Jay Tabb revealed scoring goals IS part of his game, despite his strike at Hillsborough ending a four-and-a-half year drought.

Tabb’s last goals came in a 4-1 win for Coventry City against Southamption in October 2008, a month after his last away goal was scored, ironically, also in Sheffield, against United.

The 29-year-old ghosted in behind Miguel Llera to give the Blues the lead in the 1-1 draw at Hillsborough, just reward for his determination to get into a scoring position.

And Tabb would like to add more goals to his name, having played a more withdrawn role at Reading.

“I am enjoying playing on the left as the last four years at Reading, I have played in the centre and in a more defensive role. Maybe that’s why the goals have not come,” said Tabb, who failed to score in 105 league and cup games for the Royals.

“I was watching a game on Friday night and the amount of time players were getting caught on their heels when the ball came into the box. You have just got to take a chance.”

Ipswich have not been regular scorers this season, especially away from home, and Mick McCarthy’s main aim has been to secure Town’s Championship survival, meaning at times, creativity has been at a premium.

On Saturday though, Town showed more attacking promise than they have for most of the season and Tabb and Ipswich were unfortunate not to be leading by more than one goal at the break.

McCarthy has been actively encouraging the midfielder to get into goalscoring positions and will be expected to produce a far more attack-minded outfit next season as the Blues look to push on towards the top-six.

“He (McCarthy) spoke to me and noticed that I had come close over the last couple of weeks and told me to keep getting into goalscoring areas,” said Tabb.

“I saw the defender (Llera) miss the ball and I managed to get in the right position, although I did not know much about it, I think the ball hit me on the knee.

“But if you get into the box, more often than not you will get a chance and you have to be positive and try and score

“It’s all well and good keeping your shape and it’s great when that pays off, but you have to remember as well that the game is about scoring goals.”

“I imagine when Mick came here, he had to shut up shop, but the better you get (defensively) , the more confident you become.”

Tabb now has two games left in an Ipswich shirt and is looking to end the season on a high.

“Just because we are perceived to be safe, we have still got to put in a performance in the last two games, and there will 20,000 or so Ipswich fans turning up at home next week, paying their money, we owe them a good performance,” said Tabb.

“We should have enough to finish the season strong over the next two games.”