Goals in store today

GOALS, goals, goals. That is what Ipswich fans will be demanding from the Blues today as they search to improve their goal difference, writes Derek Davis.

Town are the league's leading scorers with a whopping 71 goals while Wimbledon have the worst defensive record in the league after conceding 72.

The Dons have also lost their past 10 games, have not scored in the last seven and Wednesday's 16-man squad had not netted one goal between them all season.

So the Blues faithful could be forgiven for expecting a rout but John McGreal has warned it doesn't always work out they way it should.

Although unable to score themselves, Stuart Murdoch's side have only lost by 1-0 in three of the last four games, the other was a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of West Ham.

McGreal agrees goals are important and is looking forward to helping to stop the leaks at the other end.

He said: “The way we play is so offensive-minded all we can think of is goals, goals, goals, and there has been no shortage of them from Ipswich this season, so fans get value for money.

“It would be brilliant to get 1-0 wins but the way we are it is not going to happen too often. The last couple of games have been really good for us not just because we have the six points but we have improved our goal difference by five.

“Wins are important and the bonus is if you can get plenty of goals because it can be like an extra point.

“So we want to accumulate as many more goals as we can, as we have been doing all season, but keeping some clean sheets, which we have not had as many of as we would have liked.”

But McGreal warns Wimbledon will not just roll over like some tired old Womble.

He said: “Football has a way of bringing us surprises.

“Their manager has said he is planning for next season and he wants players who can show him they will do a good job in the Second Division.

“The only way to do that is for them to pick up points and for the players to prove to the manager and coaches that they are worthy of a place in the team.

“We have done well in the Watford and Walsall games and scored some good goals but Wimbledon have nothing to lose and we have everything to play for so the pressure is on us to get a good win.

“They have a lot of young lads there and they have not had any luck all season. They know one game could turn the luck around and while they are too far gone to get out of relegation, they can stop themselves being embarrassed by getting a couple of results, even if it is a draw.

“That would stop the sequence of losing.”

The former Tranmere defender who helped Town win promotion, would have passed the 150-appearance mark by now if he had not been wracked by injuries over the past two years.

He said: “It has been a horrible season for me. I have had knee and back injures all season and as I get one right the other goes.

“I got my chance in December and since then I have been involved in the first team which has been good.”

He is firmly back in the fold now and although Matt Richards is a long way younger than the rest, McGreal makes up a trio of old heads at the back.

He said: “I'm only 31, but I have a lot of experience in the First Division.

“Matt has a lot of experience as well, mainly in the Premiership but he knows this division as well. And we have Fabian, who is also older than me, and he is experienced.

“Bam Bam has had a great season and he will be back soon so the Gaffer has got competition for places which he has wanted.

“Then he will be able to pick the best pair based on form, rather than necessity, and hopefully that will get us some clean sheets and we will get into that top six.”

McGreal is quick to recognise keeper Kelvin Davis' input this year and feels he has been made to look worse than he is by the statistics which show only Wimbledon, his former club, have conceded more goals than Town.

He said: “Kelvin has been influential in virtually every game and he has not had as many clean sheets as his displays deserve.”

Davis will look forward to meeting old friends and having a quiet drink with a few tonight but what he would really like to talk about is that elusive clean sheet as well as goals, goals, goals.