Hunt: It's Now Do or Die
Friday, 21st Mar 2014 06:00

Town midfielder Stephen Hunt agrees the club are entering a do-or-die phase that will determine their play-off prospects.

The next three league fixtures, away to Brighton and at home to both Derby and Nottingham Forest, will all take place in the next eight days.

Hunt, 32, said: “By the end of the week we’ll either be right back in the mix or we’ll just be trying to big up the rest of the season. It’s one of them, simple as that.

“There will always be something to play for — there are players out of contract and stuff like that — but at the same time it’s a big week for us if we are going to still have the play-offs in our sights.”

Having lost at home to yet another play-off contender, Wigan, last time out the common consensus is that Town must avoid defeat on the south coast on Saturday against a Brighton side one place and five points better off.

The Seagulls have taken 16 points from their last seven league games — their one defeat in that sequence was also at home to Wigan — and they have only failed to score in one of their 18 home league games this season.

But Hunt, asked if he felt Town needed to return with at least a point, added: “Not necessarily because if we go and win the two home games we’ll still have a chance.

“Look at Wigan — as soon as they got into the play-off area by beating us, all of a sudden Yeovil go there and get a 3-3 draw. From all accounts Wigan were even lucky to get a draw in the end.

“They reached their goal with about 10 games to go and would have been thinking ‘How can we keep it going’ or ‘Can we take our foot off the gas?’ and if you do that you find yourself in trouble.

“Nottingham Forest were looking to get into the second automatic spot at one point and now they are hanging on to stay in the play-offs. If you put it in horse racing terms Wigan have been flying with a bit to go and they could run out of steam — you never know.

“Then another horse — it could be Brighton, Reading or Ipswich — gets a gallop on with two or three furlongs to go and are in with a shout.

“As a player you always look forward to the big games. They are the ones that you want to play in. It sounds as if Brighton is going to be a full house with a good atmosphere and hopefully we can play on the front foot and be positive.”

Photo: Action Images

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