DAMIEN Delaney is hoping that Ipswich Town park the team-coach in front of Marton Fulop’s goal, when they visit Arsenal on Tuesday week.

DAMIEN Delaney is hoping that Ipswich Town park the team-coach in front of Marton Fulop’s goal, when they visit Arsenal on Tuesday week.

Inspirational defender Delaney believes that Town have a fighting chance of reaching Wembley, after grabbing the early initiative with a memorable 1-0 win over the Gunners in Wednesday night’s Carling Cup semi-final first leg tie at Portman Road.

Arsene Wenger’s Premier League stars have not won a trophy for nearly six years, so they will be desperate to put the record straight.

But Town, under new boss Paul Jewell, who officially took over the reins yesterday, are determined not to capitulate in the manner that they did at Chelsea in Sunday’s 7-0 drubbing.

“Of course I think we can get to the final,” insisted Delaney.

“As (Jose) Mourinho once said – we’ll park the bus in front of the goal at the Emirates.

“Arsenal haven’t won a trophy for so long, so I’m sure that Wenger will be breaking out all the big guns to try and do it.

“But it’s not impossible for us. Leeds did it (1-1 draw at the Emirates in the FA Cup last weekend), so maybe we can get to Wembley in February.

“All we kept saying, on Tuesday, was to make sure we kept it tight, because we didn’t want to be dead and buried.

“We didn’t want to be just fulfilling a fixture at the end of the month, because then we could have been getting into a cricket score. But now we’ve got something to hang onto, and it’s a great bonus for the new manager to put in a performance like we did,” added Delaney.

Centre-half Delaney could not personally be blamed for last Sunday’s 7-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge – he was an unused substitute in that FA Cup tie.

But he was recalled against Arsenal, and delivered a huge performance in the heart of defence in what was Ian ‘Charlie’ McParland’s second and final game in charge.

New boss Jewell, who was introduced to a bumper Portman Road crowd before kick-off, was watching from the stands, but Delaney did not believe this had a big impact on Town’s great night.

“I don’t think the new manager watching from the stands was an incentive, no,” added Delaney.

“Obviously you want to do well, but I think Sunday was the biggest one really, after getting turned over seven.

“There’s no professional team should get turned over seven by anyone.”

Ex-Hull and QPR defender Delaney is now looking forward to beginning a new era under Jewell.

“It’s sad to see Charlie (McParland) going, but we have to look forward,” said the 29-year-old Irishman.

“That’s part of football – Charlie was part of Roy Keane’s back-room staff, but the new manager now comes in, obviously with his own ideas and will have his own back-room team.”