Manager Mick McCarthy says he’s delighted with the progress striker Paul Taylor is making after his long spell on the sidelines due to a foot injury. The 25-year-old made his first start in 11 months at Stevenage on Tuesday, having come on as a sub at Reading on Saturday.
McCarthy says the Championship game against the Royals would have been a lot tougher than the pre-season friendlies which Taylor had previously been involved in: "Tayls is doing OK. The game on Saturday was different to a few minutes against Colchester, 20 minutes here and there.
"That was a proper game, a tough old match that, two teams going for it hammer and tongs. But that’s the level that he needs to get to. But I’ve been pleased with him.”
Daryl Murphy and David McGoldrick are currently McCarthy’s preferred front two having scored nine goals between them in pre-season.
He says they came close to linking up for a goal at the Madejski Stadium: "Murph and David McGoldrick forged a really good partnership and prior to Reading scoring [their second goal on Saturday] they created a great opportunity with Murph down the left crossing for Dids getting in the box.
"He narrowly missed it, although the defender did well, not allowing him to get to it.”
He felt it may have been a big ask for them to come on and turn the game at Stevenage: "Maybe it was a bit much for them to come on and retrieve two goals.”
Overall, the Town boss believes all four of his senior strikers — McGoldrick, Murphy, Taylor and Frank Nouble — will play their part as the season progresses: "There’s potential in all of them.”