Christian Walton, who turned 27 on Wednesday, wants to extend his birthday celebrations until the weekend and has his eye on three points from tomorrow’s home clash with Cheltenham as the perfect present.

But the Town goalkeeper still has last season’s Portman Road clash, when the Robins pulled off a shock result in February by holding the Blues to a goalless draw, fresh in mind as he prepares to face the Robins as they look to put last week’s FA Cup first round exit to non-league Alvechurch behind them.

Walton and his colleagues avoided a banana skin of their own by defeating Bracknell 3-0 on Monday and he said: “It was really good to get through. We’d like to stay in the competition for as long as possible, at least the third and fourth round if we can, so it was important to get the result.

“I thought Bracknell did really well in the game and gave us a good test in the first half on a pitch that wasn’t easy after all the rain that came down.

“We came through with a positive result and a lot of the lads who stepped into the side did really well, so it was also good for the group to see everyone doing so well.”

But Walton knows Cheltenham, who have also dropped down the League One table recently, will pose a very different threat as they look to recover from their FA Cup nightmare and improve on a run of just one win in their last five league games.

The ex-Brighton keeper was asked if there were lessons to be learned from last month’s 1-0 home defeat by Lincoln when Town’s sluggish start contributed to a below-par display, although in terms of chances created on the day, they did enough to win two or three games.

Walton responded: “We certainly didn’t get off to the sort of quick start we wanted against Lincoln but a few days later we did against Derby and the tempo of the game was a lot different.

“We need to generate something similar against Cheltenham tomorrow. It was probably that bit easier against Derby because the TV cameras were in town, we had a huge crowd and the atmosphere around that game was probably a little bit different compared to Lincoln.

“It is sometimes difficult to generate it but we have to do it tomorrow and start on the front foot, which we have done in a lot of games this year. It’s going to be a similar game to that against Lincoln because Cheltenham will also have a number of ex-academy players trying to find their way in the game.”

Walton believes Town are in better shape now than when they were held by the Robins nine months ago, adding: “We have improved a lot since then. From what I remember we played well on the night and we pinned them in to such an extent that I hardly touched the ball in the second half.

“They were doing okay coming into that game and had a striker [Alfie May] who was scoring lots of goals, but they didn’t really threaten our goal.

“Tomorrow it could be completely different to that. Who knows? It’s up to us to make sure it’s a similar story this time but with one difference — we take at least some of the chances that we create and turn them into goals.”

The keeper explained that when he is often unemployed for long spells by Town’s ability to retain possession, it’s at such times that he must retain 100 per cent concentration.

“I don’t prepare myself for a game where I don’t have a great deal to do,” he said. “I prepare as if I’m going to be a busy goalkeeper and I don’t think I’ll ever do any different.

“If I have a game like that, however, I have a game like that. I don’t think it’s a bad thing because if I’m not having a lot to do it shows we are dominating possession.

“But the concentration is key because it could all change in a second or two, and that applies to everyone in front of me as well.

“We all have to ensure we are tuned in to what they bring on the day and whatever we have to deal with.”

Some Town games this season have been so one-sided at times that Walton has been positioned virtually on the halfway line when his side had a corner, so much so that he has often been able to join in an attack from there.

He added: “That is a big part of my game that I wanted to improve on this year. The manager wanted me to be higher up the pitch when we are dominating in games and keeping teams locked in. Being there to recycle the ball is a big thing, an important part of the job.

“In the past a goalkeeper might have been in a position where his teammates could pass the ball back to him and he would have been able to pick it up. Things have changed a lot since then and it’s a big part of modern goalkeeping.”

Meanwhile, Walton welcomed new goalkeeper Joel Coleman, also 27, to Portman Road after the free agent, released at the end of last season by Rochdale, arrived on a short-term deal last week to cover for the absence of crocked third choice Nick Hayes.

“Joel has come in and it’s all good,” he said. “He has obviously been out for a while without a club so it might have taken a little bit of time for him to get up to speed. He’s been really good in training and is a good addition to the group.

“I didn’t know Joel until I met him here after he signed but I’d worked with a goalkeeping coach who had also worked with him and I was aware of him. It’s good to have him on board and I look forward to working alongside him. He’s a good addition to the goalie unit and the group as a whole.”

While Bolton-born Coleman, who also had spells with Oldham, Huddersfield, Shrewsbury (loan) and Fleetwood, settles in, 23-year-old Hayes is resigned to several months out of action with an ankle injury sustained in the U21s’ victory over Bristol City at Playford Road last month.

Walton added: “We’re all really sad for Nick because it’s not a nice injury. I’ve been there myself, in a similar situation, albeit I was out on loan at the time. No one likes to be out injured but Nicky has a great attitude and I’m sure he will be working hard to get back as quickly as possible.

“We’re all gutted for him because he’s been a really good addition to the group himself and has been really supportive to me and the others in the role he has at the club.

“It has been sad for us but hopefully he will be back stronger and we look forward to him returning soon.”

Photo: TWTD

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