IPSWICH V HULL: What once seemed unlikely has almost been achieved.

Ipswich Town are within touching distance of securing their Championship survival ahead of Hull City’s trip to Portman Road today, having been five points adrift of safety upon Mick McCarthy’s arrival.

The turnaround has been sensational but, with relegation still a possibility, McCarthy has today called on his players to complete their mission.

Victory against the Tigers could take the Blues into the top half of the table, on 56 points, but with Hull battling for automatic promotion, the task will not be an easy one.

Town are expecting more than 21,000 for the clash – the result of a promotion which allows season ticket-holders to buy four extra tickets at £10 each for adults, £8 for concessions and £3 for juniors – and McCarthy wants to send the majority home happy.

“When you have won a few games and got yourselves in a better position, you do feel better, but strangely enough, it adds pressure,” said McCarthy.

“We have got ourselves in a really good position and we don’t want to lose it, and we have to make sure we stay in the league.

“It’s not gift-wrapped yet and we need to maintain what we have been doing since I walked through the door – because nobody has let me down – and see the job out.

“We have five games to go, let’s get the points.”

McCarthy will welcome back Anthony Wordsworth to the squad for today’s game, but will be missing Lee Martin and Reece Brown, who have both been ill.

Town are searching for their fourth win in six and will hope the growing bond between players and fans continues apace, following the jubilant scenes after the win at Derby a week ago.

“It’s nice to have a feel-good factor and it’s important there is a bond between the players and fans, because we are all in this together,” added McCarthy.

“When it’s going wrong, that is when you get divisions but in reality, that should not happen.

“Providing everyone is trying, I forgive most people of everything.”

Two-page match preview, plus Ipswich Town through the years, in today’s East Anglian Daily Times

For match updates, follow Chris Brammer and Stuart Watson on twitter: @ChrisBramms, @Stuart_Watson