'It wasn't good for all our hearts' - Roberts delight after Town comeback win

Roberts was speaking after Bersant Celina's late winner grabbed all three points for Paul Cook's side, moving the Blues into 10th spot in the League One table and just four points off the play-offs.

Conor Chaplin had put Town ahead after a scoreless first half, with Callum Morton equalising for Fleetwood, before Celina sent the 20,000 crowd home happy.

One of Town's American owners Brett Johnson was in the crowd for the first time. He, like all Town fans, will have gone home happy.

When asked about Brett being in the crowd, Roberts said: "I'd love to say it was scripted like that, but it wasn't. It wasn't good for all our hearts.

"I think we deserved to win the game. We started really slow first half, which wasn't really us at all. We usually come out of the blocks really quick.

"We've had three games in a week maybe, but it was the same for Fleetwood, so no excuses.

"The manager (Paul Cook) got into them a bit at half-time, where we need to do better, be better, areas where we needed to go into and I thought we dominated the second half and deserved to win."

Celina came off the bench for the winner, as he and another substitute Wes Burns impressed when they got their chance.

"That's why we made the signings we did, that's why we have a big squad," Roberts said.

"Come Christmas time, January, February you need all your squad. All our lads sat behind us and even the ones in the squad have quality throughout. It's going to be a tough, long season.

"The attitude of the players has been spot on. Especially the lads out of the side. It's always hard being out of the side because you've got to work that little bit harder because when you come on you have to be ready, come on and impact the game, like they did today, Wes and Santi (Bersant Celina).

"Cameron (Burgess) when he came on was brilliant as well. He came on to do a job and he did that."

So, did Roberts fear the worst at 1-1, that Town had again thrown away a lead and would drop points?

"Of course when you concede that late, yes, but at that time we were so in control of the game I knew we would get a chance. We knew that with the players we have, we had them penned in.

Thumbs up from the new owners at Portman Road (Image: © Copyright Ray Lawrence)

"When the ball drops to someone like 'Santi' there's a good chance you are going to score."

Roberts had special praise for Conor Chaplin, who opened the scoring, getting his fifth goal in seven games.

"Conor was brilliant, he's a good player, a great lad, infectious around the club and he's getting a bit of a relationship with the fans.

"I've been lucky enough to play with him, he brings that workrate and goals to the game, which is great because we know how good he is.

"The No.10 is a tough position on the pitch for our team because you have to create and score. It's a lot of work, so Conor will sleep well tonight.

"If you play well you keep the shirt, that's not just us, that's any club. A few have the shirt at the minute. We have a big squad and players are pushing every single day. Not just what you see here, the training has gone up a level."

Fleetwood successfully appeal for offside and the goal ruled out (Image: © Copyright Ray Lawrence)

So, it's back to back League wins for Paul Cook's Ipswich, the first time he's managed that at Portman Road since he arrived.

Roberts says the team will just keep going.

"Everyone expected us to win the league in the first month. Teams see your signings, Bonne, Fraser, Chaplin, 'Santi', and people think you have won the league. But it doesn't work like that in football."

The Blues have some tough games coming up, starting with leaders Plymouth next Saturday, with Wycombe, Sunderland and Rotherham also on the horizon.

Roberts relishes the challenges ahead.

"Yes, they're big games and at the minute they are all playing similar formations. Everyone seems to be playing three at the back against us.

"We will got to Plymouth to try and win the game. We're Ipswich Town. We don't sit back, you can see how many goals we have scored this season."