Ipswich Town’s players can’t afford to ‘mope around’ following a season-ending injury to 16-goal top-scorer David McGoldrick.

So says midfielder Cole Skuse ahead of tomorrow’s match at Championship table-toppers Leicester City.

The Blues dropped to ninth-place following last weekend’s goalless draw at home to struggling Blackpool. Defeat against a Foxes side who have claimed 29 points from a possible 33 could see Mick McCarthy’s side fall eight points behind the sixth spot that a host of sides are battling for, rivals Wigan, Brighton, Leeds and Blackburn all with a game in hand.

McGoldrick is set for at least 10 weeks on the sidelines with the knee ligament damage he sustained last weekend, with Frank Nouble set to replace him in the line-up tomorrow – McCarthy revealing that Paul Taylor has not been as good as his peers, while Sylvan Ebanks-Blake is not ready to start following his latest comeback from injury.

“Didzy’s (McGoldrick) is milking it!” joked Skuse. “He’s on his crutches and waiting for all the lads to open doors for him and get his lunch for him! No, he’s doing okay. He’s still walking around with a smile on his face, it’s just a big blow for him and for us really.

“His goals and stats speak for themselves. He’s been our main man this year, he’s chipped in with the most goals and got a few assists. It’s just one of those things; it’s football, it happens.

“We can’t mope about and say ‘we’ve lost David McGoldrick – that’s us done’. There are more than capable lads who have been waiting on the sides for their chance. I’m sure they’ll jump at that chance now and help us carry on.

“Saturday is going to be a tough game, but why can’t we go there, get a win and carry on that push? There’s no way the manager would let us give up on the season.

“The lads are so bouyant, it’s a close group and we’ll try our upmost to get in the play-offs.”