Cameron Burgess was delighted to score his first Ipswich goal in midweek and hopes he won’t have to wait so long for the second one to come around.

Burgess was on target on Tuesday for the first time since arriving from Accrington in August last year, heading Town’s fourth in their comfortable 6-0 victory over League Two side Northampton in their first qualifying group game of this season’s Papa Johns Trophy competition.

“Yes, I finally got one,” laughed the big defender who was born in Scotland but has represented Australia at both U20 and U23 international levels after emigrating with his family Down Under when he was only 11.

“It capped off what was a good night for me and the rest of the boys at the back. Greg Leigh and George Edmundson also scored, which is good to see and something we have been working to add to our games in recent weeks, while the clean sheet is always a bonus. It was another positive to add to a positive performance and result.

“To be fair to Cam [Humphreys] he put the perfect ball in for me to get my head on it. He looked to pick me out and it was good to get on the end of it. I knew that if I made a good contact, I would have a good chance of scoring, so cheers to Cam for the delivery.”

Town, whose other group opponents are Cambridge United and Arsenal U21s, return to league duty tomorrow, looking to extend their six-game unbeaten record at Burgess’s former club, a venue that has not exactly been a happy hunting ground in the past.

Burgess, 26, was in the side beaten 2-1 at the Wham Stadium last term and he revealed that the Blues, who have only returned triumphant once from their four visits in the past four seasons, are hoping to learn from their mistakes 11 months ago.

Recalling the game, he said: “I remember the first half was good but the second not so good. It’s a club where I was happy and enjoyed my football, so I am looking forward to going back again to see the many people there that I got to know.

“I’ll also be looking to right a few wrongs from the game there last season. One of the things we’re determined to do this season is to remember the disappointments we had last season and hopefully not make the same mistakes again.”

Turning his attention to tomorrow’s test, Burgess added: “They are still unbeaten this season and a big thing for is that they have only failed to score in one of their games so far, which was a 0-0 draw.

“Our aim will be to keep another clean sheet to add to the three we have kept in our last four games but it’s never easy against Accrington.

“They have an honesty about them, which we’ve all seen before and was also there when I played for them. Also, you know they are going to be a very hard-working side so you have to make sure you at least match them in that area.

“It’s absolutely no secret that they apply themselves in every game they play and deserve the many good results they come up with at this level. It will be up to us to match that and then look to go above and beyond to try to get all three points.

“I enjoyed my time at Accrington, even if it was only one season, and I have tremendous respect for their manager, John Coleman. He’s one of the best guys I have come across in all my time in football, that’s for sure. I can’t speak any more highly of him than that.

“I loved my time working with him. It was just one season but it was an unforgettable time. He has done a great job for that club, nothing short of amazing over the years, and in the short time that I worked with him he helped me no end. It will be good to see him tomorrow.”

Accrington somehow survive on League One’s smallest attendances. While Town sit second behind only Derby, with a Portman Road average of almost 25,000 this season, tomorrow’s opponents are right at the bottom of the list on a figure of just 2,311.

But while the numbers may be small, Stanley’s supporters always guarantee something of a hostile atmosphere for visiting players and Burgess said: “You’ve got to stay humble when you go there. It’s the small dressing rooms and stuff like that.

“I’ve been a player there and experienced it but one thing I can say is that the pitch is going to be very good. They’ve done a lot of work on the playing surface in the last year or so and I recall it was in good shape for our game there last season.

“Yes, it’s a tight pitch, slightly different to Portman Road I suppose, but the surface itself should suit us with the possession football we like to play.”

Town boss Kieran McKenna will be making a number of changes to his starting line-up tomorrow, having made 11 in midweek for the visit of Northampton, but one certain absentee is experienced attacker Sone Aluko, who had to be helped off with an injury in the first half on Tuesday.

McKenna revealed that Aluko is set to undergo surgery next week to repair knee damage and that the 33-year-old former Nigerian international will be missing for a few months, news which his colleagues definitely didn’t want to hear.

Burgess added: “Coming off the way he did, we kind of thought it wasn’t going to be good news regarding Sone. It’s devastating for him and us that he’s going to be out for so long. But he’s had his scans and he’s in the best place, with the right people around him, to help him out.

“Obviously, we were all gutted to hear the news that he is going to be out for a bit of time and we just wish him all the best for his recovery. Hopefully, he will be back with us soon.”

Even if Aluko is going to be out of action for a prolonged spell, however, Burgess believes he will still be able to contribute, adding: “Yes, 100 per cent he can. He has a presence about him and I’m sure he will find a way to influence the side.

“You’ve seen in the games this season the quality he brings to the side. Every time he’s on the ball there’s a cheer from the crowd because they know they can expect something special.

“He’s definitely going to be missed by us but we have a strong squad to cover for this sort of thing, which unfortunately does happen in football. Also, it’s up to the rest of us to muck in and do the work that he has been doing.”

Photos: ITFC/Matchday Images

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