Town’s 11-goal loanee, Tom Lawrence, is odds-on favourite to finish the season as the club’s leading goalscorer, but Grant Ward, who trails the Wales international by five, has revealed that he and seven-goal Freddie Sears are both keen to claim the runner-up position in the scoring chart.

Ward, who netted a hat-trick after coming on as a half-time substitute against Barnsley on the opening day of the season, accepts that neither he nor Sears is likely to overtake Lawrence in the remaining three games of the current campaign.

He said: “I think Tom has done it. There’s a bit of banter about who is going to finish second-top scorer, though, and Searsy was giving me a bit of stick the other day. I’m on six and he is on seven now after scoring four times in as many games.

“He gave me a bit of stick after the Newcastle game — he’s got his goals, what more does he want? But I’m happy for him because he has been playing well since he got back in the team and as a striker it’s nice for him to get a few goals.”

Manager Mick McCarthy has hinted at making changes between now and the end of the season, not least because the threat of being dragged into the relegation scrap was lifted by Town’s back-to-back wins over Burton and Newcastle during the Easter weekend.

The names of Andre Dozzell, Teddy Bishop, Kieffer Moore, Danny Rowe and Reading loanee Dominic Samuel have all been mentioned, while Zimbabwe-born 17-year-old Tristan Nydam, would also a candidate to make his senior debut before the players depart for their summer breaks but for an injury.

Ward added: “Tristan has trained with us a few times this season and he looks like a good footballer, quite technical and good on the ball. He might get a chance but I’m not sure.

“The manager will decide what happens but I always want to play, wherever we are and regardless of what sort of form I’m in. He did say he’s going to change things around a bit so we’ll have to wait and see what he decides to do.”

One player Ward believes Town must do their utmost to keep is on-loan Cardiff midfielder Emyr Huws, who volleyed the stoppage-time final goal in the 3-1 win over Newcastle at Portman Road on Monday.

He said: “It would be nice if we could Emyr at the club. Obviously, he’s going to have to assess his options and see what is going to be best for him, but it would be good for us if he was with us next season. I think I have a good understanding with both Cole [Skuse] and Emyr.

“If I press I know one of them will cover and vice versa. I’ve been enjoying working with them. You need someone like Cole in the team. Most top teams in the world, if you have a look, have a holding midfielder. You need someone who’s going to be there and provide the stability.”

Meanwhile, Ward has reflected on his first season with Town following a £500,000 summer move from first club Tottenham. “I think it’s been a good season for me personally,” he said.

“It has been a bit of a learning curve — a bit up and down at times — but overall it’s been enjoyable. I’ve settled here — I live by the marina so everything’s cool.

“We’re not going to end up where we want we really want to be, in the play-offs, but it has been a good experience and I have learned a lot.

”The highlight was obviously the opening day when I came on at half-time and scored the hat-trick. It’s always nice to score on your debut but instead of one I got a few so I was very happy with that.

“As players we want to be pushing for the play-offs, not being in the bottom half of the league, so from that point of view it has definitely been disappointing. We just need to try and build on what we’ve done recently and finish the season well.”

Photo: TWTD

walberblue added 16:55 - Apr 20 if you were real strikers you wouldn't be drawing attention to the pitiful number of goals scored this season
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jabberjackson added 17:03 - Apr 20 This is possibly the most embarrassing story of the season so far Our strikers and midfielders, bar Lawrence, should be keeping the lowest possible profile on this subject Evans Above!
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Mark added 17:13 - Apr 20 It is not good reading, although Pitman was top scorer with only 11 last season and in 2012/13 Campbell was top scorer with only 10. Forster was top with only 7 in 2005/6 and the stat that sticks in my memory is Thomsen's 5 in 1994/5.
3

corfu72 added 17:50 - Apr 20 As long as we keep scoring I don't care who gets the goals,but will need more from midfield next season without Lawrence.!!
2

brian_a_mul added 20:42 - Apr 20 Good to see our midfield contributing more goals this season, long may it last. If Ward nails the midfield slot we may see Rowe getting a run out wide, I can't wait to see what he can do!
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Sam added 08:22 - Apr 21 There both great players. Hopefully Ward will stick with us next season and maybe Danny Rowe will get some games because of Tom Lawrence!!
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essextractorboy93 added 10:10 - Apr 21 Really think this guy has huge potential and should be even better next season!
2

Michael11 added 14:47 - Apr 21 Really annoys me that it took McCarthy around 40 games to realise that Sears is 1,000x better up front than on the wing. He's clearly a striker that can get goals so why did it take him so long?
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