A disappointing loss to Brighton last night which meant Town lost the chance to go top of the Championship. Town are now in third place below Middlesborough (same points as ‘Boro but a worse goal difference). It is though very close at the top of the table as leaders Bournemoouth lost on Tuesday away at Leeds.

Up to now there has been no run away leader of the Championship and all the top 6 teams currently have great chances to get promotion this season. This is a crunch time for Town now both mentally and physically. Town need to be strong in both areas and work hard to get points for the remainder of the season. The performance against Brighton wasn’t great and Mick McCarthy was unhappy with it especially in the first half. There were some positives with Daryl Murphy scoring again and Freddie Sears scoring his first Town goal.

The next game for Town is Wigan at home on Sat 31 January so there is time to take a break and get prepared well for that. It is great Town are in such a good position and the team need to believe they can either win the Championship outright or be second and get automatic promotion. A play off place is of course possible but given Town’s position it is almost a poor option/consolation!

Here is a video compilation of manager Mick McCarthy over the last two years at Town:

It has been a great season so far for the team and supporters and as I said in my last post this is the time now for Town to push on. The loss at Brighton was not good but they can put it behind them on focus on every game one by one to win and at least get a point. This is the way to get the top or second place and get promotion and performances are not as important as winning points! Winning points and performing well is of course ideal but that cannot always happen. There is no reason Town should not be confident
enough to believe they are good enough to win the Championsship this season. Come on Town team, you can win the Championship if you get yourselves together and stay and play together for every game from now to the end of the season.

Town must be confident, but realistic and work hard and the reward of promotion will happen! COME ON YOU BLUES!!

ITFC 0 Derby 1

Town’s fine unbeaten run came to an end with a home loss to Derby yesterday.

It was a difficult day for football with a gusty wind and both teams were quite evenly matched.
I listened to most of the game on BBC Radio Suffolk and watched the last 20 minutes on Sky TV.
From the radio commentary, Town started well and made a few chances but Derby gradually got into their game and started to be a threat.

The goal Town conceded was a classic simple error from a long ball upfield which Tommy Smith misjudged and Chris Martin took his chance well to get past Smith and dink the ball into the goal past a fairly stranded Town keeper, Bialokowski.

Then in the last 20 minutes Town threw everything they could at Derby but they held firm even after going to 10 men when Eustace was sent off with 10 minutes to go. Town huffed and puffed and it wasn’t pretty football as it often featured long ball play from the back, and very little actually started from mid-field. Cole Skuse was missing (ill) from the team and Luke Higham didn’t create enough from mid-field (he is though very hard working). Town got 2 half chances, a swerving shot from Kevin Bru that was well saved by Derby keeper (Grant) and a header from Smith that just went past the post with Noel Hunt bravely trying to divert it into the net.

Other results went well for Town as Norwich beat leaders Bournemouth. So this is a wake up call now for Town for the rest of the season. There really wasn’t much difference between Derby and Town yesterday and both are challenging for promotion. Town have got themselves into a great position yet, must dig deep for the rest of the season to keep up their promotion challenge.

While no one seems to be saying it Town could actually win the Championship! In my opinion they are as good as the contenders (especially Bournemouth and Derby).

COME ON YOU BLUES…I’m challenging all at ITFC..make 2015 your year and win the Championship and automatic promotion. This is entirely possible if Town dig deep and play to their potential. It is vital for Town in every Championship game to the end of the season, to get points and not to lose! EYES ON THE PRIZE, believe you can do this but keep concentrating and work harder to get promotion! GOODLUCK!