Douglas: Home Form Must Improve Thursday, 3rd Dec 2015 06:00 Experienced midfielder Jonathan Douglas believes home form will have to improve if Town are to repeat last season’s feat of finishing in the play-off places. Town go into Friday night’s home clash with Middlesbrough having banked 28 points so far — half of them on their travels — and victory will see them leap into the top six to within five points of second-placed Boro. Douglas said: “There have been too many draws at Portman Road and we need to start winning home games. That will be our main aim against Middlesbrough and for the rest of the season. “We’ve played well at home but we just haven’t had the rub of the green. We just have to keep believing and sticking together, and hopefully our home form will turn around. “Our target is to get back in the top six and to move forward again from there. We have games coming up against some of the big clubs above us in the table — Derby, QPR, Brighton and Burnley — so we have a chance of closing the gap and there’s no reason why we can’t do that. “We’ve got the belief in the squad and in the team with everybody pushing in the right direction. “Those are games to look forward to and relish. If we play to our maximum, the way we have over the last couple of weeks, there should be no reason why we can’t win them.” Douglas is quick to acknowledge the part played by midfield colleague Cole Skuse, not only in helping him push forward in search of goals but for his role within the team in more than 100 appearances since joining on a free transfer after his contract expired at Bristol City. He added: “Cole is different class really and it’s a pleasure to play with somebody of his experience and know-how. “I know that once I do opt to go forward he is behind me covering. Before I came to the club I knew he was a good player — you don’t play for a team like Ipswich or a manager like Mick McCarthy if you’re not a good player. “I knew about Ipswich being a hard team to play against and if I’m honest I didn’t really enjoy playing against them because I knew it was always going to be a tough game. “Cole plays his part in making us hard to beat and from my point of view he’s a pleasure to be with.” Douglas also has sad memories of coming up against Middlesbrough in the play-offs last season when he was at Brentford but insisted: “I wouldn’t say I have a score to settle with them because it’s all in the past now. “I’m looking forward with Ipswich, to helping this group of players and this club get promoted. “Middlesbrough are very strong defensively, as they were last season, and they have added David Nugent and Stewart Downing to their squad. It’s going to be difficult but if we are giving 100 per cent we can beat anybody.” “That defeat in the play-offs was really hard but I don’t think we did ourselves justice, especially in the second leg at Middlesbrough. “We were unlucky at home when we conceded a late goal but Boro are a good side and we know they have added quality to the squad since last season. It’s going to be a good game and it’s one I am really looking forward to. “The experience ranks pretty high alongside other setbacks I have suffered in my career but a couple of years before that we missed a penalty with 10 seconds to go, which cost us automatic promotion. We lost the play-off final that year as well so that was pretty disappointing too. “I’ve lost a couple of play-off finals and they’re pretty high up on the list. Losing any game is hard but especially when you also lose the chance to go and play at a stadium like Wembley. That’s difficult to take.”
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