Leading marksman and newly-crowned supporters’ Player of the Year Daryl Murphy has praised strike partner Freddie Sears for his impressive scoring rate since arriving from Colchester in a £100,000 bargain deal in January.

Sears’s four-minute double in the home win over Blackpool on Saturday made it seven goals in 17 appearances — 10 starts and seven from the bench — since the 25-year-old Londoner made the relatively short journey along the A12.

That makes it 21 for the season for Sears, who also netted 14 times for the U’s, and 23-goal Murphy admitted: “Freddie’s been brilliant when you look at his goals to games ratio since he’s been here. He’s a good player and we knew that when he came in. We’re all grateful that the club signed him.

“He’s easy to play alongside and he’s a clever player. He makes runs off the ball and he gets on the end of my flick-ons. He basically knows where to run and he gets quite a lot of shots in on goal.

“He’s a handful for defenders. I enjoy playing alongside him and it suits me because I’m more about holding the ball up and winning headers. Freddie plays off me and he does it really well.”

Murphy may have netted just twice in his last 11 games but he remains firmly on course to reach the ambitious 25-goal target he set for himself before the current campaign got under way.

He added: “Obviously, I’d like to score more. I did well after the new year and I could have kicked on with a few more but as long as we’re winning and I’m contributing I’m happy enough. I was aiming for 25 goals this season and hopefully I’ll get there.

“I think my overall game has improved this season and I think I’ve got a few more assists than I did last season. It’s all about working on stuff in training, the weaker aspects of my play, and trying to correct them.

“TC and the lads have been brilliant with me, putting in the time and effort and thankfully it has shown this season.

“Confidence is a big part of the game and as a striker you want to score goals. The more you score, the more confident you become in games, and that has definitely been the case with me this season. I’ve probably surprised myself with the number of goals I have scored this season.

“But I always knew I could score goals and it was just a case of being given that chance. Also, I have probably worked extra hard this season, after the season I had last year, to improve and thankfully I’ve done that.”

Modest Murphy was delighted to follow up Saturday’s home win over Blackpool, in which he set up the late winner for Christophe Berra, by being awarded the supporter’ Player of the Year accolade later in the evening.

He added: “People have said that it couldn’t have been a surprise but to my mind you’re never nailed on for anything in football. I’ll admit I thought I’d be in the running and after coming second last year I was delighted to go one better this year.

“I was absolutely delighted and it’s a massive honour, especially coming from the fans who have been there for us and got behind the lads all season.

“I hope I’ve won over more fans but generally they have been brilliant to me since I joined the club. I don’t know, there may be some who are against me — I suppose there always will be at any club — but over the course of the season their backing has been a major factor behind the team’s success.”

Murphy also revealed the identity of which colleague will receive his vote in the annual Players’ Player of the Year poll — central defender Christophe Berra, whose winner against Blackpool was his sixth for Town this season.

Photo: Action Images

Warkys_Tash added 10:17 - Apr 14 Super Daryl Murphy!
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Lightningboy added 10:55 - Apr 14 Freddie's been an absolute revelation - I hope Mick's learnt his lesson not to drop arguably our best player since January again. Will be a crucial player for us over the coming years - we should be extending his contract asap.
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scottrock added 12:57 - Apr 14 Freddie Sears has proved an amazing piece of business and links up really well with Murph. Surprising that Murph thinks that he may not have still won over all the fans - I'll admit I could've strangled him with that sitter he missed against Brentford and the one against Huddersfield but look at all those wonder goals earlier in the season!!
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rob1987 added 13:33 - Apr 14 fantastic piece of business from mccarthy real player for the future shame we could not get murphy mcgoldrick and sears together on the pitch
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dude added 13:57 - Apr 14 Mouth watering to think of playing him alongside a fully fit and raring David McGoldrick, and an in-form Murphy, with Bishop playing with Jonny and two good wingers and a great right back (Hammond or Hewitt next year please?).
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topguy added 14:17 - Apr 14 That's where for next season up or not a few quid is a must we have a core of players but with most free transfers you miss out on certain things unless your lucky but saying ill give you X amount for a player who keen and eager and wants to win and not just sitting around getting cash we need a bit investment now is the time ME got burnt with keane and jewell but MM has proved he wont waste it he spent wisely with what he had.

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rob1987 added 14:18 - Apr 14 lets hope so one of the priorities mccarthy has to address whatever league were in a right back we cant go on like that cant see hewitt being here dont think manager fancies him
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Wark_On added 14:36 - Apr 14 Positive comments from DM about Sears. As an aside, I'm unable to recall any Murphy detractors this season. Fully deserved the award.
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rfretwell added 16:56 - Apr 14 Freddie has been marvellous, what a steal by Mick! Our forward line has so many more goals in it now than at the start of the season when Nouble and Banjner were in the squad. Without Freddie we would have dropped away again from the top 6 given McGoldricks extended absence again.
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