone knew that at 5pm there was going to be heavy snow around Ipswich.

"The forecast was for more so the referee's decision was bad for everyone.

"Who wants to see a game played in conditions like that?

"The game was being shown worldwide but was very bad publicity for football.

"If I'd been watching the game in a bar in Australia or Sweden I'd have switched off. It's bad PR for English football and also bad for Sky. You go skiing on snow, not play football."