Jack Clarke knows Town cannot rely on favours elsewhere as the Blues continue to chase down an instant return to the Premier League.

Following Sunday’s pulsating 2-2 draw with fellow contenders Middlesbrough at Portman Road, there is just a three-point gap between the four sides battling to join Coventry City in the automatic promotion places.

Town head the pack from Millwall on goal difference and have a game in hand on the three sides below them, meaning nine points from their final four matches would guarantee a top-two finish.

Clarke, whose late penalty rescued a point for the Blues against Boro, understands exactly what it will take to return to the top flight at the first attempt.

“It’s in our hands and it’s up to us,” he said. “We know the scenario we’re in, it’s down to us and we can’t rely on anybody else doing us any favours. We’ve got to stick to what we think is right and hopefully by the end of the year, it will come good.

“Sometimes it’s hard when you play a day later than everybody else. It’s hard to go a day or two without seeing if anybody won or what the league table looks like. The gaffer’s always dead set on trying to keep the outside noise outside, and we try to do that.

“Sometimes the schedule doesn’t really allow it, some people play on Tuesday and we play Wednesday so it’s hard to not look at what other people are doing. We can’t rely on any favours from anybody else.”

The task for Town has been made more difficult with each of their next three fixtures being away from home and all in the space of just seven days.

Following Wednesday’s trip to Charlton Athletic and the weekend clash at West Bromwich Albion, the Blues travel to in-form Southampton in what could prove to be the most important match of the season.

Clarke said: “I don’t think we’ve been particularly helped with the scheduling this year, but it’s what we’ve got a big squad for. We’ve got a lot of talented players, we’ve got a good group and we’re going to need everybody to dig deep in the next week or so.

“I think it’s down to everybody. I don’t think you can just rely on people who have been there, seen it and done it. Whether you’ve played one game or 100 games, everybody’s opinion is valued and everybody is going to be called upon at different times.

“As a group and squad, we know that. It’s just about everybody digging deep for the next seven to 10 days and hopefully it will come good.”

Charlton will be looking for a result to secure their Championship status and could complete a first league double over Town in 24 years.

The Addicks remain the only visiting side to win on Suffolk soil this season, but Clarke does not see this week’s meeting as an opportunity for revenge.

“I don’t think we’re picturing it so much like that,” he said. “We know it’s going to be a tough place, it’s probably going to be a completely different game and scenario to what it was at the start of the season.

“We’ll just try and take care of what we can take care of over the next couple of days, go there with fresh heads and a fresh mindset, and try and win.

“Every game is different. [Middlesbrough] probably set up a lot differently to how Charlton will and then the atmosphere will be a lot different.

“Everybody’s playing for a different thing at this stage of the season, so every game is as big as each other and there’s no three points bigger than the last.

“Fresh minds going into Charlton, it will be a different game completely but we’ve got to be ready for new challenges.”

On the Blues’ need for improvement in away form, Clarke added: “I’m not sure why, I’m not sure what it is. You can’t really pinpoint anything in particular, we feel like we’ve picked up some good wins away and put in some good performances away, but maybe it’s just not accumulated what it should have, in my opinion.

“It’s three away games, we can’t change it, we’ve just got to get on with it. Hopefully we can turn that form around and start picking up results on the road.”

Photo: Matchday Images