Midfielder Emyr Huws is hoping he can push on and score more goals with last night’s winner in the 2-1 home victory over Burton Albion his first in the league since April 2017.

Huws followed up to nod into the net in the 80th minute after his initial shot had been saved by Albion keeper Kieran O'Hara.

The Welshman’s previous league goal came in the 3-1 victory over Newcastle United - then on their way to topping the Championship - during his impressive loan spell from Cardiff in the second half of the 2016/17 season which led to his permanent switch the following summer.

He has scored once for Town since then, in the 4-0 EFL Trophy win against Gillingham at Portman Road last season.

Reflecting on the victory over the Brewers, which ended a three-game winless run at Portman Road, Huws admitted the Blues needed the three points.

“Yes, it was a tough game,” he said. ”They made it tough, they were quite good at what they did but we got the win.”

It was a far from vintage performance from the Blues, however Huws believes sometimes you need to grind out a result.

“I think so,” he said. “When teams come and make it tough and they’re good at their system it is tricky and you just have to find ways, and luckily we did.”

He added: “I think it was efficient. I think it was tough. They were going long and it was sticking, so it was a tough game.

“Sometimes it doesn’t go how you want, you don’t play against teams that play on the floor etcetera, so it’s tricky but we have to find ways and keep adapting and keep trying to win games. It’s a long season, so we’re going keep pushing.”

He says he enjoys playing alongside Andre Dozzell in the centre of midfield and felt that the former England U20 international and Alan Judge ahead of them had decent games against the Brewers.

“It’s good, Andre’s playing well,” he said. “Judgey played well as well and, like I said, it was a tough game, they were good at what they did but I think we found a way to win, so we take it and move on.”

Kayden Jackson started wide on the right rather than in his usual central role with Oli Hawkins the lone striker and Huws felt the pair impressed in those roles.

“I think Oli played really well, Jacko as well, occupying their backline and it created space, they dropped off, which was nice,” he said. “Fair play to both of them. I think it was good.”

He admitted that his goal was one which won’t be nominated for any goal of the season competitions, although he was delighted to find the net.

“It was nice,” he said. “Scrappy, not one for the books but it was nice to get the goal.”

Having ended his 44-month wait to net in the league, the 27-year-old is looking for more: “It is [a long time since my last goal] but hopefully I’ll push on now and get a few more.”

He says manager Paul Lambert very much sees scoring goals as part of his game: “He wants me to try and affect games, shoot, score and that’s what I’ve got to try and do.”

Huws has been in and out of the team this season and admits it hasn’t always been easy.

“It’s been tricky, but that’s football,” he reflected. “The lads have been doing well, so you just have to keep going, don’t lose faith and when you get a chance you’ve got to try and stamp your authority. That’s football and we’re all working hard and we’re looking forward.”

He admits not having a run of games has been the hardest aspect of the campaign for him up to now: “Yes, I think that has been the trickiest part but we train a lot and fitness shouldn’t be much of an issue, so a run of games would be nice. But we just need to win games.”

Huws’s case for further starts won’t be hurt by his goal but the Llanelli-born schemer feels the victory was more significant.

“A goal’s a goal but the most important thing was winning the game and we managed to do that,” he said. “So we park that one and now we look forward to the weekend.”

Since he joined the Blues on a permanent basis, Huws has made only 29 starts and 12 sub appearances with injuries having sidelined him for long spells.

However, 11-times-capped Wales international says he’s as fit as he’s ever been since making that move.

“I think so, I’ve been building up for a while, it’s been nice not to have constant injuries like it was in the past, which was a nightmare,” he said. “It’s looking up.”

Turning to the League One table with Town currently fifth, level with the three sides above them and only two off leaders Hull City, he added: “It’s tight, isn’t it? I think we just need to look at the next game, look at the next game and keep getting results. Games are tough so we just need to keep in the fight.”

Asked what he expects from third-placed Peterborough, who the Blues meet at London Road on Saturday, he said: “I’m not sure, I think they’ll be tough but the games are all tough so we’ve just got to go there and do our thing and try and get the points.”

Reminded that Town are still to beat anyone in the top 10 aside from eighth-placed Accrington this season, he said: “We’re just going to try to rectify that. It’ll be a tough game but we’re looking forward.”

Huws admits doesn’t know why the Blues have struggled against the division's better sides: “I’m not sure. We’re a big scalp in this league so people up their game, it’s tough.

“We have to stand up to it, we have go again, so I think it’s just maybe that little switch.”

Photo: Matchday Images

OwainG1992 added 10:48 - Dec 16 Said it before but if and its a big if Emyr gets back to his best we have arguably one of the best CM's in the league.
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MoscowBlueMule added 10:55 - Dec 16 Time for you to step up Mr Huws. We require at least 8 out of 10 performance ratings from you in the coming weeks. Plus no sick notes!
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Jewels added 11:00 - Dec 16 PL needs to play him on a consistent basis and he will grow in confidence and get sharper. A good player if only PL would give him the opportunity rather than play inexperienced players in his place which has knocked his confidence I suspect
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TimmyH added 11:22 - Dec 16 Emyr did very little last night other than score a messy goal.
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ArnieM added 11:59 - Dec 16 He did look a bit ring rusty and tentative tbh , but as the article says he improved as the game went on. He's been out the game a long, long, long time .We desperately need his experience / skill in that midfield , so hopefully Lambert will give him a run in the side now.
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iaintaylorx added 12:03 - Dec 16 ArnieM... I don't want to be that guy, but you say "we need his experience", Huws has barely played 150 games in his career and he is 27. I think there could be a good player in there, but he is far too injury prone to ever maintain his performances, as sad as it is!
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Suffolkboy added 12:06 - Dec 16 Having only seen the highlights , read consistently the text info and consulted the stats etc , the widespread observation of a ‘messy ‘ goal looks a little unfair ! Lead up play , other frustrations etc may have led to a generalised ‘grump ‘ BUT EH got in a targeted shot which had to be saved AND was alert enough to place a controlled header into the net , from a good position ; he couldn't have done much better in that situation , could he ? Let be a bit more supportive , let's hope , let's applaud the boys ,let's exude some goodwill ( if only for Christmas ) ; this IS our team ! COYB

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johnwarksshorts added 13:49 - Dec 16 Keep it going Huws. Another goal against Posh would be good.
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MickMillsTash added 14:03 - Dec 16 It must be hard in our midfield - it changes every week - there is often only one man infront of you not making any runs and our wingers are sometimes being marked by our full backs - although not so much recently in 4-2-3-1. Huws adds some physicality to the side and I'd probably pick him ahead of 'Nolo' 'Judgey' and Lanks but not Bish
3

runningout added 15:29 - Dec 16 Huws and a few of our midfield are better than they think they are. May need help in transfer window. Our defence is too busy for a promotion chase right now
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marco5113 added 16:18 - Dec 16 just stay fit and importantly be available for selection.
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midastouch added 16:29 - Dec 16 Sorry but too little too late for me. While he can't help all the injuries (as no player wants to be out injured) I think they must have taken their toll on Huws. Hard decisions need to be made going forwards and I wouldn't feel comfortable with us renewing contracts for players such as Huws that have spent a lot more time out injured than they have out on the pitch.

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 17:10 - Dec 16 A fully functioning Huws would be great. We need some steel in the midfield. We're too light there atm. Burton's tactics were fairly obviously to bully our younger players. Let's hope Huws can get back to something like top form. That at least would be something to be positive about.
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midastouch added 17:11 - Dec 16 He doesn't get many goals according to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emyr_Huws
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DifferentGravy added 17:18 - Dec 16 I like Huws, he can definitely be an asset and, as mentioned above, give us some much needed steel in midfield. Really dont think, like a number of players, he enjoys playing in a 3 ( 5)in mid. Have always felt we have the players to get in the playoffs(or better), it is just down to how they are managed.
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therein61 added 18:02 - Dec 16 I'm sure that the injury problems he's had have had an adverse effect on his mindset(am i fit? what happens if i go out there and break down? etc) and he has been with us for some time now, fully fit without his own doubt he's a force in our midfield i have my fingers crossed for him that he can have a run in the side to get his confidence back.
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Bluemoss added 19:49 - Dec 16 When fit and given games he's a good player. Played ok last night too.
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Linkboy13 added 10:02 - Dec 17 Hasn't been a good player for quite a while now, injuries have caught up with him. The problem is fans get attached to players and tend to give a very biased view. Huws at his best is a good Championship player but those days have gone im afraid. This squad over many years has proved it's not good enough. Major changes are required in the summer.
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Fatboy added 11:39 - Dec 17 Does he get his hair cut every time he scores?
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chappie added 13:37 - Dec 17 He might be a half decent player but we've never seen him play enough games to really have an opinion. I hope he gets that chance now that others are in the treatment room Ive supported this club for 50 years and I hope to support it for the next 50. I haven't commented on here for years but I'm a bit sick of all the negativity being peddled around of late. Regardless of games in hand for other teams (and in other times most would be saying 'would rather have points in the bag', but no we choose to be negative...) we are 2 points off the top of the table. Two points!! When we had our team fully fit we were playing well, scoring goals, looking comfortable and top of the table. For our young, much less experienced squad to keep us that close to the top should be applauded. No we haven't played as well, but that shouldn't be a surprise. We've battled and those young players will have learned, but we can't berate them for not being as good as the first team. Applaud them, give constructive criticism by all means, build their confidence and as we get our best players back I for one am optimistic that goals and results will follow and we could easily find ourselves in a genuine automatic promotion battle. Won't that be a treat to have that excitement given recent years!? I'm not Lamberts greatest fan, but I do have sympathy for his position. We haven't played so well, we've thrown games away, but if he just says every game that we're rubbish then what does that do the morale and motivation of those emerging young players in the dressing room? he has to keep their heads up, he's managing a team and trying to get the best out of them every week. Once in a while he's bound to lose his temper, and for me that just shows he's passionate about winning. So lets stop beating the players up, stop kicking Lambert (until the end of the season at least), accept that without Evans we'd be in an even worse position, be patient as injuries heal and get behind this once great club to genuinely be the 12th (albeit virtual) man and drive them forward, not into the ground. If we lose to Peterborough, which we may well, lets pick them up, dust them down and encourage them to go again. I'm not telling people not to be frustrated, cos I get that, I really do, but nothing is going to change ref Lambert or Evans, so lets turn the negative energy into positive. COYB

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ringwoodblue added 13:37 - Dec 17 When other players return from injury I think he will be dropped again as Lambert doesn't favour him but in the meantime if he could get a run of games and score a few goals, he will make Lambert's decision a lot harder.
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