Town’s Dom Ball is relishing the chance to help Town advance to the last eight of the Carabao Cup if, as expected, he is included in manager Kieran McKenna’s starting line-up for the fourth-round clash with Fulham tomorrow night at Portman Road.

Ball said: “The Carabao Cup run has been brilliant and a night like tomorrow against Fulham is something to relish. We need massive games like this as a squad if we’re going to progress because we need to perform and play against the bigger teams.

“We’ve shown that this season against teams that have come down and against Wolves in the previous round, so we will go out and try to do the same thing against Fulham.

“You saw it against Wolves, when we were 2-0 down, that there was no lack of belief, and I’m talking about the supporters as well as the players.

“They gave us great backing that night and even at 2-0 we didn’t change the way we play. We still created chances and the belief and the confidence, because we’ve done it for a while, made it happen. It was a great result for us and now we want another one against Fulham.”

Ball has started Town’s previous three games in the EFL competition, against Bristol Rovers, Reading and Wolves, and it would be a major shock if he was not included to face Fulham, as the Blues boss is expected to make a number of changes following Saturday’s 3-2 home league win over Plymouth Argyle, a game in which the former QPR player was an unused substitute.

McKenna’s tendency to ring the changes for the Carabao Cup ties has paid off so far and Town’s success is a tribute to those involved, most of whom – Ball included – have had to make do with appearances from the bench in the club’s 12 league games, which have yielded 10 wins, one draw and one defeat, an amazing record for a newly-promoted side.

Asked about the difference since Town stepped up from League One last season, Ball said: “Having watched a lot of football this season, and also played in a few games, I think it’s the quality of the attacking.

“You saw that in the Wolves game, when we were two goals down in the first 15 minutes. Hee-Chan Hwang scored the first and I’ve seen him score in the Prem as well every other week.

“The same with, maybe, Leeds and the attacking options they have, and I think we’ve just realised that we need to step up as well defensively, which I think we’ve shown.

“I think that’s definitely what I’ve seen as the level goes up and that’s the level we need to be at, so we’ve got to match that.

“The squad has definitely stepped up a level in training. Individually and as a group, we are always looking to improve, and if we are not doing that it will be made clear to us by the manager.

“Every day we are striving to reach the highest level we can and that’s how we can compete with the top teams.

“When you get promoted, you’re probably looking at it statistically in terms of how other promoted teams have done. It’s not normally the case that teams have done as well as we have done in terms of results, which is probably why we haven’t looked at the results that much.

“We don’t focus on it and we don’t look at the league table that much. We’re more about our performances and we have carried them on from last year, with little areas where we’ve stepped up, but we’re still running hard, we’re still tackling hard and we’re defensively organised. It’s just that we’ve added a bit more from last year.

“We’re really enjoying it. We’re staying really humble and working really hard, even during the international breaks. They actually provide us with an opportunity to work even harder and every time we go onto the pitch the main thing is to do that, putting all the good work done on the training ground into good use in the games.

“The results have been coming as a result of all the good work that is done on the training ground, so we need to continue to do that. After Plymouth took an early lead against us on Saturday the fans stayed patient and continued to back us, which I think comes from our belief and our never-say-die attitude.

“It is engrained into us, even in training. We never give up, either individually or as a team. We’re probably more performance-based anyway and we can control that to a certain extent.

“If we start looking at results, and even the league table, it could become very difficult for us. We focus on our performances, individually and collectively, and that has been part of the process since the manager came in.”

Reflecting more on Saturday’s success, which he watched from the dugout area, Ball added: “Plymouth have always made it quite comfortable – they’re just one of those teams, you know – and last year we didn’t get a win over them in League One. So, it was definitely very sweet the other day because we had that extra motivation to get a result.

“It was incredible last season, the promotion race, and I didn’t doubt that we would both perform the way we have done this season. Every single game in the Championship is tough and they all offer different challenges. I think that’s where we’ve been quite good.

“We know there is very little margin for error at this level. We have enough boys in the squad who have experienced it earlier in their careers and know how relentless it can be.

“All we can do is prepare as well as we can, which we do, and it’s really showing this season. We all know we have to continue in the same way right through to the end.”

While Ball has played at right-back in all three of Town’s previous Carabao Cup successes this season, when asked what he considers to be his best position these days, he admitted: “I’d say central midfield, although there was a period when I didn’t know where I was going to be on the training ground.

“You haven’t seen me as a striker yet, so you never know, maybe! But seriously, I’d say central midfield but I’ve also played centre-half and right-back throughout my career.

“I think the versatility can help you as a player in a squad like this, but at this point I’m focused on central midfield and when the time comes to play, I’ll be ready.”

Ball recalled his time as a youngster at Tottenham when he first came across McKenna, himself a former Spurs youngster whose own playing career was cut short due to injury and saw him instead turn to coaching.

He remembered: “It was when I was 17 that I worked with him in the youth team and as a young player then I thought he was a really good coach.

“When I went to Spurs they were all top coaches and he was one of the last ones I worked with before I moved on.

“I can see how I have developed as a player over the last 10 years or so but as a coach he’s also developed and there’s no better place for him to be. He’s worked at first-team level with Manchester United and I was really happy when he came here.

“I’ve seen from close quarters the quality and intensity of his training, which he has engrained in everyone here, while the performances and the results speak for themselves.”

Photo: TWTD

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