Midfielder Grant Ward has reflected on the win at sixth-placed Derby two days ago and claimed it could play a big part in propelling Town towards the coveted play-off places.

Ward, 22, starred in what was a significant 1-0 success, gained through Callum Connolly’s early header, which leaves Mick McCarthy’s men in ninth place, three points off the top six, whereas a defeat to the Rams would have seen them trail by eight.

The ex-Tottenham player said: “It was a great win for us and great for team morale. We were away from home against a very good side that are probably going to be pushing for promotion to the Premier League, at least through the play-offs, so it was a terrific result for us.

“Every win is good but it is extra special to beat a team so close to the top of the table. We are now three points off the play-offs ourselves and we have to think of ourselves as contenders.

“If we can continue the momentum and keep the run going I don’t see why we can’t be pushing along with the others who are up there.

“If you look at our games this season, when we have lost there has not been that big a gulf between us and our opponents.

We say it every season — that’s the Championship and in this league all the teams are capable of beating each other on any given day.

“As long as you’re in and around it, like we are, there’s always a chance that you’ll do alright.

“A result like that is good for everyone — the manager, the team, the staff and, of course, the fans — because the aim is to get as many wins and points as possible.

“Derby were favourites to beat us but in the Championship results like that are not really a shock because it happens fairly regularly.”

Ward is hoping Town’s first win against a top-six outfit will be followed up with victory over another side from the East Midlands, with Nottingham Forest, who are just one place and two points worse off, next up at Portman Road on Saturday.

It is the first game of what has been termed a daunting December with visits to Middlesbrough and leaders Wolves, together with home clashes against Reading, QPR and Derby, before the turn of the year.

But Ward believes Town can build on the midweek win and extend a run that has seen them lose just once in five games, taking eight points from a possible 15.

He added: “What we want to do is build on the win at Derby, go on a run of good results and creep up the table.

“We need to get our fans 100 per cent behind us because when that happens you can feel it, the positive energy, and there’s no question that it definitely helps.

“Yes, there are some tough games, both home and away, coming up so it’s crucial that we try to make sure Derby isn’t a one-off.

“We’ve only lost once in five games now so the run has actually started. We’ve held our own in most games so there’s nothing to fear going forward.”

Ward is keen to add to his seven goals in 63 appearances — 14 of them as substitute — for Town since his £500,000 move from White Hart Lane in August last year and added: “I was happy with my own performance against Derby.

“Obviously, there is always something that you look back on afterwards and think to yourself ‘I could have done that better’ but overall I was happy with how I played.

“Maybe it was as good as I’ve played this season. I feel that with every game I play I am improving so if I continue along those lines hopefully I will blossom a bit more. I would like to see my personal goal tally improve as the season goes on.

“We’re getting goals from everywhere — Jordan [Spence] has got a few and Callum [Connolly] was our matchwinner the other night — and it’s important we all try to chip in and don’t just rely on the strikers all the time.

“The boys up front have done really well but over the course of a season you need to get goals from as many areas of the team as you can.”

Photo: TWTD

dirtydingusmagee added 15:41 - Nov 30 I hope it does have a positive effect on the team, yo yo results wont get us anywhere . COYB
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BobbyBell added 15:52 - Nov 30 Not been that big a gulf between us and our opponents? REALLY? Fulham totally outclassed us for one and most have outplayed us.
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BuckieBlue added 16:00 - Nov 30 OK Bobby, but where are they in table? 3pts Sat (against another yo yo side) and we could conceivably be 3pts off 4th or 5th- something to build on for tough December ahead.
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BobbyBell added 17:05 - Nov 30 Yes we are picking up points which is great and the table looks good but we ARE being outplayed most weeks. The win at Derby was brilliant but we can't kid ourselves, the reality is that we couldn't have complained if Derby had scored 4 or 5 as they created enough chances.
1

pragmatic added 17:15 - Nov 30 Bobby Bell typifies so many on here negativity & lack of real support to the team!!
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cat added 17:40 - Nov 30 Well said Bobby, and your spot on imo. I can't recall many games where we have dominated, but I do remember many games where we have been dominated. It's not negative, it's reality and don't mean your not supporting the team. Check the stats pragmatic cause your talking ‘pony'. We are more offensive, we are slightly more entertaining and I have my ITFC mojo back, but to say everything's rosy in the garden, it ain't. Against Derby we had to sit deep, be hard to beat & stifle the opposition to grind out a result, the ugly side of football and on this occasion it worked a treat. Unfortunately this has been an all to regular occurrence, I'm seriously hoping we have turned a corner on that front, but time will tell.

2

ronnyd added 17:44 - Nov 30 You,ve only got to look at the possession stats of our games to see that we don,t dominate our opponents. That said, it,s goals that win games.
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Swn98 added 17:56 - Nov 30 oh wouldnt it be lovely to go back to the days before social media and the only stats that mattered you scored more goals than your opponents happy days.
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cat added 18:12 - Nov 30 Swn98 - I would like to go back to the days when we used play proper football, remember them? You know it, more expansive football, pass and move, play out from the back and dominate possession. Bit of a football purist me, but hey each to their own fella.
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MVBlue added 18:13 - Nov 30 Whenever things look good for us and people question our success, with Mick, I note that Leicester won the Premier League by scoring their chances without dominating posession. Albeit with much better players. I feared for this match without McGoldrick but I actually think we have some strength in depth for our level, and Ward steppes in fine. UP THE TOWN. Lets finish the season 5th/6th and see what happens.

5

MVBlue added 18:15 - Nov 30 Personally i'm hoping for the Cowley brothers next season, lets just lwt Mick see the year out as expected and wnjoy the fact we have a good strike force. Next year we can play keep ball.
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MVBlue added 18:16 - Nov 30 Typos due to phone keyboard.
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Pilgrimblue added 19:40 - Nov 30 At least Mick set up team and tactics to get result. Against Fulham he was dreadful, playing to2o narrow and letting their FBs have freedom. Other sides have fared much better so hope Mick will stop giving his top 6 teams too much respect and start trying to work out how to win.
2

DallianAttkinson added 20:25 - Nov 30 The reality all of us Ipswich fans and all football fans is that the game has changed, teams are set up firstly not to lose anything else is a bonus. It is a sad state of affairs I played to win when I was playing football not too many years ago, if we lost we would be gutted but going out to win was the aim. I feel that modern football has lost the winning mentality but that is just my opinion I miss those days both playing and watching teams trying to win football matches!

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richard_4_itfc added 01:26 - Dec 1 Well done Town! Great result at Derby. I'm ever hopeful Town will push onwards and upwards as Ward suggests, but after so many seasons of failing to play to their potential I am not confident. Still we've got to keep supporting them! COYB!! :-)
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bobble added 06:52 - Dec 1 its what the 8 losses have done for morale that worries me...
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bobble added 06:52 - Dec 1 its what the 8 losses have done for morale that worries me...
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 07:49 - Dec 1 We are actually above Fulham in the table. So while I agree we are a bit erratic, we must be doing something right.
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martin587 added 08:48 - Dec 1 On a good day we can beat any team in this league.Its just a matter of the right team selection and the mental attitude of the players.This squad must not be under estimated.
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bugledog123 added 09:23 - Dec 1 COYB!
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runningout added 11:15 - Dec 1 clinging on the shirt tails of a half decent win is not what I want to get used to. Last season was sad after we beat Newcastle at home. Happy clapping after that for too long, then our form went downhill fast. Good performances and results must be put into perspective, then you move onto next win quick :-)
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