Kayden Jackson, who netted his second goal of the season at Sheffield Wednesday, admitted it was ultimately disappointing not to claim all three points having been 2-0 in front, the Owls having fought back to draw 2-2, but felt there were plenty of positives to be taken from the performance.
Having gone 1-0 up through Jackson in the fourth minute and with ex-Ipswich loanee Dominic Iorfa scoring an own goal in the 71st, Town looked set for a fifth straight away win at the start of a season for the first time in their history. However, goals from George Byers and Michael Smith - which video evidence showed was offside - saw the match finish level.
Before the game, top-of-the-table Town may have taken a draw away against the League One's fourth-placed side but Jackson, who is still finding his sharpness after a hamstring injury in the second half of last season, insists manager Kieran McKenna has them focused on winning every match.
"I’m not so sure. The boss wouldn’t let us talk like that and it comes from him,” Jackson said when asked if he’d have taken a draw before the game.
"We want to win every game at Hillsborough, the Wham Stadium, wherever it is. We go into every game with one objective in mind and that is to win. We try and work on a game plan to get at the opposition and expose their weaknesses, and it was close to being perfect.
"I think we limited them to just throwing the ball in the box. We didn’t get cut apart at any point and we created some really nice moves ourselves, and were unfortunate not to get another one or two in the end.
"But in the end, the crowd willed them on and it was difficult to defend. We want to go into every game and play our football and enjoy it and hopefully come away with the three points.
"We’ve started well and we believe there is plenty more to come and the positives are that we’re still unbeaten, we’ve come to a ground where not many teams will go toe to toe.
"I’m not sure how many times they’ve gone 2-0 down apart from the Barnsley game, where they’ve lost 2-0. We’re disappointed that we couldn’t see it out, but we’ll take the positives.
"Whenever you go 2-0 up in games like this, coming to stadiums like this, to not take the three points is a disappointment. But, ultimately, we’ve got a big game next week, obviously get the cup out of the way in the week and deal with that how we should and look to right our wrongs next week.
"But we know what we’re capable of as a squad and you look at the lads that haven’t even travelled, and they’d get in most teams in the league. So we’ll all keep working hard and whoever is picked on the day, we’ll try our best.”
Jackson spoke positively and confidently after the match despite missing out on Tuesday night. For him, the next few months are about increasing his sharpness and becoming an integral part of a team that has an unbeaten start to the season.
"Obviously, games are coming thick and fast, and not being involved Tuesday was a slight disappointment, but straight away on Wednesday, you need to be at it.
"Thankfully showing the manager what I can offer again today and I’ll keep working hard to improve. Still a long way back, but I’m working hard to get back to the sharpness levels and fitness levels I had before the injury and, hopefully, there’s plenty more to come this season.
"I think it always takes time, and maybe the back end of the season or from Christmas onwards, you’d hope to be back 100 per cent by then.
"I’m working hard every day, and some days are easier than others and some days I think the body isn’t quite at it. But I’m working hard every day and I’ll do my best to get back to 100 per cent and help the lads.”
Jackson’s integration into McKenna teams has seen him play through the middle, right wing-back, on the right and wide left against the Owls. His versatility is proving to be a strength and the forward revealed that when McKenna arrived at Town in December they spoke on that front.
"I see it not as much as positions but more roles in the positions,” he explained. "I think you always have to be fluid in this day and age and you can’t be labelled as a one-position man.
"I’ve played in a lot of different roles, and I spoke with the manager when he first came in and told him a bit about the role I played at Accrington and today, I had a similar one where I had to be in two places at once.
"I know my strengths and me down to a tee. I like getting in behind, stretching and doing whatever I can to help the team. It’s one of those things I’ve learnt over the years that you don’t have to get every run perfect and you don’t have to come out on top in every duel, it’s the ones that count in the end.
"Unfortunately, looking back at one late on in the second half, I’m disappointed to not get the finish on that one. But it’s going to be a long season, so hopefully I can get in that position and score plenty more goals.
"Playing in the role that I’m playing against good defenders — good, quick and strong — it’s always going to be a good battle. I’ll do my utmost to come out on top and some weeks you’re able to get a defender isolated and other weeks you’re not.
"I was disappointed at Accrington when the space perhaps wasn’t there that we were hoping for, but if I get the space, then perfect. But if not, then hopefully somebody else on the pitch will find the space I’m not able to.
"I’m just happy to help the team and wherever he puts me, I don’t mind. I work as hard as I can and hopefully try and score and assist goals. But like I said before, disappointed to not be coming back with three points.”
When asked if he gets much warning about which role he’ll be playing, Jackson continued: "I get plenty of notice. Nothing is on a whim with this manager. We work on everything meticulously and he doesn’t leave anything to chance. In every role I play I know exactly what’s needed and most importantly the manager knows what I can bring to those roles as well.
"We’ve got an abundance of players that can play in different positions and I think the most important thing is we all bring something different to the role.
"Teams can’t pin us down and it might look like we’re playing a similar formation one week, but we’ll always bring something different.
"You look at the games like Accrington, for example. Making changes wins that game and then we’ve been able to freshen it up week on week.
"I think that’s what most teams, perhaps Sheffield Wednesday, will be able to do, but there are not many teams who will be able to freshen it up like us.
"There are so many changes week in and week out, but it doesn’t weaken our team because we are all working towards one objective, which is a good thing. I’m just happy to be out there and happy to help the team today.”
Having definitely scored Town’s first, Jackson might have claimed a second with Iorfa turning in a cross in ahead of him, there having been various claims regarding the second goal at Accrington recently.
"It was a good brace in the end,” he joked. "No, I was a little too tired to get inside the man [Iorfa], but ultimately I think the pressure saw it go in. Whether it’s a goal or an assist, I’m happy to be involved in that one.
"A few of the lads told me it [the first goal] was a nice finish and I’ve seen one angle of it. I don’t even think I saw it go in the back of the net, I was wheeling away, but it was nice to get on the scoresheet. But I was gutted it didn’t help us get the win.”
And on George Edmundson’s assist, the defender running from deep before playing pass as he was tackled, Jackson said: "I’m not sure you can call it an assist, I think he’s run down a blind alley and he was fortunate to get a ricochet!
"Nah, we know what he’s going to bring us and we have Woolfy [Luke Woolfenden] doing that on the other side with JD [Janoi Donacien] as well.
"It makes so much difference when our defenders can drive with the ball and are comfortable with it at their feet.
"I think it comes from the manager giving them a license to do that and possibly knowing that they have Samy [Morsy] there as security and they have Lee [Evans] there and other defenders shuffling around.
"Everyone in the team is comfortable with the ball and I think that’s going to be a massive thing going forward. Teams can’t pin us down and mark all of our attacking players because we have defenders that can step in and create space.”