Blues boss Kieran McKenna has praised his defensive unit for their recent form, not just for recording 10 clean sheets in their last 12 matches, but also their role in starting Town’s attacks.
Two of the regular backline, Luke Woolfenden and Cameron Burgess, passed milestones during Tuesday’s 2-1 home victory over Port Vale, the former hitting 150 appearances for the Blues in all competitions and the latter playing his 50th league game for the club.
"It's really pleasing for them whenever we're not conceding many goals and we're defending well,” McKenna said.
"It always comes from the team first, both when we're scoring and defending, and they have to enjoy how many goals we've scored because so many of our attacks start from them and [keeper] Christian [Walton] and they are a big part of our attacking play.
"But, of course, they, alongside Christian, are the last line of our defence and have both been performing well of late and we're really happy with the work of the defensive unit.
"We have good options there. George Edmundson [out for the season having undergone ankle surgery] is a big loss, but with the boys who have been playing, plus Janoi [Donacien], who's been having minutes that are really important for us in games, Richard Keogh, who has been a massive part of developing those centre-halves and developing our backline, setting an example, educating and working with those centre-halves to massively improve their performances, that’s been a big part of it.
"Kane [Vincent-Young] has played very well and had a big part in the win against Peterborough last time out and Greg Leigh has come in to support Leif [Davis] and has performed very well and has been a big part of pushing Leif to the performances that he's hit as well.
"I think for the whole defensive unit and the work they're doing with the coaching staff, there are some positives to take.
"But I think it's about keeping improving now and they are generally all of that good age, and there is only Richard Keogh who you could say is a real senior player.
"The rest of them have all got room to improve, learning from Richard and the coaching staff, and it's about them all now looking to keep improving and developing for themselves and for the team.”