This was always going to be an acid test for Ipswich Town. The hostile environment that is The City Ground makes it one of the most challenging away games in the Championship and yet the blues almost came away with a win!
Only a last gasp equalizer, when Antonio powered a header home 3 minutes into injury time, deprived the Tractor Boys of taking all three points and although it was disappointing to concede so late in the game, we would have all taken a draw before a ball had been kicked.
The Town resilience is impressive these days. Three recent priceless draws against Derby, Sheffield Wednesday and now Forest, tell us a lot about our new found resolve and these are games I feel sure we would have lost last season.
What has changed? Well, for a start there is a greater self-belief that runs through the whole of the squad and everyone is looking over their shoulder knowing that one bad game and adequate replacements are on hand.
The strength in depth at Mick McCarthy`s disposal this term is one of the reasons for our upturn in fortunes and for once, we seem to be getting the rub of the green, which always helps of course.
Then there is Daryl Murphy who has improved out of all recognition this term and is now our leading scorer! Terry Connor has done a great job in getting the best out of our strikers and I think Murphy has possibly benefited the most.
To find ourselves in the top six and unbeaten in seven Championship games surely brings a smile to even the most pessimistic of those among us and as our confidence grows so too does the quality of our football. Against Nottingham Forest we were simply superb at times and in most games of late we have played with a flair and ingenuity that has been lacking for so long.
Now most of the players can take a well-earned break, as we re-group and look forward to the season ahead. It won`t be easy but we have marked our spot and it could be onward and upward for Ipswich Town!
F.W.
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