Town strike pair Daryl Murphy and David McGoldrick are without equal in the Championship, according to team-mate Tommy Smith.

The New Zealand international said: “I don’t see how anyone can dispute that they are the best two strikers in the division right now, based on form and the goals they have scored between them. They are up there with any partnership in the country at the moment.

“I am really pleased for them because they have been working so hard. It hasn’t just come like that — they have been putting in the hours in training, doing extra with TC, and it’s great to see them reaping the rewards, not just helping our promotion challenge but with their Republic of Ireland call-ups.

“Daryl has come on in leaps and bounds since the gaffer came here. He’s playing really well at the moment and on his day I don’t think there’s a better striker in the division. He’s got Didzy alongside him and as a pair they can be lethal together.

“When two players are doing as well as they are there is always trepidation about one or both picking up an injury. But if anything was to happen — touch wood it doesn’t — we have players who are willing to step into the side and up to the plate. There is a good depth to the squad at the moment and hopefully that will see us through.”

Meanwhile, Smith has sympathy for his fellow defenders in the Championship who have to find a way of keeping Messrs Murphy and McGoldrick, who have so far contributed a joint tally of 19 league goals this season, quiet.

He added: “I know what they’re capable of from playing against them in training. Sometimes you can get twisted up a little bit by them.

“Murph is a beast of a player at the moment and is often unplayable in games with his strength and ability in the air. It can be tough in training but it helps to improve us as defenders because we have to find our own ways of dealing with them so it’s good from both ends of the spectrum.

“People will think we can’t kick them in training but we can, just not as hard as you do opponents on a Saturday. You have to catch Didzy first if you want to try to kick him, which is difficult enough.

“You don’t want to injure your star players so you have to take it easy on them a little bit but at the same time you want to be training to the maximum of your own ability. I guess it’s give and take.”

Photo: Action Images

Paulblue62 added 09:37 - Dec 12 Murphy and McGoldrick are the hottest pairing in this league and will light up the PL next season. Murphy is scoring the goals, but McGoldrick is playing the perfect number 10. Keep it going lads, next stop the Premier League.
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ipswich_Jordy added 10:11 - Dec 12 Couldn't agree more with tommy. Our defenders are not to bad either!!! COYB
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Kieron_FJ added 10:15 - Dec 12 Always said that these two are outstanding when together. Murphy was first class last season but was always hidden by the superiority of Didzy. This season murphy has been even more outstanding than the last and people are starting to see the class that he really has. Hopefully we can keep hold of him and he can help with the promotion push. Loving it at the minute, ee ei ee ei ee ei o up the football league we go. COYB!!

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