Winning penalty scorer Lee Evans says he and his teammates were confident that they could still win yesterday’s game at Morecambe, despite finding themselves a goal behind at half-time, and were proved right as they fought back to claim a 2-1 victory over the division's bottom side.
Kieran Phillips put the Shrimps ahead in the 34th minute after the Blues had made a slow start to the game, but in the second half Town turned the game around with goals from George Edmundson and Evans's spot-kick.
For Evans, the confidence shown at the Mazuma Stadium is one example of a broader strength which has seen Town bounce back from their first league defeat of the season at Plymouth to win three in a row and keep the promotion push firmly on track.
When asked if the team knew they needed to step it up at half-time Evans said: "I think it came from us, really. I think we all knew we could do better. We had a confidence and we knew if we stepped it up then the game was still there for us to win, and thankfully that's what happened.
"It wasn't the prettiest of games but a hard-fought win and we take the three points home.
"They’ve been three completely different games, but that's what this league is about. You've got to come to places like this and get results if you want to be a successful team.
"Plymouth was a tough game. Probably one [from which] we didn't get the right result, but it's been three big responses. A big week, a great week with nine points, you take that and then another big game next week [at home to Lincoln].”
Town’s second half momentum wasn’t hit too badly by Conor Chaplin missing their first penalty in 36 games and 10 minutes later Evans himself got another opportunity from the spot.
"It's a tough one because it's never nice when you miss a penalty and then another one comes in the game. I think, as a penalty taker, it's nice if someone tries to take that pressure off you a little bit, so that's all it was,” he said when asked about the decision to switch takers for the second kick.
"I went to grab the first one for some reason, but then I realised Chappers is the penalty taker.
"I'll always put my name forward to take one, so it was probably just trying to take a bit of pressure off of Conor. It's going to be tough taking the second one after missing one and thankfully it went in.
"[Connor Ripley’s] a good size keeper, so it's just about making a clean connection, keeping my head over the ball and keeping it on target.
"It's a great feeling [when it goes in]. Especially on a day like today because it's my late grandad's birthday, so that one is for him.”
Quizzed on whether he’s now the club's penalty taker, the 28-year-old laughed: "Who knows? I’ll put my name forward, but we’ll see.”
The Welshman says it doesn’t matter who gets their name on the scoresheet as long as the Blues are winning: "It's not about me, Conor or the penalties, it's just about the result.
"It is important we get goals from all over the pitch and the first goal as well, great to unlock their defence with a set piece with Fridge [Edmundson].
"I think people are playing well, the team is playing well and we're getting good results, so long may that continue.”
Something that is evident in this Town team is everyone being happy to play their role. Despite Dominic Ball starting ahead of him against Cambridge, Evans understood Kieran McKenna's reasons and was ready to play his part when called upon at Morecambe.
Crucially, the team are happy to see teammates’ personal success on the pitch, as Evans explains.
"Everyone has come in and bought into what we're trying to do this season,” he said. "We were all ecstatic for Kyle [Edwards] in the week and how amazing he did, and today someone else, Fridge, scored the first goal. I think everyone is happy with each other and for us to be doing well, and long may that continue.
"It's a long season and the manager makes the decisions. I think the way he gives you the decisions and then talks to you about it, I don't think there's any need for bad blood or anything like that. I think people are happy.
"Woolfy [Luke Woolfenden] missed out today and it was another brilliant performance from [Richard] Keogh, who steps in and does amazing. So people step in, but it's just about the team.
"[Before the Cambridge game] it was a conversation myself and the manager had. He wanted to give me a little rest and it was obviously disappointing because it was a home game where in the end we had loads of the ball and it would have been a game that suited me, but I took my role. It's a team game and I thought Dom did really well.
"I got my 25 minutes and tried to make an impact and got a result in the end.”
Regarding his form this season, Evans continued: "I'm happy, especially with the start. I know there are areas I still need to improve, but there's more to come, especially in the last few.
"I’ll get myself going again and get that form right up again and hopefully have a really good season.”
Evans spoke to the media with his right eye starting to blacken up after being clattered by Cole Stockton in the latter stages.
"My kids are going to have fun playing with that,” he laughed. "It’s going to be a bit of a shiner, I think!”
Confidence isn't only growing within the squad, but with the fans too. Over 1,000 made the long journey to Morecambe and their support is making a difference to the team.
"They really are behind us,” Evans said. "They've been amazing. Obviously, we all know about the amazing support at home, but fair play. Especially at times like this at the moment with the prices of everything [being high], for them to travel all the way up here in their numbers as they always do is fantastic, and it does really mean a lot to us.”
Whilst fans may have been checking results from elsewhere as the game went on, Evans insists it's too early in the season for the players to be looking at results and tables themselves.
When asked if they come off the pitch asking about other scorelines, Evans joked: "No, but we have heard. We'll look at those on the way home, but we just control what we can control.
"I think what's the most pleasing is getting three wins this week. That was what we talked about before the game - how we could finish off this week in style and I think it's a bit too early to look at the league table.”