IPSWICH TOWN: The Blues were today warned of the task ahead to stay in the top six of the npower championship.

Town stay in a play-off position despite losing 2-1 at home to Coventry on Saturday, but the now face trips to bogey club Watford tomorrow and Nottingham Forest at the weekend.

And with a host of clubs just three points adrift sitting in the bottom half of a congested table two more poor performances and the promising start to the season will be spoiled.

Ipswich midfielder Carlos Edwards knows the score.

He said: “Watford will be 10 times harder for us than Coventry.

“Last season they rolled us over at their place and it was not a nice experience - like having a toothache that went on through the night.

“I was on the bench, but we don’t want to go through that again.”

And Edwards insists that Town must improve in two areas of their game.

“We must come out of the blocks much quicker, and we must improve our play at set-pieces,” said the Trinidad international who turns 32 later this month.

“This has been our biggest downfall, and its been going on too long.

“We need to learn sooner rather than later or it will hamper our promotion push.

“Teams are not opening us up, but we are inviting them to be dangerous and we must concentrate for every little second particularly at set pieces - both ends of the field.

“We looked like scoring in the first 10 minutes of the second period against Coventry, but then conceded a penalty, which was like getting a kick in the teeth.

“It was 50-50 situation, but one that was always likely to see us punished.”

Mark Kennedy suffered a recurrence of his hamstring problems and is unlikely to be available to travel to Vicarage Road tomorrow, but on the plus side Jack Colback will be available after his loan return to the Blues.

“I’ve known ‘Little Jack’ since my Sunderland days and he’s a great addition to the squad and he’ll help keep us all on our toes as competition for places can only be good,” said Edwards.

“And Jason Scotland showed what a natural goalscorer he is - with the Coventry keeper making some great saves to restrict him to one goal.

“But we have to find more goals from elsewhere as well with the midfielders - including me - chipping in more.”