Varney: Play-Offs Now a Tough Ask Monday, 11th Apr 2016 06:00 Striker Luke Varney admits reaching the play-offs for a second successive season is now going to be a tough ask for the Blues, but says he and the rest of the squad will continue to push for every point between now and May 7th. Following Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat to Brentford, eighth-placed Town are now eight points plus goal difference behind Sheffield Wednesday - who they travel to face next weekend - in the final play-off place. “We should be realistic now and realise it’s going to be a tough ask but we’re going to take each game as it comes,” Varney said. “It’s another big game away at Sheffield Wednesday next week and they are in the running for it. If we can affect it in any way we’ll do it for ourselves and not for the other teams. “We started the season aiming to go better than we did last year and it will be a disappointing end if we miss out, but we’re going to try our hardest. “We get every single ounce out of our lads, we put 100 per cent in every single game and there are no fingers pointed. “We’ll keep going and will do our best to get as many points as we can between now and the end of the season. “[Sheffield Wednesday] had a difficult result as well [on Saturday, losing 4-1 at Bristol City], so it would be good to go there, play away from home and put a performance in and see what happens.” Town have now won just once in seven matches and are without a victory at Portman Road in their last three games. “It’s a tough run but it’s well documented we have a good unit in there, we try our best every game,” Varney added. “It’s tough at home at the moment I feel, the support are trying to get behind us and we’re probably not giving them enough back. “We’re trying our best and we’ll keep on doing our best between now and the end of the season to keep things alive.” Reflecting on the main talking point from the Bees match, Luke Hyam’s challenge on Alan Judge, which saw the Republic of Ireland international suffer a broken leg, Varney said: “There was no malice in it at all, we all know Hymsy, he gets stuck in and we’d never stop him doing that. “It’s unfortunate for Judgey because he’s a great player and he’ll come back better. After that the game was tough to get into, there were a few tackles and it was a bit nervy, so we’re disappointed. “It’s another home defeat, we’re just pleased we stuck together, there’s no finger pointing and we’ll move on. “If I thought there was any malice in it I’d know. I’ve had a couple of those [tackles] off him in training in the last week, he’s that sort of player. “It’s always disappointing when someone’s on the receiving end and there’s a serious injury, but he’ll get best treatment. “I’ve had serious injuries myself so I know he’ll be back better than ever. All the best to him. “Hymsy will be fine, we’ll put an arm round him, I know he’ll miss a game now but he’ll be back and ready to go again.” Varney, 33, who re-signed for the Blues on a contract to the summer in December having recovered from the achilles injury he suffered in the play-offs last season while on loan at Portman Road, was making his second league start of the campaign on Saturday, in addition to 15 Championship sub appearances and two further starts in the FA Cup. “I’ve come on a couple of times now and I’ve enjoyed my run-outs, so I’m delighted to get the start,” the Leicester-born frontman continued. “Whatever minutes I get between now and the end of the season I’ll be happy with and I will put my shift in for the lads. “I’m concentrating on whatever minutes I get, I’m just pleased to be here and back fit. Whatever happens, if I’m here, I’ll be happy with.” Sam Saunders, scorer of Brentford’s first goal, said he and his team-mates are all gutted for Judge, who will now miss out on a place in the Ireland squad at the Euros. “We are all devastated for him,” he said. “He has been our best player by a mile this season. “He has won games on his own so for him to get injured, and to hear it, was a real big blow. “That goal and that win was for him. It may not mean that much to him right now given where he is but that was for him. “No one deserves what had happened to him with the way he has played this year and with the Euros coming up. The goal celebration was for Alan too because it’s what he used to do. “Football is such a cruel game. He has been right up there and he has been offered deals elsewhere yet he has stayed loyal to Brentford. “He deserves to be looked after by the club and I’m sure they will do that. They have with others in the past.” “You could see it bothered him afterwards and he ended up getting sent off because his head was gone. “It was a firm tackle, but too firm. Alan didn’t even see him coming and we heard the crack. “I wasn’t surprised he got a red card. The lads were angered by what he did so we weren’t going to give him a second on the ball. “It has been a fantastic week performance and results-wise but now clouded by what has happened to Alan. Meanwhile, Town’s U21s are in action against Sheffield Wednesday at Portman Road this evening (KO 7pm).
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