All for one and one for all.

Ipswich Town centre-back Tommy Smith has hailed the team spirit in a close-knit squad following Saturday’s comeback draw at Barnsley.

The Blues went 2-0 down massively against the run of play when Tomasz Cywka’s deflected free-kick found the net for the second-bottom hosts in the 74th minute. Instead of feeling sorry for themselves, Mick McCarthy’s men – fresh from a team bonding trip to Portugal – came storming back to grab a fully deserved share of the spoils through late goals from Christophe Berra (81) and David McGoldrick (84).

Town may have dropped 25 points from winning positions this season (the worst record in the Football League), but they have now gained 14 from losing positions (a record only bettered by Leeds in the Championship).

“Their second goal came against the run of play but we just kept on going and got our just rewards,” said Smith.

“We lost three games in a row in January, but we just went back to basics and started doing what got us success at the back end of last season again.

“We’ve gone back to what we’re good at and are reaping the rewards.

“We work really hard for each other. I don’t think you’ll see many teams running further than we do. It’s important to pick up first and second balls and we’re good at that.”

A draw saw seventh-place Town – unbeaten in four matches – reduce the gap to the Championship play-off places to three points heading into the final 16 games.

Blackpool at home is next on the agenda, with the quartet of Brighton, Blackburn, Leeds and Wigan in a pack of six teams that increasingly look set to contest the final top six spot as the leading five begin to pull away.

“A draw doesn’t look too bad considering we were 2-0 down so late in the game,” said Smith. “Other teams around us have dropped points today (Reading and Wigan both losing) so it keeps us up there.

“There’s no reason why we can’t push on and get into that top six.”