Conor Chaplin knows a winning culture needs to emerge at Ipswich Town, with the forward hopeful his side’s Papa John’s Trophy success can be a real step on the road.
The former Barnsley man struck in the second half to help secure a 2-0 group stage victory at Gillingham on Tuesday night, adding to Joe Pigott’s strike in a game where a much-changed Town side dominated before running out comfortable winners.
Victory was only Town’s third of the season, in 13 attempts, but with those three successes in their last five games, Chaplin is hopeful his side are giving themselves the platform they need to ultimately push up the League One table.
“It was an enjoyable night, we worked really hard and if you have good players on the pitch like we do and work that hard, you should win the game,” he said.
“You have to earn the right, though, and we did that brilliantly.
“We lost at Accrington on Saturday so winning this game was vital. We need to start getting a winning culture in the club and that comes from everywhere. It could be in training, in the Papa John’s Trophy or in the league. We need that winning culture because it breeds confidence and it breeds success.
“If you have players who aren’t in the team at the moment (manager Paul Cook made 11 changes) putting in performances like that then that’s only encouraging for the manager.”
Chaplin’s strike was his second for the Blues, following his dramatic equaliser against Sheffield Wednesday, and came as he sprung the offside trap expertly to meet a superb Pigott pass from inside his own half.
“I honestly knew I was onside but sometimes the linesman will give those because you look so far offside,” Chaplin said.
“It’s one of those where the ball comes at the exact same time I’ve run on the shoulder. There was a young lad at the back who was keeping me onside and fair play to the linesman for not giving it.
“I expect myself to score that. It’s a one-v-one and if I didn’t score I’d have been raging.
“It was a great ball from Pigs (Pigott) as well and he’s someone I knew could see and then play the pass. That’s why I ducked in behind. That’s the quality he’s got and there’s a lot of that throughout the team.
“It was nice to score.”
Chaplin will be hopeful of making just his third league start for the Blues on Saturday when Shrewsbury visit Portman Road, with Cook needing to decide which of his attacking players comes into the side in place of Bersant Celina. The Kosovan is away on international duty.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here