Ipswich Town number one Dean Gerken knows he might have to wait a while before he gets another chance.

The Blues keeper played 29 games in succession before injuring his groin in the warm-up at Blackpool earlier this month, Polish custodian Bartosz Bialkoswki stepping in at the last minute.

Since then the summer signing from Notts County has impressed, producing a series of important saves in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Bournemouth as the fit-again Gerken watched on from the bench.

“I’ve got two goalkeepers and I could flick a coin between the pair of them,” said Blues boss Mick McCarthy. “Gerks was unbelievably generous in the fact that he said ‘you don’t have to say it to me, he deserves to play’.

“He was very magnanimous in the fact that he knew Bart deserved to stay in. It’s great that I’ve got two really good goalkeepers keeping each other on their toes.”

Meanwhile, McCarthy was delighted to see another of his fringe players step up at the weekend.

Jay Tabb and Stephen Hunt have both come in from the wings to impress when injuries and suspensions have struck this season. This time, it was Paul Anderson who did the business in the absence of Hunt (hamstring).

“He (Anderson) was unlucky when I left him out (following the 2-0 home win over Rotherham),” admitted McCarthy. “Being unlucky when you’re left out is one thing though; it’s doing it when you get back it. Well he’s done it again so I’m pleased for him.”

McCarthy will have to shuffle his pack again for Saturday’s trip to a Charlton side still undefeated in the league at The Valley.

Centre-back Christophe Berra is suspended, left-back Tyrone Mings is a doubt (dead leg), while midfielder Kevin Bru is facing up to a month on the sidelines (ankle). The aforementioned problems come hot on the heels of loanee Jonny Williams returning to parent club Crystal Palace because of injury.