Town took a small crumb of comfort from this win but that’s all. On a day which saw other sides around them drop points, this was very much a second dawn. We all thought when we got our first and only victory before this, at Swansea at the beginning of October, it would be the beginning of a change in our fortunes but it turned out to be nothing more than a false awakening. We can only hope that this time will be different.
At least on this occasion, we don’t have an international break to interfere with our momentum, and we now have another home game to look forward to but with some trepidation, it must be said. Sheffield United are in the play-off places and will be looking to return to Yorkshire with all three points. Town boss Paul Lambert must impress upon his players the need to stay focused and not let this winning habit fade before it has a chance to develop.
In many ways, this is the perfect opportunity to build on our first victory at Portman Road with another one, and the belief that would emanate from another win would do wonders for our chances of avoiding the drop. This game could prove to be the pivotal moment of our season. It is all about collective self-belief and we will have to play a lot better than we did on Saturday if we are to achieve our goal.
It is pleasing to see that Freddie Sears has got his mojo back under Paul Lambert and amazingly it was Sears’s fifth goal in seven games under the new gaffer, and he is again proving to be lethal in and around the penalty box. Lambert is not afraid to play the kids too and Jack Lankester and Flynn Downes again performed well.
These are still baby steps in the grand scheme of things but we have to start somewhere, and everyone at Portman Road must have finally enjoyed their weekend!
F.W. Vital Ipswich
