Midfielder Cole Skuse says Town are still very much in the promotion hunt, despite Saturday’s disappointing 0-0 home draw against struggling Wigan continuing their recent dip in form.

The Blues have won just one of their last six games in all competitions, however, they remain fourth in the Championship, three points behind leaders Bournemouth and Derby in second and two points off third-placed Middlesbrough, although with all three having a better goal difference.

“We couldn’t break them down,” Skuse admitted after the draw with the Latics. “They came here with game plan, which worked for them.

“It was tough for us to get behind them and create some chances but a point’s a point.

“Add them all up at the end of the season and hopefully it will be enough for us to be where we want to be.

“We managed to get a couple of chances but we couldn’t capitalise. It is small margins and we didn’t do enough to win.”

The 28-year-old also admitted that Daryl Murphy’s absence due to a calf strain had an impact: “Murph is always going to be a miss. He has had an incredible season and scored lots of goals.

“But you can’t help getting injuries and we have lads who are more than capable of coming in and doing a good job. We are still very much in the hunt. We take this point and we move on.”

Skuse hopes that today's transfer deadline passes with none of the senior squad having departed, as manager Mick McCarthy and managing director Ian Milne have said should be the case.

“Hopefully no one will move on,” the midfielder added. “We have a great group here, we are a really tight unit and we want to keep that spirit.”

Meanwhile, Wigan skipper James Perch was pleased with the draw: “That was a good point against one of the top teams in the league and I felt we perhaps deserved more.

“It was a pretty even game without too many chances, although I should have scored with a header towards the end. They had a couple of shots but overall it was boring really.

“Our shaped worked well, the gaffer’s team selection paid off and we knew it would be a tough fight but we got the point.”

An electrical fault at Portman Road meant that there was no hot water in the away dressing room after the match.

“The lads weren’t happy about that but I was alright, I had the bath and I nicked the last of the hot water!” Perch added.

Photo: Action Images

mojo added 06:56 - Feb 2 Yes I expect so, we have 2 of them.
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Fatboy added 07:46 - Feb 2 I've just been looking at the table from earlier in the season. After 14 games we were 10th in the table on 21 points, 5 behind joint leaders Derby, Watford and Wolves, 3 behind Bournemouth and Middlesbrough and even 2 behind Norwich. 14 games on and we have amassed a further 30 points and are now in 4th, just 3 points off the top. I'd say we're still very much in the hunt.

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Cloddyseedbed added 08:07 - Feb 2 I think all teams that play us will have a game plan. It's up to us to have one too that's better and if it's not working change it. That's something that we can't seem to be able to do at the moment. Option 1 with defenders supplying attackers isn't working and we all know that.
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Dissboyitfc added 08:19 - Feb 2 James Perch was right about it being boring. i for one see this as 2 points dropped. So disappointed that some are hailing it as a good point. Settling for draws is not how we are gonna lose our longest championship team record. COYB
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brittaniaman added 09:42 - Feb 2 By the way guys we need 4pts. to get back in the top two ??? I think our optimism took a big knock on Saturday ??? COYBs !!!
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TheSelkirk added 10:07 - Feb 2 Wigan weren't exactly having to have all hands to the pumps defending our continuous onslaught on their goal. I must have been watching a different game - thought our threat was minimal to nil.
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TR11BLU added 10:27 - Feb 2 Lets see how Bournemouth get on against them next week My moneys on an away win...
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SouperJim added 10:53 - Feb 2 The 100 hard-working minutes approach worked in the first half of the season, but unless Mick develops a plan B, this isn't the first time a side "we should beat" will turn up knowing exactly how to play us. Away to Derby at the end of August was the major turning point in our season, as whether by judgement or his hand being forced, Mick tried something different and fielded a more ambitious side. He needs to do that again, Sears looks like the tonic we badly need and we should have started him on Saturday, Bishop too. Tabb, Skuse, Ando are all good solid players, but none of them offer anywhere near enough going forward and if we continue to bypass the midfield every game, more sides will turn up, park the bus and take at least a point off us.

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Warkys_Tash added 19:17 - Feb 2 When you are fighting for a top two slot, getting a point in a terrible game against a 2nd from bottom team that had absolutely no attacking threat is a dreadful point - sorry Mick I just can't agree with you on that one. More worryingly is our dip in form, we could & should of been TOTL. The plus note is the fact we are 3 points of the top. Play like that on Sat & it will be 6. Bournemouth won there 0-2 3 weeks ago, let's see what we can do..

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