Town wing-back Leif Davis goes into Saturday’s top-of-the-table home clash with League One leaders Plymouth Argyle still chasing the first goal of his senior career.

Of course, the emphasis will be on helping the Blues to grab all three points — but the Geordie admits that a part of him hopes the game coincides with him ending his long wait to put the ball in the net.

Davis, who turned 23 on New Year’s Eve, said: “While I’ve yet to get a goal myself, I feel I’ve made a decent contribution this season in terms of assists. I’ve got seven so far this season and that’s one of the three best records in League One.

“I’m always checking to see how the assists are going and I want to stay up there with the best of them. It’s all about helping the team, either with assists or scoring goals, but the main thing is winning games. If it’s one of the other lads that is getting assists or goals it’s no problem.

“I’m really happy about how I’ve started at Ipswich and I still think there’s a lot more to come.

“I’m really enjoying it, helping the team to do what we’re doing, where we are in the table, the chances we are creating and providing assists.

“I just need to grab a goal soon, which I need, and hopefully once one goal goes in there will be many more to come after that.

“I haven’t been a goalscorer over the years. I played a few games for Marcelo [Bielsa] at Leeds as a centre-back so I obviously wasn’t pushing on as much then as I do now.

“But hopefully my first goal will come. I’m definitely waiting for it and once it goes in, I’m hopeful that a few more will follow.

“I’ll start getting my confidence and I’ll start going for it, which I need, and hopefully Saturday will be the day.

“The manager here has never mentioned anything about playing me as a centre-back but when I was at Leeds, Marcelo said I was a good passer of the ball and liked to play me there.

“I’ve never played it since then; I prefer going forward and trying to create goals and hopefully, one day, I will score one.”

But, while he is ever-mindful of the fact that he has yet to score his first career goal, Davis is also quick to point out that scoring comes second to being on the winning side.

“Every game I play is the same — I want to win — and it doesn’t matter who scores,” he said. “Plymouth on Saturday is our next game and we’re not treating it any differently to the others we have played this season.

“We can’t be getting too nervy about it just because Plymouth are the leaders. Every game between now and the end of the season is going to be a big game, anyway, and every game this season has been tough as well. There’s no doubt Plymouth are going to be a big test but I think we’re ready for it.

“The training this week has been really good and the energy has been at a high level. We just want to go out on Saturday and put on a show for our fans.”

Portman Road will be packed yet again for what looks, on paper at any rate, to be Town’s biggest test of the current campaign, but the former Leeds man believes he and his colleagues can take a lot of confidence from the corresponding fixture at Home Park in September, even if the Pilgrims came out on top with a narrow 2-1 win.

Davis added: “I think we could have won it that day but we definitely didn’t deserve to lose. We deserved a point. It was a difficult game and they had a good game plan against us. We didn’t really adapt to it very well but we’ll be ready on Saturday.

“It was obviously a difficult game down there and, like I’ve said, we took time to adapt to what they were doing.

“It was also quite early in the season and we were still getting to know each other in a way, but I think we’re ready for this one. I would say we’re bang at it and in good form.”

The huge sense of occasion probably means that players on both sides will be totally motivated, but Davis is looking to the home supporters to cheer Town to victory.

He said: “It’s a big game and we’ve got to be ready for it. They’re a top-class team with good players but so are we.

“You can see that from the league table but now it’s all about what happens on the day. I love playing in front of big crowds and I’ve said it a few times that the Ipswich fans are like our 12th man.

“Their support this season has been outstanding; a few sell-outs both home and away. It has been incredible. The fans will be a big part of the game on Saturday. They need to know that.”

Photo: Matchday Images

oldelsworthyfan added 16:45 - Jan 12 Leif Davis has been an excellent signing with a lot of 'assists to his name (as well as providing many opportunities which you would think should have been turned in to goals). For me, he is one of our 'players of the season'). I would love him to score this week-end.
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SurreyBlueGirl added 17:28 - Jan 12 I wasn't particularly impressed when I saw him in the first game of the season but boy has he come on. Hope he gets that first goal soon - and keeps up the assists!
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