Town captain Dara O’Shea has admitted the comeback victory over Birmingham City has given the Blues an extra shot of confidence ahead of the Championship run-in.
For the first time in more than two years, Town came from behind to claim all three points after overturning a 1-0 deficit during the first half to defeat the Midlanders at Portman Road on Easter Monday.
Kieran McKenna’s side had come desperately close to ending that run before they did, after being denied stoppage time penalties against Preston North End and Leicester City before conceding a last-gap equaliser from the spot during last month’s trip to Stoke City.
With some good fortune in seeing a Birmingham goal ruled out in the second half, the Blues ultimately did enough to return to the automatic promotion places on goal difference.
O’Shea says it was the perfect return to action after a 16-day hiatus over the international break.
"People are going to talk, we understand what our job is,” he said. "If you go behind, the only way you can win it is coming back and scoring two goals and that’s what we did. I’m really happy that we did that and it’s big confidence for the group.
"It was huge. Like any game, a win is massive at the end of the season. It was great to get a win after the international break. After not having a game for a little while, it was good to be back and get a win, especially back at home in the manner we did.
"It’s the first time we had a comeback win this season, so I’m really pleased and happy for us.”
Town’s goalscorers rightly got plenty of praise, with Ben Johnson’s volley just about crossing the line for the leveller before Kasey McAteer struck his first goal for the club only four minutes later.
McAteer was understandably delighted following his long-awaited strike, with his skipper emphasising the happiness that was felt throughout the whole dressing room.
O’Shea said: "He’s had to wait for his opportunities and he took it on Monday. He’s probably found it tough since he came here.
"He’s been at Leicester for most of his career and it’s always going to be hard coming to a new club. Everybody has different challenges and maybe it’s taken him a bit longer to settle in.
"I’m really happy for him to get his recognition and goal in the game, but I don’t think it came as a surprise to many of us because he’s been working so hard and training so hard in recent weeks.
"He’s deserved that, you could see how happy we as a group were for him and everybody in the stadium. It’s really pleasing for him and hopefully he can continue his form and help us out more towards the end of the season.”
On stand-in left-back Johnson, O’Shea said: "We’ve got a big squad so it’s important that everybody is ready and pushing each other. He’s been that the whole season.
"He’s been so close and unlucky at times not to play many games and he’s come in and done unbelievable and got his goal as well. It just shows the utility he has, he’s played in a lot of positions for us and whenever he’s called upon, he’s always delivered.
"That’s massive for us as a group, we love Ben, he’s a great character to have around the group and he’s great with us. When he comes on the pitch, he’s obviously got his qualities too, so I’m really happy for him.”
The Blues are now unbeaten in eight matches, but their return to second in the Championship was aided by results elsewhere, with both Middlesbrough and Millwall dropping points.
Boro were held to a 2-2 draw by Swansea City in the evening kick-off, while Town’s fierce rivals and next opponents Norwich City did them a favour by coming from behind to beat the Lions at the Den.
"It’s the cliché thing that we’re focusing on ourselves, but of course you can’t help but not look at the rest of the table,” O’Shea said. "It was nice that results probably went our way as such.
"We have got to focus on ourselves. As long as we do the business and win our games, that’s all you can do. Relying on other people and other teams isn’t the best thing to do in this league because it’s so unpredictable. We’ll just crack on ourselves.
"We’re in a good place as a team, we’re playing good football and putting in some good performances. It’s just about doubling down on that, I suppose, and having them solid 90-minute performances where we’re coming off the pitch really proud.
"We’re learning still. Each week we’ll look back at the game and look back at what we can do better, win, lose, or draw, and that’s important. That’s why we’ll continue to grow as a group and we’re on this journey that we talk about and I think we’re getting better as each game comes.
"It’s exciting what we can do as a group when we’re at our best, playing well and really fluid. It’s really exciting to watch and that’s really exciting to be a part of.
"I’m really proud of what we do here day in, day out that people don’t see. The hard work that we’re putting in on the training pitch is coming good to us and we’ve got to keep doing that.”
Millwall face a Friday night trip to West Bromwich Albion, where anything other than a home win will see the Blues drop down to third ahead of the East Anglian derby kicking off on Saturday lunchtime.
So, will O’Shea be tuning in to keep tabs on events at the Hawthorns?
"I’m sure some of the lads will watch it but I probably won’t watch it, I’m not big on that,” the former Baggies defender revealed.
"Of course, you see the results come in and you can’t not look at it, but it’s important not to get too invested in that, and I don’t think we will. We’re all human beings and we see things, it’s hard not to.”