Luke Woolfenden may have netted in successive home league games recently, but the celebrations have been stifled by the fact that Town failed to take maximum points each time.

The central defender scored the opening goal against Cheltenham last month, to end a 21-month wait for a goal, and he did it again last week when Fleetwood came to town.

But the overriding feeling for Woolfenden was one of frustration rather than jubilation as both games ended 1-1, meaning four precious points were lost.

In February last year, 24-year-old Woolfenden was on target in the 2-0 home win over Blackpool, then he went the entire 2021/22 campaign without scoring in his 38 appearances in all competitions and had actually been without one for 68 games before he put the Blues ahead against the Robins in the eighth minute.

Against the Cod Army he struck even earlier, inside the first two minutes, but once more the ecstasy turned to agony as the visitors levelled.

Woolfenden admitted: “It had been a while. It’s good to get a goal here and there but it’s all about winning games and getting the three points; instead, we weren’t able to win either of them, so I hope I’m not a bad luck charm. Obviously, I would much rather not score and win, rather than score and not win.

“But I don’t think we got what we deserved in those games, or at least there were elements of that. I think we can probably keep hold of the ball and look after it better than we did, particularly against Fleetwood last week.

“But in terms of creating chances, the gaffer has pretty much covered it by stating that if we keep getting into the right positions and keep our heads when the chances come along, the goals will come and we should be alright.”

Woolfenden is also looking to play his part in adding to the eight clean sheets Town have kept in 20 league games this season, stating: “If you look at the games so far and consider what’s happened, we’re probably on course for 20 over the entire season.

“There have been games where the opposition have had one chance and scored but overall, as a backline and as a team, we’re disappointed we don’t have more clean sheets, although at the same time eight from 20 isn’t too bad.

“It is frustrating to concede; not just for the back line but for the whole team. There have been instances where the opposition have scored and you’re thinking ‘Really?’ It has come from their first real chance and their first shot on target.

“With Fleetwood, and I may be doing them a disservice here, they probably had two or three chances in the game and you wouldn’t have expected them to score from any of them, yet one’s flown into the top corner in the 97th minute.

“It’s obviously frustrating but throughout the course of the season you’ll get more times when the opposition won’t score than when they will.”

Coincidentally, the goals that Woolfenden scored came hot on the heels of him becoming a first-time father, and he laughed: “Isn’t it weird how that happens? All that time without one and since becoming a dad I’ve scored two in our last three league games.”

Asked how he was coping since welcoming his daughter into the world, he added: “To be fair she’s been alright, but what’s weird is that I usually feel fresher if I’ve not had a lot of sleep than I do after I have a long sleep. Maybe I’ll have another one!

“I had that chat with the gaffer when she was first born. She arrived in the early hours and I was in for training that day. It can be tough but I think it’s about getting into a routine early on and trying to stick to it.

“If you’re not sleeping well at night, it can be a problem, but my missus has also been very good about it. I’m in the spare room the night before a game, so I don’t get woken up, and it’s just about adapting, which I think I’ve done quite well so far.

“I didn’t go around seeking advice from the other lads who have children; it just came up in conversation. You have a laugh about how tired you are and kids throwing up on you, and stuff like that.

“The gaffer has said it can go two ways. He’s seen players before who have children then come in looking like ghosts but I’ve gone the other way and I’m probably a bit livelier!”

Photo: Matchday Images

Suffolkboy added 21:20 - Dec 8 Keep it up Woolfie ! COYB
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