Town goalscorer Jack Clarke felt the Blues were good value for their impressive 2-0 victory over Championship leaders Coventry City at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Having defeated the Sky Blues in convincing fashion at Portman Road little more than three weeks ago, Town condemned Coventry to their first home defeat of the season in their final match of 2025.

Kieran McKenna’s side were in control in the first half without breaking the deadlock, but Clarke’s deflected effort and Wes Burns’ comeback goal ensured the Blues would return to Suffolk with all three points.

Clarke insists the result is the least Town deserved, and says that the high level of performance should come as no surprise.

“I wouldn’t say we needed it,” he said. “But after the game the other day we were a little bit disappointed to not come away with three points. We felt like tonight if we put the performance in, we’d be able to get the three points and we did that.

“That’s what we’ve tried to do all season, impose our football early. We know once we get playing and get on top of teams we can be a real problem. Sometimes we don’t get to do that but tonight we managed to and it put us in good stead.

“We felt like we were the better side. We felt like we were a little bit unlucky when their keeper pulled off a brilliant save to keep out Tayls [Jack Taylor]’s chance.

“There were a few blocks and a few close moments, but we felt like if we kept our foot to the floor in the second half, we’d eventually break them down. Once we did, we felt like we had the game where we needed it.

“It’s good in terms of confidence. Hopefully it can lead to some sort of momentum and we can start stringing wins together.

“We feel like we’ve been competitive in every single game this season. We feel like we probably should have a few more points on the board, the performances have been there or thereabouts.

“Hopefully it can build confidence and lead to some momentum going into 2026.”

Clarke’s opening goal came after Cédric Kipré had won possession high up the field, allowing the creative Marcelino Núñez to find the winger in space down the left-hand side.

From there, the 25-year-old’s low effort took a huge deflection off the heels of former Blues defender Luke Woolfenden, deceiving Carl Rushworth and looping into the corner of the net.

“I’ve had better and I probably could have had more,” Clarke said on his tally of eight goals. “I don’t try and think about it too much, I'm just trying to help the team in any way I can and today it was a goal.

“Another day it might just be coming on to see the game out, but I’m happy with the performance.”

Town’s second goal came courtesy of Burns, who netted for the first time in more than 19 months after spending almost a year out with a serious knee injury sustained against Liverpool in January.

Clarke said of the Welshman: “I’m delighted for him, everybody is. It’s always hard after a long-term injury, he’s been brilliant throughout and we’ve all tried to support him. Luckily he’s come through it.

“You can see what it means to him and we all shared that emotion with him. For the state of the game, the goal and everything he’s been through, it’s brilliant for him. He’s been at every game or as many games as he can, he’s a brilliant lad to have around.

“He’s experienced it last time the club got promoted, he knows what it takes, he’s very experienced in the league and he’s tried to almost take on a captain’s role behind the scenes.

“It’s been brilliant for the new lads and it’s been brilliant for us as well. Now he’s back on the pitch, he’s still bringing those same qualities. I’m delighted for him.”

Clarke found himself back in the starting XI against Coventry having had to make do with appearances from the bench throughout the season due to the form of fellow left-winger Jaden Philogene.

At times, Clarke has been played on the right, a role he admits is not ideal but one he is happy to do in order to get minutes on the pitch alongside Philogene.

He said: “To try and help the team as much as I can. Everybody knows it’s probably not my preferred role and I feel a lot more natural and it comes a bit easier to me playing on the left. I’m just trying to help the team to achieve what we want to achieve.

“It’s been a bit of an in-and-out sort of season. Jaden’s been doing brilliantly so it’s difficult to play as much. Whenever I can help the team, I'm happy to do that.”

Thanks to Middlesbrough’s defeat to Hull City, the gap between Town and the Championship’s automatic promotion places has been cut to just two points.

On the overall picture, Clarke added: “We’re just trying to take it game by game. That’s all you can do. It’s hard to think too far ahead because this league is very difficult and every game and opponent is tough.

“You can have good games and bad games. We just try to take it game by game, we’re not trying to think too far ahead, we’ve got another game in a couple of days’ time and that’ll be the focus.”

Photo: Matchday Images