Blues frontman Freddie Sears hopes Town can build up some momentum following Saturday’s 2-0 win at second-bottom Sunderland with table-propping Burton Albion visiting Portman Road this weekend.

The Blues remain 12th in the Championship following their first ever victory at the Stadium of Light, eight points off the play-offs.

“It was a great win against Sunderland and hopefully we can get some momentum going now,” Sears told the club site.

“We’ve got to go again on Saturday against a Burton side fighting to get away from the bottom of the table.

“It will be another difficult game. Look at Bolton last week, they 'battered' Bristol City who are chasing promotion.

“If we can get three points this weekend then it will set us up for the game at Norwich and keep us in the hunt for the play-offs.”

Sears, who returned to the Town line-up against the Black Cats, will be hoping history repeats itself against the Brewers.

Last season the 28-year-old ended a 38-game goal drought when he netted in the Blues’ 2-0 victory over Nigel Clough’s side at Portman Road and he will be looking to bring his current goalless run, which reached the 30-match mark at Sunderland, to a close on Saturday.

Meanwhile, former Town striker Darren Bent remains a doubt for Saturday’s match, the 34-year-old having joined Burton on loan from Derby during the transfer window.

Bent missed the 3-2 defeat at Aston Villa at the weekend due to a knock sustained on his Brewers debut, the 3-1 home loss to Reading at the end of January.

Burton are set to be without defender Tom Flanagan, who is out for up to a month with a calf injury sustained against Villa.

On-loan Leeds midfielder Luke Murphy (gashed leg) and defender Ben Turner (ankle) are both doubts ahead of Saturday.

However, midfielder Martin Samuelsen, who is on loan from West Ham, is over a bout of flu and defender Damien McCrory is closing in on a return to fitness after a knee problem.

Elsewhere, former Blues midfielder Jonathan Douglas is on trial with Portsmouth and made his first appearance in a Pompey shirt for their U23s in last night’s Premier League Cup clash with Leicester City at Bognor Regis Town's Nyewood Lane, which ended 1-1.

The 36-year-old played the full 90 minutes and impressed the League One club’s academy boss Mark Kelly.

“It’s a bit hard when you walk through the door and he’s playing with a few youngsters but I thought he did really well,” he told the Portsmouth News.

“He probably hasn’t played a lot of football in the last month or so, it’s about where he is — and he did well.

“He has been in and around the training ground doing a little bit. He has been training with us during the week and was obviously available for the game. The rest is down to [manager Kenny Jackett].”

Douglas was released by the Blues last summer and spent time on trial at Luton Town in October.

Photo: TWTD

Northstandveteran added 17:23 - Feb 7 Ipswich town f.c. Consistently inconsistent
3

blue75 added 17:30 - Feb 7 Anything other than a convincing win is not acceptable at against Burton. Set up to beat them not bore them I won't hold my breath!!
6

stiffy501 added 18:12 - Feb 7 Vacancy at Barnsley !!!!!!! just saying !!!!!!
11

Pilgrimblue added 19:55 - Feb 7 Can see Freddie starting again on Saturday, its a winning team no less! As for Douglas, it's been a long time since he's played football but thought he was on coaching path.
2

brian_a_mul added 21:15 - Feb 7 We are the most consistent team in the championship over last 10 years, a consistently mid table championship team, year in, year out :)
2

BobbyBell added 09:46 - Feb 8 Forget it Stiffy501 MM is going no where. He is exactly what ME wants and his extension will surely be triggered in the summer. Two more years of mid table dross but safe from relegation. As for Sear's comments, these are matches we should win and we are not setting the world alight by beating Sunderland and Burton (IF we do). MM will be telling us tomorrow just how good Burton are and how we must be wary of their excellent players. They are in a false position after all. lol

2

leftie1972 added 10:29 - Feb 8 A MUST win, no excuses for anything less!
1

ricardo55555 added 10:55 - Feb 8 Should get 6 point from 6 against in the two games against the two worst teams in the league
1

shaneforeman added 11:03 - Feb 8 Mick now odds on favourite for vacant Barnsley job with sky bet, 10-11 was 33-1 a couple of days ago!!
1

carsey added 12:32 - Feb 8 Have just watched the "highlights" from the Sunderland game and have to say not much to write home about. Other than the first goal Waghorn hit the bar from a free kick and Garner blew a 1 on 1 when he should have scored. Even the own goal was a mistake by them rather than us forcing it. I realise it's unlikely but am really hoping we come out vs Burton and just blow them away instead of sitting back.

2

Seasider added 15:16 - Feb 9 Re Dougy,shows McCarthy was wrong to persist with him.Not taken on by Luton in L2;so will be lucky to get a contract with Pompey who are in L1
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls