Tyreeq Bakinson joked that his winning goal was a “worldy” having opened his account for Town in the 1-0 victory at Doncaster Rovers last night.
Bakinson turned in from close range after Macauley Bonne’s header had been saved, and was immediately dubbed ‘Tapinson’ by one TWTD Forum poster.
"A worldy!” the on-loan Bristol City man laughed afterwards. "I think today he [manager Kieran McKenna] gave me more license to go a bit further up the pitch and the ball was bouncing around in the box quite a bit, so I tried to gamble and guess where it would land and luckily it fell to me.
"It’s a great win away from home and obviously on a personal note I’m obviously buzzing to get the goal and the winner, but I think it’s most important that the team got the three points and we take that back home.
"We feel that if we keep clean sheets we have a good chance of scoring goals with the attacking threats that we have. I feel like that’s a good foundation to work from.”
The 23-year-old says he was allowed a freer rein with Lee Evans playing a more defensive role alongside him the centre of the park.
"I’ve played with quite a few different partners already in the midfield, so I think it’s trying to learn the different styles of play and different players and striking up partnerships,” Bakinson said.
"Today definitely helped with Lee Evans in there, who likes to play a bit deeper and get the ball and things like that. I think it worked quite well.”
The competition for places in the centre of the midfield will increase greatly at the weekend with Sam Morsy back from his four-match ban.
"I think that’s a great thing,” Bakinson continued. "We want strong competition, we want everyone at it and the best team on the pitch.
"Even if I’m not playing or if Sam’s not playing or Lee’s not playing, I know we’ll definitely support each other and be there, if it’s a sub performance or if it’s a start, we’re all pushing in the right direction.”
Does he believe he has done enough to keep his place even with Morsy returning? "That’s the manager’s choice. I feel like I’m playing good football, the team’s playing good football and we’ll see what happens at the weekend.
"I’ve been training with him this whole time and you can really see how good he is as a player, how he likes to play and will definitely help the team when he’s back.
"We’ve got an amazing squad, sometimes that quality is needed from the bench to come on and change the game, and everyone’s pushing in the same direction, everyone wants to do well.
"Even if it’s not a start, you still feel a part of the team and you want to change it if you do come on.”
Bakinson has now made three starts and two sub appearances for the Blues and the Londoner is delighted with how much football he has played since making the move to Portman Road two days before the Accrington match in which he made his debut from the bench.
"I think that’s exactly what I wanted,” the one-time Luton trainee added. "I wasn’t getting many minutes where I was, so that was exactly what I left the club for.
"I think I’m still finding my feet, so hopefully I can show the fans, the manager and the other players that I’ve got more in the tank.
"Hopefully everyone gets to see my more all-round play, defensive, box-to-box, and hopefully I can get a few more goals to contribute to the team.”
Bakinson has tasted defeat only once since coming to the club, at Sheffield Wednesday 11 days ago, with the Blues having won the other four matches in which he has played a part.
"It’s been great,” he reflected. "I think that’s a credit to the players, a credit to the manager coming in and settling us all in so fast and really stamping the way he wants to play on all the players that are here.
"I think it’s a great squad, a really good squad. A lot of quality all around the pitch. Like I said, take every game as it comes and see where that takes us.”
How does that squad compare with the Championship group he was with at Ashton Gate until last month?
"I think if and when I’d this club does go back up to the Championship, they could definitely compete at that level because there are loads of players that I’ve played against [when they] were in the Championship and played with, so definitely a very good squad here.”
The initial loan deal from the Robins has the potential to be turned into a permanent signing in the summer.
Quizzed on what manager McKenna has said to him about that prospect, Bakinson said: "We haven’t really spoken about that much. At the moment we’re focusing on this season. We have a few goals and a few places that we want to be, so at the moment it’s focusing on the here and now.”
Tuesday’s goal was Bakinson’s second of the season, he netted the winner for Bristol City in a 1-0 home win against Stoke in November, having scored four times in 2020/21.
"I think I had a few last year,” he recalled. "Hopefully I can keep on progressing and get a few more.
"Today, a 1-0 win away from home, that’s so important, so if I can get a few more that would be brilliant.”
Bakinson says no one at Portman Road is looking too far ahead, just focusing on every match in turn.
"I think for us it’s a momentum thing,” he said. "We take each game as it comes, try to win each game and see where that takes us.”
Tuesday’s win took the ninth-placed Blues to within six points of the top six, does he believe Town can make the play-offs? "Good question. I feel for us right now it’s about taking every game as it comes, trying to win every game and climbing up.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s game away against third-placed MK Dons when the Blues will be backed by 7,000 fans, he added: "Massive. We’re all pushing in the same direction, so hopefully we can do that as a team on Saturday.
"It’s unbelievable, the number that are travelling, it really gives you that encouragement to really go for it because, it’s a bit clichéd, but they really are a 12th man out there.
"Knowing that you’re going away and they’re going to be right behind you is really encouraging and supporting, and everyone wants to do well for them and the team.”