Football: Ipswich Town fan Nick Wells believes there could still be some life in this season after all
When Preston's Paul McKenna let fly with a 20-yard thunderbolt at 3.21pm on the first game of the season – it was the first sign that our promotion hopes were starting to slowly deflate.
That equalising goal brought us back from our lofty ideas of a Fortress Portman Road and automatic promotion and the preceding defeat cast the first stones against Jim Magilton's reign.
So it would be ironic if, almost six months later, it is in the return fixture against Preston that our unlikely late push for the play-offs are re-inflated and gives our manager an unexpected lifeline.
After the hysteria that greeted the draw against Blackpool, a victory against Forest was essential but the nervy manner in which we went about it gave little reassurance that we were capable of late sprint towards the line.
The tea-time triumph over QPR on Saturday was completely different though.
The popular claim against Magilton, just like any other manager under pressure, is that they have 'lost the dressing room' but the performance at Loftus Road spoke louder of his troops' support than any statement released through the club's media department.
Despite going a goal down, the team fought back with the ferocity and passion that we have been crying out for all season.
David Norris and Alan Quinn's energy and enthusiasm dominated midfield, while strikers Jon Stead and Pablo Counago gave the mixture of guile and industry that all successful strike partnerships need.
Stead has been one of Magilton's most questioned signings but one thing you can't accuse the lanky striker of, is not putting in a decent shift.
The win was just what we needed and has put us within three points of Preston and sixth-place. Yes, the teams around us have plenty of games in hand over us but as this week showed there is no guarantee that our rivals will grasp these opportunities.
We still have 12 games left this season and large number of those games are what will do doubt become dubbed 'six-pointers'.
Tomorrow's trip to Deepdale is the first. Back when they had our nemesis David Nugent, this was a game where three points looked beyond us but Alan Irvine's team are rather ordinary in comparison.
After Preston, it is Southampton at home and a game we are more than capable of taking three points from.
Even if our last two victories prove to be a false dawn, at least it is keeping our season alive a little longer, at a time most supporters were ready to throw in the towel.
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Weather for Diss
Tuesday 07 September 2010
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
