Delighted skipper and winning goalscorer Luke Chambers believes the Blues played as well as they have at any time this season during Saturday’s 2-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday. The Town captain, who headed his goal three minutes from time, also echoed manager Mick McCarthy’s pre-match message that the Blues will have a more realistic chance of hitting their pre-season target of the play-offs if everyone is pulling in the same direction.
"I think we played really, really well,” Chambers told Ipswich Player HD after Saturday’s match.
"I think we used the ball a lot better. Maybe they let us play or they were a little bit lazy but I think we dominated the game at times, we created chances, especially late in the second half.
"And the fans today were absolutely fantastic and they stuck with us through all of it even when it went to one-all, singing players’ names, the gaffer’s name.
"We’ve got to stick together. I know it’s difficult and frustrating at times, but we all want the best for the football club.”
He added: "It feels brilliant today. It was a massive three points, we needed it because we’ve obviously not had the results we’d have wanted of late.
"We’re delighted, coming off you could see what it meant to all the boys, celebrating [the winning goal] together with all the subs, and even at the end with the gaffer.
"We’ve got to stick together at times like this, we did that today and I felt we gave one of our best performances, if not the best performance, of the season.”
After the Blues and boss McCarthy were given stick by the Town support during last week’s 2-2 home draw with bottom club Rotherham, the Wednesday fans meted out similar treatment to their players at Hillsborough.
Chambers, who hopes Saturday’s victory can jumpstart Town’s season, felt the home supporters’ frustrations had a negative impact on the Owls team.
"Their fans weren’t happy with the way their team played and they weren’t afraid for voice their opinions and it’s very, very difficult and it showed in some of their performances,” the 31-year-old continued.
"Their players were very nervous at times and obviously that didn’t help their performance. We thrived on that a little bit and took belief, especially late in the second half.
"We know how fit we are, we know we’re a fit team and if we continue to stay in games, especially with the so-called better teams, I think we’ve always got a chance, especially as we’ve got a bit of pace on the break.
"To go 1-0 up the way we did, it was a great goal from Tom Lawrence, I thought he was absolutely different class.
"I thought Wardy was fantastic as well, and getting Searsy up top and Didzy back in the team is a massive, massive boost for us.
"I think you’ve seen the team today which performed very well and obviously we’ve got Bish coming back, who is getting his minutes in, but he’s making a big contribution to the team.
"Overall I’m absolutely delighted and I think we thoroughly deserved the three points in the end.”
Regarding his winner, his second vital headed goal of the season, he added: "It was a great delivery from Wardy sticking it in. Berra once again missed the target but thankfully I was there to get him out of jail again!
"I like getting in the box and in the last few games I’ve been thrown up for set pieces and I like to score from open play as well. I’m just trying to get in and help the team.
"But it’s not about me scoring, whoever scored you would have seen the same reaction because at the end of the day we’ve come up here, it took five and a half hours, we stuck together, [on Friday] night we all played pool together.
"At times like this it would be easy for everyone to have little cliques and stuff like that but that’s never happened, especially since I’ve been at the football club.
"The message is for everyone to stick together, but the boys especially, and I think they did over this weekend.
"Now we can look to a couple of days off and look forward to the international break and then look forward to Forest in two weeks’ time.”
Town, who face their skipper's former club Nottingham Forest and managerless QPR at home in their next two games, go into the break in 15th, five points off the play-offs and seven points above the relegation zone.