Burgess: There's No Reason to Panic Tuesday, 3rd Jan 2023 11:25 Centre-half Cameron Burgess insists there’s no need to panic despite Town taking only five points from nine over Christmas and dropping to third in League One. The Blues got Christmas off to a great start with a 3-0 Boxing Day victory over Oxford at Portman Road but followed that up with a 2-2 draw at mid-table Portsmouth, who last night sacked manager Danny Cowley, and yesterday's 1-1 stalemate away against 10-man Lincoln City. Reflecting on the draw with the Imps, Burgess said: “In a word, frustrating. It’s just one of those things on a number of different things with decisions or just not getting the rub of the green. Frustrating in the end.” Town were understandably aggrieved by referee Declan Bourne’s decision to give Lincoln a penalty after Kane Vincent-Young and Paudie O’Connor tangled and both ended up on the ground as a corner came over from the right. It was unclear at the time what the spot-kick had been awarded for and Burgess admits he didn’t really know until after the match. “You’re looking around, shrugging your shoulders at what’s gone on sort of thing,” he said. “He’s given it for whatever reason, I think he said holding and there were about five people he could have given it against or something like that, but I didn’t know that until we got in. “I don’t know how you can see five people at one time but that’s the decision he’s made. We just have to deal with it.” Town have been on the end of a number of harsh or incorrect decisions over the course of the season but the 27-year-old believes they might even themselves up between now and May. “You hope so,” he said. “But I can’t really say any more, it’s just a case that we go again, keep your head down, work hard and hopefully it evens out in the end.” The Scottish-born former Australia U23 international felt Town had enough opportunities to win the game despite the penalty setback with sub Cameron Humphreys’ 81st minute header enough to claim a point. “I think so. We have to be ready for those games that seem to be becoming the norm now where we’ve got a lot of the ball and teams try and protect and hold onto either a draw or whatever it may be,” he continued. “We have to find a way to score and generally we do that and I think we don’t panic when we go a goal behind, I think we’ve seen that in the last couple of games especially. “We know we can score goals, just unfortunately today we would have had to have scored two.” Defensively, Burgess says he and his defensive team-mates would like more clean sheets. “When you’re conceding so few shots and chances, it’s very frustrating, especially at the back,” he said. “It’s just a case of going again and hopefully we can get two or three on the bounce.” Looking at the overall picture with Town having dropped out of the top two yesterday, now six points behind leaders Plymouth and two off Sheffield Wednesday in second, he said: “Nothing changes, we keep playing the same way. Nothing will change going into the second half of the season now. We keep playing our way and we’ll get results. “We believe in ourselves and there’s no reason to change anything. No panic, no change from our point of view.” He says there will be ups and downs in the remaining 21 matches in the second half of the season. “We’re going to have to deal with a lot of different things and I think we’ve seen that in the last couple of weeks,” he said. “It’ll be an interesting one and hopefully a good ride.” Was there added pressure going into the Lincoln game seven points behind the Pilgrims? “Not really, maybe it’s time to look at it at some point in the months ahead when the games are fewer, but there are plenty of games, there are plenty more points to play for, a lot of things will change. We’ve seen that year-on-year, there’s no reason to panic.” The Town camp was hit by illness in the run-up to the match with Leif Davis and George Edmundson unable to make the trip and Janoi Donacien forced off at half-time. “No one’s going to use it as an excuse, certainly not myself, I just want to be out there as much as I can be,” Burgess said. “There are a few boys been struggling and it’s a case of getting yourself right for the games, and that’s what we’ve done. No excuse from our point of view, that’s for sure. “It’s just a credit to the group, everyone wants to do well for each other and no one wants to let anyone down. “It’s a case of everyone mucking in and getting through it and making sure we’re ready for games. That’s part and parcel of where we’re at. We knuckle down, keep our heads down and work hard.” While results have been frustrating, Town’s performances have remained consistent and Burgess says that’s the nature of the division. “That’s this league,” he said. “I’ve maybe been playing this league a bit too long for my liking. That’s this league, it’s tough to get out of, so you need to be on it as much as we have been and sometimes you need a little bit of luck and things to go your way.” Burgess has played the last two matches without the mask protecting the facial injury which required surgery earlier in the season. “No need to wear the mask anymore,” he said. “Honestly, nothing much changed with that. “I did a few training sessions without it and it was just a case of it being time to take it off. Managed to get me a goal when I took it off the other day, so hopefully I can get another couple.” That goal, Town’s first equaliser at Portsmouth, was Burgess’s second of the season and his first in the league. “It’s been while coming, to be honest, so it’s good that we can chip in, the boys at the back, we’ve scored a few now, which is good to see and we’ve done quite well on set pieces this season and long may that continue. “When the balls in [from set pieces] are that good, it can be hard to miss at times. Credit to the boys for putting in great deliveries and hopefully they can continue to do that.” Having had to bide his time when manager Kieran McKenna first arrived just over a year ago, Burgess is delighted to be a regular starter. “The boys are champing at the bit to all play, it’s a great squad with great talent so it’s competition every day for places,” he said. “So to be stringing a few games together is a privilege and hopefully I can continue to do that.” The Blues have a rest from League One action on Saturday when they welcome Championship Rotherham to Portman Road in the FA Cup. “Another test to see where we’re at,” he said. “An opposition we maybe sort of owe one from last season, so hopefully we can put on a good show and do what we do and prove ourselves against a Championship team.” Aberdeen-born Burgess says he would like a run in the competition: “It’s the furthest I’ve got personally, so hopefully we can go and get a win there and get into the hat for the next round and see who we can get.” Although a victory over a Championship side would be a boost, Burgess says the squad go into games positively in any case. “I think we’re confident in our ability anyway,” he said. “We believe in ourselves. You’ve seen the games we’ve played and the way we play, we’re highly confident going into games and belief in the team because we know we could play well against anyone and do our stuff, so I don’t think that’s an issue, I don’t think it ever will be. “But it’s another competition and let’s go and take the game to Rotherham and see how we get on.” Is the FA Cup a welcome break after a hectic Christmas period of league action? “It’s just another game, to be honest. We take it with the same attitude. “I guess maybe it’s a good time to reflect on the league when the games are coming thick and fast over the Christmas period, but it’s another game, an opportunity to get out there at Portman Road and hopefully do our stuff.” Town could have new additions in the squad by the time the Millers visit and Burgess says the players will be pleased to see any new signings come into the fold. “It’s a great group for that, everyone gets on with each other, it’s a great dynamic,” he said. “Anyone who comes in will fit in straight away, we know that. “Any additions will definitely be welcome and hopefully it can add to us and push us on for the second half of the season.”
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