BLUES skipper Gareth McAuley has called on the whole team to change their mindset or they will finish up in mid-table obscurity.Ipswich go to Derby County tomorrow needing to win for just the second time in eight games in order to keep in touch with the play-off pack.

Derek Davis

BLUES skipper Gareth McAuley has called on the whole team to change their mindset or they will finish up in mid-table obscurity.

Ipswich go to Derby County tomorrow needing to win for just the second time in eight games in order to keep in touch with the play-off pack.

The home defeat by Birmingham has seen Town slip into 13th place, eight points away from Crystal Palace in sixth-place, and a win at County who are in lowly 18th spot is vital.

McAuley said: “We need to beat the teams around us, and those below us, to push on. We have not always done as well against them as we should so it is a mindset thing that we have got to get out of the system and go and get the three points.”

Once again Town need to pick themselves up but that elusive run of form is costing them dear.

McAuley said: “We keep saying we need to get a reaction but it is about time we did it. We keep talking about it but it is getting tedious. We need to get on and do it.

“We don't want to be a mid-table team but unless we start getting results on the board that is where we are looking at.

“It is up to us to decide what we want to do. Whether you push yourself that extra bit and push yourself up the table.

“We bring it to the table sometimes so it is up to the individual to bring it to the table and do it on a regular basis.”

Town have their first chance to double a team after beating Derby 2-0 at Portman Road in October with goals from Jon Walters and Pablo Counago, who has a habit of doing well against the Rams.

“We dominated for the whole game here and got a great victory so we need to go there and get out of the traps quickly. We need to keep believing and keep going and get the results.

“We have to get ourselves up for the game.”

Town were matching City until they went behind to a James McFadden penalty following a Moritz Volz handball.

McAuley said: “It is another defeat and we have to dig deep again, regroup and get going. We did well for 30 minutes and were on top. Had we scored in that period it might have been different but we lacked a spark to get us a goal, or to get us back in it.”

The Irishman felt a bit of sympathy for his defensive colleague Volz.

He said: “Moritz is looking the other way as it came over his shoulder and only he will know if he meant to do it.

“I felt it was harsh at the time and it was disappointing because from a defensive point of view we didn't really have a lot to do.

“We thought Birmingham would come at us the way they did up there but we dominated before the goal.

“That rocked us a bit but it allowed them back in the game and after that it was pretty even.”

There was a first for McAuley when he lined-up alongside Iván Campo who replaced the 'rested' Richard Naylor.

He said: “It was good to play alongside him. He is very composed and pulled a few strings for us.”