Town go into tomorrow’s league clash against Milton Keynes Dons boosted by successive clean sheets and last week’s convincing 4-0 defeat of struggling Forest Green Rovers that defender Cameron Burgess hailed as a welcome boost to team morale.
The first shutout came in a goalless draw at Bristol Rovers that cost the Blues further ground in the League One promotion race but the way in which the players responded against bottom-of-the-table Rovers lifted players and supporters alike, with Burgess stating: "The win over Forest Green was just what the doctor ordered and it has put a spring in our step going into this weekend.”
It was a Burgess header across the face of goal from a free-kick that paved the way for Freddie Ladapo to nod in Town’s fourth goal — and his 15th of the season in all competitions — and he added: "I feel as if we’ve done better on set pieces this season compared to last and it’s something we’ve worked on quite a lot.
"We just take it from one game to the next to see what we can gain from these situations. It’s an important part of the game and it has gained us a fair few points this season.”
The way in which Burgess and his teammates responded to trailing 2-0 at home to leaders Sheffield Wednesday earlier this month was another indication, he believes, of Town’s determination to stay alive in the hunt for automatic promotion as opposed to booking a play-off slot.
Recalling the dramatic 2-2 draw with the League One leaders, he said: "It was good to get into the side for that one. With the big squad we have here, you can go from feeling like you might be out of it a little bit and then you come straight back into the side.
"It’s just a case of where we’re at and using the squad well. Everyone understands that so we’re all ready to go as soon as we’re called upon.”
Town also drew 2-2 in the return fixture at Hillsborough earlier in the season and Burgess added: "I didn’t play in that one and I wasn’t able to attend it either because I was injured at the time, so it’s difficult for me to comment.
"I did watch it and I thought that on that particular day we could have taken all three points, which is also how I felt about our recent game against them.
"We showed them a lot of respect, which you have to do, but I felt that when we came on to our game, which we did in the second half, we were good value for all three points.
"It was a cagey game and with them being in such good form coming into it, they started it well and took their chances when they had them. It was up to us to respond and we did.”
Burgess agreed the Town recovery from Conor Chaplin’s early penalty being saved and then conceding two goals, spoke volumes for the team’s mental strength.
He said: "I thought so. We probably haven’t had a hell of a lot of chances to show it this season because we haven’t been behind like that on many occasions, but there’s big belief in the dressing room that we can be the top side in this division when we’re on our game and we get things right.
"It’s pleasing to say that we’ve done that more often than not to be honest, which is why we’re at the top end of the table and not the bottom, of course.
"It was just a case of finding our groove in that game and it came well in the second half. Maybe we could have taken all three points in the end.”
Burgess turned his attention to the recent £1 million arrival of Harry Clarke from Arsenal, who has featured alongside him in two of the Blues’ last three outings, and added: "He’s a great addition to the squad and adds to the competition for places, which is what we’re looking for. Also, he’s getting up to speed about how we do things here and it’s been going well.”
On the more general topic of rotation, Burgess continued: "It has been well documented and I’ve said it a few times before, it’s not the usual case here where you might be required to play in every single game of the season. We have a big squad and it’s a competitive one.
"There will be times for change and rotation, and things like that. The way we train lends itself to that and it becomes seamless when you do get a chance to play. It’s up to you to try to keep your spot as best you can.”
Burgess firmly believes that third-placed Town remain in contention for the two automatic promotion places, but was asked about his time at Scunthorpe when they qualified for the League One play-offs in the 2017/18 season, only to lose 4-2 on aggregate to Rotherham at the semi-final stage.
While ex-Town full-back Josh Emmanuel played in both games for the Millers, Burgess was an unused substitute on each occasion, although he clocked up 25 league appearances that season and also netted twice.
He said: "We’re still looking up and hoping to get into the automatic promotion places; that is still the aim. But if it comes about that we are in the play-offs, there are plenty of boys in the dressing room with experience of them.
"It’s just a case of remaining calm and treating it like another game. Obviously, it’s very important and there’s a lot of buzz around it, but it would be a case of taking it as another game and preparing properly for it. However, like I said, hopefully we can get an automatic promotion spot and that’s still what we are going for.”
Meanwhile, Burgess was delighted to welcome midfielder Massimo Luongo on board last month after the former Town loanee trained with the senior squad for a few weeks following his release from Championship promotion contenders Middlesbrough.
While Burgess was born in Aberdeen and emigrated to Australia with his family when he was 11, later earning youth international honours for his adopted homeland, 30-year-old Luongo was born in Sydney and has scored six goals in 43 senior appearances for his country.
Burgess laughed: "Since Mass joined us everyone else is getting on to us about talking about Australia too much. It’s good to have him here and he has already made a positive contribution. He’s a well-known player after playing a number of times for the national team and I think he was named Player of the Tournament at the Asian Cup, and things like that.
"He’s done well for the national team and had a good career so far, which I know he intends to continue. He’s also been really good in training and impressed the lads, plus he’s fitted in really well and I’m sure he will have a part to play in the weeks and months ahead.”
Asked if the subject of cricket — and in particular the eagerly anticipated Ashes series being staged in England in June and July this year — had cropped up, the Town defender added: "I stay out of the cricket chat to be honest — it’s not my sport so I’ll let him do that.”