JIM MAGILTON wants points, not plaudits.The Blues boss is fed up with hearing how well his team have played yet left grounds pointless so now he wants to be ignored by opposition bosses.

By Mel Henderson

JIM MAGILTON wants points, not plaudits.

The Blues boss is fed up with hearing how well his team have played yet left grounds pointless so now he wants to be ignored by opposition bosses.

Magilton has been pleased with large swathes of Town's play but frustrated by the inability to kill teams off and sneak results.

He said: “There is nothing worse for me than when a manager shakes my hand and says 'your team played very well' but we have lost when we should have won.

“It is the old Liverpool way when they used to tell you how fantastic you were but you have come away with nothing. Yet if you got a point, or nicked a win, they would tell you nothing, would not compliment you at all.

“But we have to keep believing in what we are doing. Once we can take it that bit further and win those games and have the managers not praising us afterwards when we have lost, that will be great.

“We have played well but we need to kill games off when we have control of the match. We need to improve on that. In passages of games we have been on top we have not scored and we have made our players aware that we need to start scoring.”

Magilton is looking to see that manifest itself tomorrow as they look to double Sunderland. Then they have Chester in an FA Cup replay and a massive local derby against Colchester United next weekend.

Magilton said: “This is a big week for us, starting at Sunderland.

“It is a tough place to go and get a result but it is a wonderful stadium with terrific fans. We need to go there and look for a win.

“We have enough experience to handle the pressure and then come back with a little bit more.

“Roy Keane has made very good signings and we need to be very aware of that. Carlos Edwards is a dangerous player and Anthony Stokes can score goals.

“We need to put together a side that can go there, have belief in themselves and try and win the game.”

With Gavin Williams' groin injury still curtailing his involvement, Magilton has added Darren Currie to his squad along with Martin Brittain.

He said: “It gives us options along with Matt Richards. I would have no fear of playing any of those while Gavin is not quite right for a whole game.”

Magilton revealed that he has downgraded the need to bring in another keeper, with Mike Pollitt going on loan to Burnley from Wigan.

He said: “I'm always looking for quality players but getting in a keeper is no longer a priority. Lewis (Price) has come on leaps and bounds.

“If something comes along then you have to nab it but that is whether it is a striker or a keeper.

“We rested Lewis as he had a thigh strain for the Chester game but once again Shane (Supple) showed he is a more than able deputy.

“I have no problem playing either of them. Lewis has put in some great, very mature performances recently.

“That has been reflected in or back four, which makes me more confident in him and that has helped us getting clean sheets.”

While Sunderland have brought in Stokes, Edwards and Jonny Evans in recent weeks, they have off-loaded a number of players with Norwich signing Chris Brown for £350,000 yesterday and Jon Stead joining Sheffield United in an initial £750,000 deal.

Liam Miller is suspended for the game while Stanislav Varga is injured and likely to be replaced by either Danny Collins or Nyron Nosworthy.