Town midfielder Lee Evans believes the Blues have nothing to fear from the teams in the upper reaches of League One following three matches against sides in the top six, among them Saturday’s 0-0 home draw with sixth-placed Oxford United.

Town were closest to finding the net in the first half when Macauley Bonne and Bersant Celina both hit the woodwork, although the Blues' performance was better after the break.

“A pretty even game,” Evans reflected. “First half, I think Oxford probably started the better team, pushed us back a little bit but without creating too many chances on our goal.

“I think we definitely grew into the game just before half-time and I think the way we came out in the second half was really positive and we had them penned back for long periods, long spells, but just couldn’t find the final bit of quality in the final third.”

A game Town might have lost earlier on in the season? “Maybe. We’re going in the right direction, it’s another game unbeaten. Would have liked to have got the three points but we’ll take the one and move on.”

The final stages were punctuated by Oxford players going to ground, much to the frustration of the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.

Asked whether it was difficult to maintain a rhythm with all the stoppages, the 27-year-old added: “I think that probably came from the first 20 minutes of the second half of us being on top.

“I think they were just happy with their point, happy to do whatever they needed to take that point and you don’t blame them. It’s a big place to come and play, they’ve got their point, they’re happy.

“On the other hand, we would have liked to have won, but we’re happy we carry on our unbeaten run.”

Oxford are the third side towards the top of the division that the Blues have met in recent weeks, Town having beaten Wycombe, who are fourth, comfortably 4-1 at Adams Park earlier this month and having narrowly lost 2-1 to leaders Plymouth at Home Park, a game they really should have at least drawn.

Those matches have shown that the Blues have nothing to fear from the teams in the division’s upper reaches with a trip to seventh-placed Sunderland next Saturday, while Rotherham, third, visit Portman Road the following Tuesday.

“No, nothing to fear,” the Welshman concurred. “It’s all about how we approach a game. We obviously look at opponents’ strengths and weaknesses and nothing to fear.

“But games are tough, all games are tough. You look at those sides, but then you look at the teams not at the top of the league and sometimes they’re tougher games. I think the better teams we play against it probably suits a little bit more.”

A more open game in which the opposition is trying to take the game to you suits the Blues better? “I think so sometimes, more space, especially for the front boys to try and find those pockets and create the magic that they normally do. They couldn’t today but hopefully they can on Tuesday at Oldham.”

One big positive was the clean sheet with Evans very impressed with Bailey Clements’s league debut at left-back.

“The boys defended brilliantly, young Bailey at left-back was superb,” he enthused. “What a fantastic debut, he kept a very good player quiet and got forward and did his work in the final third really well as well. The whole back four were brilliant.

“Bailey’s done really well, he trained a lot with us in pre-season, he’s a fit boy so we knew he’d get up and down that left flank.

“In the second 45 in the week in the cup [against Colchester], he was really good and took that into the game today. He was full of confidence and played really well.

“It’s always nice to see a young player come in and do well. I think at every club you like to see that happen.

“But there’s lots of competition, two other left-backs, Hayden Coulson and Matt Penney, and now Bailey as well. There’s competition everywhere.”

In his own area of the field Idris El Mizouni has similarly made strides this season and earlier this week signed a new contract which runs to the summer of 2024 with the club having an option for a further season.

“A very good player, a very good young player, who will only get better,” Evans, who joined the Blues in the summer after leaving Wigan, continued.

“Great news for him to sign a new contract. Looks great in training, enjoys a tackle, likes getting stuck in and can move the ball well. I predict he’ll have a bright future and he definitely keeps us on our toes.”

Evans says there are other youngsters also coming through the ranks at Playford Road: “There are. A lot of them come up and train with us in the week and we know there is a lot of talent coming through.

“It’s about getting them right, bringing them in at the right time like I think the manager did with Bailey on Tuesday when he was brilliant and then coming in today he did really well. There’s lots to look forward to for the Ipswich fans, lots of good players.”

Reflecting on how his renewed partnership with skipper Sam Morsy, who he previously played alongside under manager Paul Cook with the Latics, is going, he said: “It’s going well, we’re getting there. We were a bit off it the other day against Oldham in the FA Cup, a lot better today.

“I think we as a team just really stepped it up in the second half and on another day with another bit of quality we would have opened them up, but we take the point.”

Despite the disappointing display in the FA Cup tie against Oldham, in which the Blues drew 1-1 to set up Tuesday’s replay at Boundary Park, Evans says he wasn’t actively concerned about being dropped.

“I don’t think you fear your place, I think you know there’s competition there,” he considered. “You’ve got to play well to stay in the team, we know that.

“Scotty [Fraser] did brilliantly [against Colchester in the Papa John's Trophy on Tuesday]. Scotty’s just a really good footballer. I think he’s said before that he likes to be a number eight type of player, probably a lot more attacking than in the holding role, but he showed in the week that he can play the holding role.

“Reks [Rekeem Harper], Tom Carroll, Iddy [El Mizouni], we’ve got lots of good players in there, so we have to play well to stay in the team.”

Quizzed on whether he feels he’s become a marked man since his hat-trick in the 6-0 home win against Doncaster, his only goals for the club, he laughed: “I don’t think you’ll see too many nights like that! But it’s nice to try and get forward at times. I’m due a goal, so hopefully one will come soon.”

Photos: TWTD/Matchday Images

Linkboy13 added 12:33 - Nov 14 Yes agree but we need to be beating them to get automatic promotion.
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Bazza8564 added 12:46 - Nov 14 Things are shaping well, we need to maintain our consistency in the run before xmas and get ourselves a little closer to the top 6, still only 17 gone 29 to go, we have more depth than anyone else in this division. No doubt we are progressing, Bailey was awesome but we must be careful to play him selectively as we need. Bring on the next games cant wait.....
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AlanG296 added 15:25 - Nov 14 On the other hand have the division's top sides got anything to fear from us either?
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dirtydingusmagee added 15:33 - Nov 14 all very well saying that, but it could also lead to complacency, we still havnt put a good winning run together, and have struggled against lesser opponents at times. ACTION always speak louder than words, Not knocking the belief but it needs to show in results too . COYB .
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chepstowblue added 16:04 - Nov 14 We fear nobody, but no one is going to admit to fearing us either. Anything is possible this season. At this point I'd very happily take 6th, but im confident we could go on a long winning streak. The soft underbelly is gradually getting tougher, and our attacking options must be the envy of the division. We may still regret that slow start to the season come may. Glad for Clements, I'd only seen him at Luton in the cup a few seasons back getting roasted by Cornick, and I never thought I'd ever see him in an Ipswich shirt again. Credit to him.

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itsonlyme added 17:19 - Nov 14 One question if we are not going to give very much playing time to Piggott then what's the point of signing him. He should have played a lot more minutes than he has. Poor management from PC IMO!
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shakytown added 17:23 - Nov 14 Less yapyap and more winning please and then you can talk yourself up. We can hardly say other teams approach playing us with any real concerns ATM.
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terryf added 17:45 - Nov 14 Evans is not consistent enough for me and can be frustrating at times. Thought Bailey Clements and George Edmundson were immense but the Team overall lacked that bit of quality in the final third. Celina and Burns particularly were well off the pace. Personally I would love to see Chaplin, Aluko and Fraser given more game time, maybe the latter alongside Morsy and I also agree with other comments that Pigott should be given at least 20 minutes plus to prove his worth. We all love Bonne but why not mix things up sometimes and play the two upfront? Loyalty is all very well but freshening things up on occasions is no bad thing.

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BlueRuin69 added 17:49 - Nov 14 Other top teams clearly do fear us or Oxford would not have spent the 2nd half on the floor. Canbu imagine Ipswich doing that, we would be trying to win every game to the last minute. We are the top team in this division and will prove it. Coyb
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SickParrot added 17:53 - Nov 14 That's correct, we shouldn't fear any team. We can beat any team in this league on our day but we can drop points to any side as well. We have dropped too many points at Portman Road and must win more of our home games. Nobody will fear coming to here at the moment, except Doncaster!
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dirtydingusmagee added 19:09 - Nov 14 Sunderland have been iffy of late ,but have games in hand and could still spoil our day next week .,We are not as good as some think even though it is a good squad .Still got much to prove .Once players start thinking the other teams fear them ,and things will all be rosy .the foot comes off the gas. That is courting disaster .
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Cloddyseedbed added 22:39 - Nov 14 Too many players are putting in below par performances and below average marks out of ten once again yesterday. They need to all step up and be more consistent 7-8 out of tens. Personally I'm disappointed in Celina, yes he has a goal in him but many times when he receives the ball he passes it straight back to where it came from. He has the skill but frustrates the hell out of me, as does Edwards, not a bit like the player he was when he 1st arrived, gives the ball away far too often and has far more to give, but gone backwards. These players need to step it up. Only way we will climb the table to where we want to be is by beating teams above us, not saying we don't fear them and we're better than them. I also don't understand why Piggott isn't brought on or used more.

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dougalmcguire added 10:43 - Nov 15 It was a frustrating game to watch as there was a lot of misplaced passes and overhit crosses. Although we were the better side in the second half we didn't really improve in possession, and it helped that Oxford seemed to sit back and accept a point pretty early on. Burns really struggled to get into the game and couldn't have complained if he was subbed much earlier than he was. Edwards is a typical frustrating winger who clearly has bags of skill without the decision making to back it up. On the positive side, Clements did brilliantly on debut and Edmundson has proven to be an excellent signing. Walton also looked very secure in goal and made a great save in the first half. I have seen enough in the last few weeks to believe we will finish in the play offs at a minimum...

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TimmyH added 10:57 - Nov 15 If only Evans football matched his post match interviews...don't forget the one a few months back when we were going to get 'better and better' - we have improved but that's a pretty bold assumption to make. Just hope he doesn't end up with egg on his face come seasons end.
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Edmundo added 11:47 - Nov 15 It's such a nice surprise to see Bailey Clements playing, and doing well, especially after we all feared for young players' opportunities with the new owners and 19 signed. Still, El Miz, Woolfy and Clements means we have the basis of a good side going forward 5 years as well as today.
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