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Hyam: Three Massive Games - Ipswich Town News

Midfielder Luke Hyam says Town can still get back in the play-off mix with games against three of the other challengers, Brighton, Derby and Nottingham Forest, up next.

The Blues, who are now ninth, six points from the play-off zone, travel to the Amex next weekend, then the Rams and their East Midlands rivals visit Portman Road on the Tuesday and the following Saturday.

"We have three massive games coming up,” Hyam said after Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat to Wigan.

"This was a little blip but if we can get results in the next three games then things will turn around.

"Wigan have won eight on the bounce and are high on confidence. If we can get a couple of wins then we can be right back in the mix and that is the beauty of the Championship.

"We got off to a great start with Tommy scoring but it was disappointing they got back into it so quickly but we have to look forward now.”

Hyam was making his second start since returning from a hamstring injury, which he suffered in his first game back having been out with a gash to the leg.

"It was a case of getting my head down, doing well on the training pitch and showing the manager what I can do to get back in the team,” he added.

"It was nice to be back in the team. It is never nice for any footballer to be out injured and it was good to be part of it again.

"I was out for nearly six weeks and I’m still short of match fitness but the more games I get the fitter I will be.”

Meanwhile, former Blues loanee Ryan Tunnicliffe was delighted to take three points away from his return to Portman Road with Wigan, who moved up to fifth place.

"It's a great win,” he said. "It was always going to be difficult to come down here and get a win - Ipswich have got good home form. To come down here and win 3-1 sends a marker out to the rest of the league.

"We're in the play-off positions and have got a few games in hand so we just need to keep winning and try and cement our place in there - it's in our hands.”

The on-loan Fulham man says he gave manager Uwe Rosler the benefit of his inside knowledge of Town: "I tried! The little details he likes to know are who the best headers, how people play, stuff like that - anything I can help with.

"Obviously I enjoyed my time at Ipswich but I'm a Wigan player now so I would happily do anything to try and beat them and I'm glad we did.

"I told the gaffer before that Tommy Smith was probably the best header and the most dangerous at set pieces to look for because he's great in the air.

"We tried marking him but it was a second phase and we didn't clear the box as well as we should have done and didn't him pick up and he toed one in.”

Why did he opt to join Wigan instead of returning to Town when the two clubs came in for him last month? "At the time it was a better fit for me. I spoke to Ipswich and at the time it couldn't be done. Then I went and met Rosler and liked what he had to say.”

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