Wes Burns's goal was the difference between Ipswich Town and Derby County on Friday night and the feeling of scoring in front of a packed-out Portman Road in a big game was a special moment for the Welsh international.

The 67th-minute winner in front of 28,415 fans came after Kayden Jackson had struck the post when a goal looked almost inevitable. However, Burns was in the right place at the right time and calmly fired home his third goal of the season to seal a rare victory in front of the Sky cameras.

The win puts pressure on the teams around Town going into the weekend and, like the rest of us, Burns will be watching the scores roll in come Saturday afternoon.

The Blues, who wore their blackout third kit for the first time against the Rams, are second, now a point behind Plymouth and four in front of Sheffield Wednesday in third.

“To get our three points early in the weekend on a Friday night really piles on the pressure on the teams around us,” Burns began. “It's always better to have the points on the board than have the games in hand.

“I think we've seen that with Portsmouth's recent form. Everyone says they've got games in hand, but I think everyone would rather have the points than games in hand, so tonight was brilliant for us.

"I think we have to [keep tabs on other teams], to be honest. We always say we focus on ourselves and we focus on each game as it comes, but it's natural to keep an eye on those around us.

“So tomorrow we'll be in for recovery ready for Tuesday, but it will be nice for us to be at home watching the results come in."

On his goal, he continued: “If I could bottle it up and sell it, I'd be a millionaire because that feeling is amazing. There's nothing like scoring at home in front of your home crowd in such a big game like tonight, it's unbelievable.

"I was more in the middle of the goal, ready to celebrate with Jacko [Jackson]. He was unlucky tonight, he's worked his socks off, he's a credit to himself and he works hard every day. And no wonder when we ask him to put in a shift for the lads, he does it.

“He was very unlucky. He was unlucky not to score and unlucky with his pen, but on another night he could have scored a hat-trick, so it's just one of those nights.”

Town had to persevere with Jackson's missed penalty triggering a tense ending. However, in those dying minutes, the fitness instilled in the squad by manager Kieran McKenna saw the squad come through.

“To be fair, it's not even just going back to the summer and what we did in pre-season, it’s a weekly thing, it's a daily thing for us and the boss nails it into us every single day in training, and we train hard,” Burns explained.

“I've said before that I'm confident we're the hardest-working team in the league and that shows on nights like tonight when we have to dig deep, and it pays us back.

“I think we try and impose our style on every game and that high counter-press, whenever we lose the ball high up the pitch, is kind of paying us back massively in most games now.

“I think you can see in a lot of games where we're winning the ball higher up and it's creating chances and creating goals. When it pays off, it makes us want to do it even more and we work hard on that every day.”

With an away game against Port Vale on Tuesday, attention is already turning to who will replace the suspended Sam Morsy in the centre of midfield, the Egyptian international having picked up his fifth booking of the season against the Rams.

Town are no strangers to rotation, but even though replacing the captain and his influence on the field won't be easy, Burns believes the squad has the depth to cope.

“It's a weird one with Sam because you want him to play on the edge like that, and that's when he gets the best out of himself, but he will be a massive miss,” he reflected.

“The squad has depth and we have players who are ready to step into that role, so he will be a massive miss, but no doubt whoever comes in will play exceptionally well.

“I think that's credit to everyone in the squad. Everyone is always ready to play their part. It's not just the starting XI that's important, it's every single player, the boys that aren't even involved tonight, it's going back to Cam [Burgess], Gassan [Ahadme] and Panutche [Camara], who are all sidelined at the moment.

“They'll all be coming back into training and it's a squad effort on a daily basis, and that's really what is going to get us over the line.”

On the candidates to replace Morsy, with Lee Evans also potentially absent from the centre of midfield having suffered a knee injury last night, Burns continued: “He's [Cameron Humphreys] unbelievable, to be fair. Another one that comes in every day keeps his head down and works his socks off. No doubt, if he gets his chance, he takes it with both hands, and even going to the Cambridge game on Tuesday, I thought he was exceptional.

“Panutche, when he came on at half-time, I thought he was brilliant as well, so he's not too far away and he could be one that we rely on as well.

“But Bally [Dominic Ball] I think has been quite unlucky with a couple of injuries that he's picked up just before the season and his time is obviously going to come now, and let's hope he grabs it with both hands.”

Photo: Matchday Images

Bazza8564 added 09:44 - Oct 22 My takeaway from this? Why does everbody have a pop at Jackson. Every time i look at FB its full of it. We play as team, we win as a team. And Tuesday, Ball and Humphreys for me, Camara, by Kiarans own admission, not there yet. Give the young lad a game, its Port Vale not Real Madrid!
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Paddy39 added 10:01 - Oct 22 I see Jackson got SKY man of the match last night. Richley deserved and glad he stayed with the club during all the turmoil before KMcK took over. He was superb last night.
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BlueRuin69 added 10:13 - Oct 22 Well played Kayden, he has the one thing you cannot teach……..pace!
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johnwarksshorts added 10:23 - Oct 22 Well said Bazza, Kayden worked his socks off last night, does so much work for this team..sadly some can't or refuse to see it. Wes I hope you have many more feelings like that.
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PortmanTerrorist added 10:38 - Oct 22 To stay on Jackson theme, the North Strand around us were hugely frustrated with him esp when I suggested he would be SKY mom....and he was. Basic truth is he has a great attitude, even greater pace, but is not a natural finisher. And let's have it right, if he was also a natural finisher too then he would be in the Premier League! KMc must see that but uses him and his attributes and I guess lives with the lack of finishing which was again evident last night. Feel bad for Jackson as every ipswich supporter and player went to bed smiling last night, but bet he was beating himself up over not putting the game to bed. I am glad he is at our Club and am equally sure the Boss will get the best out of him but let's back him not get on his back when he misses easy chances. COYB

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KMcBlue added 11:16 - Oct 22 We demand so much of our team. So much professionalism. Yet we don't demand our strikers can score goals... what a joke
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Nomore4 added 11:26 - Oct 22 A masssive thanks to Paul Cook. For breaking up the old guard. And bringing in some fantastic players.
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Marinersnose added 11:48 - Oct 22 Blueruin69 it should've been an up arrow. Spot on . Fat fingers failed me
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cat added 11:50 - Oct 22 A sharper and improved performance from Burns but he's still off the levels of last season. Great composure for his goal and positive signs he's on the up. As for Jackson, I love the bloke and fair play to him for demanding the ball for the pen. A proper grafter with pace and winning the ball to set up our winner is typical of what he brings to the team.
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Linkboy13 added 12:25 - Oct 22 Last night we saw two players with different attitudes one Kayden Jackson who was banished to the u23s by Cook but didn't sulk got his head down worked hard and earned his place back into the squad and another one Freddie Lapado who couldn't be bothered and obviously had the sulks perhaps a stint in the u21s might do him some good. Still think a striker is probably required as it's obvious Jackson is not really a central target man but more of a wide player.

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essexccc added 12:52 - Oct 22 To continue the Jackson debate - the emphasis on pace is very significant. It scares defenders and pleases fans. I think we all acknowledge Kayden is not the best finisher and doubt he claims to be. On that basis, I really don't think he should have taken the penalty even in the absence of Chaplin and Burns. I saw Kayden miss a pen at Fleetwood a few years ago and can't recall him scoring one. McKenna is so thorough, I can't believe he couldn't instruct who he wanted to take it. For what it's worth with the first 2 choices unavailable, I'd have gone for Burns, not least because he'd have been confident after scoring. Anyway, I'm definitely pro Jackson because of his pace and the Donacienesque way that he has played his way back from the brink at PR. I would also add that, to his credit, he must have played in more different positions this season than anyone else in the team, and possibly anyone else in the division. Keep going Kayden.

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Cadiar added 16:43 - Oct 22 Oh dear oh dear-Linkboy with the negatives. What utter rubbish, are you a Trick cyclist as you seem to have an insight into Freddie Lapado's mind. Surprised you're not castigating Jackson in reality whose pace was the difference last night, he saw the opening & was on it like a flash-unlucky not to score himself. So, he missed a penalty, I didn't think he would score actually but the keeper was nearly in the Ipswich half when KJ struck the ball. Should have been a retake but hey ho, we got the result & really Derby threatened very rarely.

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MagicMoe added 18:03 - Oct 22 He's not a millionaire? He certainly will be.
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therein61 added 18:17 - Oct 22 Jackson is the only man in our squad with the speed to get on the ball before hitting the post a goal then would have done him the power of good confidence wise he saw the opportunity and had the pace to waltz around defenders and unluckily hit the post Credit to the guy for his awareness.
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Bucklebury_blue added 10:09 - Oct 23 Anyone doubting KJ should look at how he read that bad back pass and how far he ran to get to it
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itfcasual added 09:21 - Oct 24 Brilliant to see all these positive comments giving credit where it is definitely due. I cannot fault Kayden Jackson's attitude. His pace is scintillating. He terrifies defenders. Luckily for us its Kieran McKenna in charge of training and morale, not a bottom feeding keyboard warrior.
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Cakeman added 11:06 - Oct 24 I have to own up as being a Kayden critic in time gone by but I'm glad to say he is proving me wrong. He will never be a heavy scorer but his attitude cannot be topped. He has endured some difficult times since he arrived but he has strengths that others in our squad don't have so he is well worth his place in the squad. Sadly some people will never forget the dreadful Paul Hurst days and will continue to slate Kayden for being associated with that time. Keep going Kayden because you deserve success.

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