Town striker Freddie Ladapo could be celebrating back-to-back promotions from League One at the end of the current campaign and a third in four years, having helped to achieve the feat twice in his three seasons with former club Rotherham.
Ladapo, 30, scored his 17th goal this term for the Blues when he converted from the spot after he was one of four substitutes introduced soon after the midway point of the second half in the 4-0 home defeat of Wycombe Wanderers on Good Friday.
He has been involved in every one of Town’s 39 league games this season, starting 22 and coming off the bench in the other 17, while 13 of his goals have come in League One fixtures as he has played a prominent part in his first season at Portman Road.
Ladapo had only been on the pitch for eight minutes when fellow sub Kyle Edwards went down in the box under a challenge from visiting midfielder Josh Scowen, presenting him with an opportunity to roll the ball into the corner of the net as Wycombe keeper Max Stryjek dived the opposite way.
"It was a wonderful feeling to see the ball hit the back of the net from the penalty,” he said. "It had been a few games since I’d scored so it was good to get back on the scoresheet.
"It was an important team performance and we played really well from start to finish. The starting XI, the subs who came on, everyone was really pulling together for each other and in the right direction.”
Town head for Cheltenham today on a tremendous run of eight successive wins without conceding a goal and if they can beat the Robins, and keep a clean sheet, they will equal an EFL record set by Stockport County towards the end of the 2006/07 season.
Ladapo added: "The most important thing for us now is to continue the momentum and the level of performances we have shown throughout this run.
"If we continue to have good performances the results should take care of themselves, which is how it has been for the last eight games.
"Everyone in the group is feeling confident and I think you can see that from our recent displays. It’s the entire squad, not just the guys who are in the starting line-up, and you can see it from one day to the next in training, everyone working hard and doing their bit.
"The guys on the bench and even those who are not involved on a match day are all contributing. Maybe I haven’t played as much as I would have liked lately but we all have one goal, which is to get as many points as possible and finish the season strongly.
"We want to carry on winning, scoring as many goals as we can and to play the very best quality of football, which is exactly what we’ve been doing for quite a while lately.”
With Leicester loanee George Hirst scoring in each of his last four appearances — he headed Town in front on Friday with his fifth goal for the club — Ladapo has had to be content with a place on the bench, although with manager Kieran McKenna’s policy of using most, if not all, the permitted five substitutes, it means he has featured regularly.
Conor Chaplin, also on target against Wycombe with his 21st goal of the season, has become the first Town player to reach the 20-goal mark in the current campaign, and with seven games left to play Ladapo is still hoping to emulate him.
Ladapo continued: "I’m pleased with my tally so far but I definitely want to get to 20, at least, before the season finishes and hopefully I’ll do it. If you come on and score, like I did against Wycombe on Good Friday, it’s a great feeling if you are able to make that sort of contribution.
"We are back in the top two now and we just need to carry on playing well and picking up the points. The aim is to keep this momentum going right the way through to the end of the season.
"Like I’ve always said, you don’t know what’s going to happen in this league. Teams go on good runs, others have a dip in form, sometimes when you least expect it, and it can change the picture quite dramatically.
"You’ve seen what this run has done for us and our promotion prospects, while Sheffield Wednesday have dropped points and suffered for it. But they have time to recover and finish strongly, so we have to keep going for the final seven games.
"It has been a good season so far and we must ensure we focus on the remaining games so that we end up with something to show for our efforts over the past nine months or so.”
Clearly influenced by their ever-improving run of form, the bookmakers have installed Town as favourites for the League One crown, although leaders Plymouth Argyle continue to hold a two-point advantage over Kieran McKenna’s men.
Ladapo added: "That has changed because I remember in November and December it was different and we were wondering if we would get into the automatic promotion places or if we might have to settle for the play-offs.
"We stumbled a bit earlier this year as well but now, all of a sudden, we’re the team people are expecting to win the title and go up, but it can still change with 21 points still to play for.
"What we’ve been doing is staying focused on our fixtures and not worrying too much about what is happening elsewhere and we have to be like that to the end.
"Of course, we look and see what the other teams are doing but we can’t influence any of that, so it’s best we just concentrate on our own games because we can clearly influence what happens in them.”
The striker recalled the events of last summer when, having reached the end of his contract with Rotherham, he opted not to continue with them into the Championship and instead became a free agent, which allowed him to join the Blues, with whom he agreed a three-year deal.
"That is basically the reason I came to this massive football club,” said Ladapo. "I wanted to play for a club with a great manager and great players, one that attracts big crowds and that’s exactly how it has worked out. We are very close to achieving something very worthwhile and from my experience last year I know what’s required over the last few weeks.
"We must make sure we stay focused. Also, keep the momentum going, maintain the intensity, the work rate and the level of our performances.
"All those things are important if we’re to reach our goal of winning promotion and if we’re lacking in just one area it could affect our chances. We can’t afford to take any chances and I’m convinced we won’t.”
Today’s hosts, Cheltenham, were on a six-game unbeaten run before losing 2-0 at Lincoln on Friday, but they can still boast a run of five home games without being beaten and keeping clean sheets in three of them, while they held third-placed Sheffield Wednesday to a 2-2 draw 12 days ago in a game in which they led 2-0, the Owls only rescuing a point when Lee Gregory equalised in the 87th minute.
Ladapo added: "I’ve seen Cheltenham put in some great performances and when they came to Portman Road earlier in the season they battled for a 1-1 draw.
"We have to stay focused and take the game very seriously, which we always have done and must continue to do. We haven’t won eight on the spin and conceded no goals in our last nine without taking our opponents seriously, so we’re not going to change now.
"Our supporters were so, so loud on Friday and I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of it. My family enjoyed it too and I’m sure the fans enjoyed it themselves. I look forward to seeing a lot of them at Cheltenham and I’m sure they will make plenty of noise again.
"You’ll never take the smile off my face because I’m enjoying everything so much. As long as you work hard, and you’re smiling and happy, everything comes together nicely.”