Boss Mick McCarthy hailed the Blues 1-0 win at Watford as a “huge result” as his side go into the final seven games of the Championship season having returned to the play-off places. The victory, courtesy of Richard Chaplow’s goal deep, deep into injury time, saw McCarthy’s team move up to sixth in the table.

“With seven games to go it’s a huge result for us, it’s fabulous,” the Town manager said. “We’re back in the top six, aren’t we?

“I thought it was a really top tactical performance as much as anything, against a team who try and play through you.

“We had to change a couple of times to accommodate them and I thought we did it particularly well and it’s a great victory in the last minute and it was a great finish by Chappers. I thought all the subs contributed well.

“He might have been thinking about Brentford when he had a chance on the edge of the box and he put it in the keeper’s hands. He’s got good quality Chappers, he’s a good player.”

McCarthy’s back four have recently been the subject of criticism in some quarters but prevented the Hornets, top of the table at the start of the day, from managing a single shot on target.

“That’s why I told those who criticised them to ‘foxtrot oscar’!” the Town boss added. “And, by the way, that still applies, if the cap fits, ‘foxtrot oscar’!

“We [started the game at a high tempo]. I trust the players. I’ve had a very small squad of players, I trust them, they’re a really honest bunch of lads, they give everything, they don’t leave anything on the pitch.

“If you want to leave something on the pitch, leave a good impression with everybody and generally they do.”

He says he brought Chaplow on as Kevin Bru had run himself into the ground: “It was a great substitution. It just confirmed it when he limped in front of me. I’m just surprised at how quick Bru ran when we scored!”

The result sees the Blues move to within five points of the Hornets, who are down to second following Bournemouth’s 3-0 victory over Middlesbrough at lunchtime.

Asked whether he feels it’s a weird division with teams looking like they’re going to run away at the top before dropping away again, he said: “I think you’ll find I’ve been calling it bonkers since about August, so if you want to change it to weird I’m cool with that.

“I ruled myself out last week, didn’t I? I keep saying to everybody, it’s how many points we end up with and who knows how many we’ll end up with.

“You’ve seen it today. Brentford scored in the last minute, Wolves will have been cock-a-hoop [after beating Derby], then we’ve won.

“We’ve got Bournemouth next week. I said that with the next two games we could either be really out of it really back in it. At the moment we’re back in it.”

McCarthy hopes that midfielder Teddy Bishop will be back for the Bournemouth game having missed today’s game and having been ruled out of the England U19s squad with sore shins.

“He wasn’t on the bench today, Kundai Benyu was on the bench instead of him,” he continued. “We’ve got two weeks before the next game, he’ll be fine for Bournemouth, I’m sure.”

Left-back Tyrone Mings will miss the Good Friday visit by the Cherries as he now faces a two-match ban having amassed 10 bookings.

Watford boss Slavisa Jokanovic said his team was still looking to win the match in injury time and as a consequence left themselves open to the break which led to Town’s goal.

“You’re always disappointed when you’ve lost a game like we lost today, it’s a normal emotion,” he said.

“In the past few games we’ve won in the last minute, but today we lost the game. I accept first of all that it’s my responsibility because I didn’t want to close the game and we were looking to try and find a way to win the game.

“I made a mistake, my team made a mistake in the last moments and this is how my team today lost [what would have been] one point.”

Photo: Action Images

IpswichFan26 added 18:11 - Mar 21 This is why we all love football at the end of the day , for moments like these. This won't be the last time this season that we experience a feeling like this I imagine. Let's enjoy it and try not to be so negative! COYB
21

martin587 added 18:13 - Mar 21 Best win of the season,so far.!! COYB. A must win game.👍
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bluesince84 added 18:16 - Mar 21 in a strange way, i think the tyrone ban could be wonderful to us, kid needs a rest and that will surely force parr in to his natural position and the rest in theirs, could be blessing in disguise.
15

bohslegend added 18:16 - Mar 21 Brilliant Mick! If the cap fits, Foxtrot Oscar! Quality. There can only be one manager picking the team. In Mick We Trust!
11

brockleyblueboy added 18:17 - Mar 21 Great great win. Well done MMM TC and the team but also a massive thank you and tip of the cap to the amazing away fans, 2200 is incredible. Once again I have been bleating about 4-3-3, let's fight till the final whistle of the final game. COYB
6

Rentaghost added 18:18 - Mar 21 Back four will be different for Bournemouth. Parr for Mings I guess unless their are other ideas.
4

jas0999 added 18:20 - Mar 21 Mick deserves all the credit. Tactically very good today. To stop a team like Watford from scoring, even creating good chances, is very impressive. Very important win. Well done all.
21

dannyrr added 18:20 - Mar 21 We did the same with Noel Hunt in the last minute of extra time - another one of MMs choices that some said were useless. Brilliant result and three more points than we thought we would take against a scoring for fun team who only had one shot on goal. COYB let's make sure there's a huge 12th man for the Bournemouth game.
7

martleshamitfc added 18:23 - Mar 21 Fantastic result, tactics spot on by MM & TC, season well and truly back on, massive game on Good Friday, 433 is a must for the away games left.
5

bluefeast added 18:25 - Mar 21 Castrated one week , knighted the next ,the life of a football manager. I for one am delighted we have probably the best manager in the league given the player budget. Anyone else and we would be fighting down at 5th or 6th from bottom. The players play with their all for Mick week in week out. This is our best season for years .
26

Westover added 18:25 - Mar 21 Mings played very well today I just hope we don't miss him in the next two games
1

Michael11 added 18:31 - Mar 21 Fantastic result today! This is why we play 4-3-3!!! Been crying out for it since Southampton and finally he got it right today. Shame about Mings missing next two games, that's a big blow. Hopefully Parr will be back. Well done Mick and the boys!
3

topguy added 18:39 - Mar 21 To complain after a bad performance is natural as the highs and lows of a footy fan, but never means we love the club less today mick and the players deserve all the credit, when you put your heart into a club you have to be able to pick at bad games but enjoy the good games sometimes even if its not said the complaints can change a performance which might have been today so lets all enjoy 2 clean sheets and 2 wins in a row and to be in the playoffs by the end of march is what I for one would have been delighted with even bk in dec

8

jonbull88 added 18:48 - Mar 21 People say 433 won it but didn't we switch to 442 midway through the first half?
6

therein61 added 18:49 - Mar 21 In my last comment on here to Micks request for a repeat performance, I asked for a blood and thunder positive approach and have to say the blues gave their all and my thoughts were that at least we have gained a point when our performance deserved 3 we gave our all never let them play(apart from a couple of blips!! it happens in 90 mins especially to Town!!) then the man not good enough for Millwall struck(great work Freddie!!) to reduce an old man to tears!!!! such was the emotion I witnessed a few watery eyes around me as we went beserk the whole scenario with the players and management acknowledgment to the fans at the end brought back one hell of a lot of memories flooding back keep it up you boys other results have helped enormously in the last few weeks and after today it's back in our own hands again(it is effin bonkers this division!!!) so let's go you blues!!!!! oh is my beer going to taste good when I get back home.

12

dingus added 18:55 - Mar 21 Not sure it was 433 apart from first few minutes. Most of game Varney then anderson were playing as a winger
2

essex57 added 18:57 - Mar 21 Oh i bet theres a alot of miserable posters out there cant have a dig at the team or management fantastic team performance fantastic support from the fans first pint wont touch the side happy days
3

TimmyH added 19:07 - Mar 21 Yep sounded like Mick did a good job today...no shots on target for Watford, bet that's a first for them this season. 2 wins running! now let's get on a run and who knows where it will lead us.
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papashango87 added 19:14 - Mar 21 Where are all the MM out people tonight. Plenty of them on here last weekend come on you blues.
4

itfc1981 added 19:20 - Mar 21 MM out people don't exist really, just a few thousand Parr at RB people. Superb result today lads well done.
6

muccletonjoe added 19:27 - Mar 21 I guess all the moans and groans can take a break for a couple of weeks, mm is a good manager, how any blues supporters can go against him I don't know
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Blueulster added 19:53 - Mar 21 Foxtrot Oscar brilliant
2

blue7579 added 20:10 - Mar 21 I like to think our constant berating inspired them to prove us wrong, which they have done, or improved because of it.
0

jert16 added 20:11 - Mar 21 SUPER MICK!!!!
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Guthrum added 20:16 - Mar 21 @bluefeast - I hope you mean "castigated"!
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