THIS season has been one long, hard slog, and it’s not over yet.

THIS season has been one long, hard slog, and it’s not over yet.

No other club in the Championship has played more games than Ipswich Town this season, adding up to an exhausting 43 league and cup fixtures.

But manager Paul Jewell has warned that there is still much work to be done. A dangerous combination of complacency and tiredness could still wreck Town’s campaign.

“We just want to consolidate this season, put it behind us and start building for next year, but we have got to make sure we get the points on the board first,” said Jewell.

“I knew before the game (Tuesday night’s 3-1 home defeat by Reading), that we needed help.

“When we were winning games, people were getting excited. Yet I was trying to keep a top hat on it.

“Three wins will give us 54 points. That’s not being negative, that’s just being realistic. We were in a bit trouble when I first came here, and we are still not out of it,” added Jewell.

Even though Town chalked up an impressive 2-0 win at promotion-chasing Cardiff City last weekend, thanks to a brace from Jimmy Bullard, that is their only victory in the last five games.

They remain a healthy 11 points clear of the relegation zone, but still require at least a couple of wins from their last 11 games to guarantee their Championship status for next season.