Ipswich expect — rather than hope — to win every game they play, according to skipper Carlos Edwards.
The experienced Trinidad & Tobago international leads his men into battle against Middlesbrough at Portman Road tonight having secured five successive home wins, an impressive sequence that has coincided with a run of just two defeats in their last 11 games.
Edwards, who believes the play-offs remain a realistic target, said: "We haven’t played particularly well in our last two or three home games, but at the same time we prefer to play below our best and get all three points than play well and take nothing from the game.
"Since we started this nice little run we go out expecting to beat any team. But as much as we would like to play good football and come away with three points, sometimes you have to win ugly and we have done that in our last two home games. The main thing is that we always have the belief that we will come away with the three points.”
Meanwhile, Edwards admits he will not be surprised if he faces extra competition next season for the right-back berth he has been able to call his own.
But the 33-year-old former Wrexham, Luton and Sunderland winger, who completed a century of league starts for Ipswich at Watford on Saturday, has also made it clear he is not fazed by the prospect of others challenging for his role.
Edwards, only absent from Championship duty once this season, added: "You never know what is going to happen in football. Who would have thought I would be playing right-back for all this time? It’s over a year and a half now.
"I think I have done a pretty good job but I’m not getting carried away by thinking too far ahead. I am content to be a part of the squad and as much as some players might not like it, you always need competition in the squad.
"But whether someone is pushing me or not I always give 100 per cent. Even if there is no one making a challenge for my place, I don’t take my eye off the ball. It is not in my nature to do that.”