Ipswich v Watford: Mick McCarthy reflected on just how quickly things can change following his side’s 1-0 home win over fellow Championship high-fliers Watford this afternoon.

A fortnight ago, the Blues boss reacted angrily to a shout of ‘your rubbish’ from behind his dug-out following the 2-2 home draw with Huddersfield – the fourth successive match in which Town had failed to win after being in front.

Since then there has been three wins in the space of eight days – 2-0 at Blackpool, 2-1 at home to a previously in-form Wolves and this afternoon’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Watford, courtesy of Tommy Smith’s 83rd minute goal.

Ipswich have now lost just once in their last 13 outings, are up to fourth in the Championship table and are just two points behind leaders Derby heading into an international break.

“We’ve had a good week haven’t we?” said McCarthy. “Two weeks ago I got booed off and I was seriously p***** off and angry about that. It just shows you how quickly things turn around.

“I know that. You just need results. I get the frustration and peoples’ annoyance when you’ve given a two-goal lead up, but that is the time when you need peoples’ support. That is the vital time I need people to support my players. That’s when I need a bit of support too.

“I always say, as a club you’re all in it together. You’re on the inside p****** out, not on the outside p****** in. You stick with us and in doing that you’ve got a chance of being successful.

“I’m not having a go at anybody. I’m just saying that is how you create that environment that is hard to beat. The crowd was great today. It was a real great atmosphere, twenty-two thousand, and the last two games have been fab.”

Reflecting on the game, he said: “I think they are a very good team. I think we’ve had to play exceptionally well and defend really well. I don’t know how it was nil-nil until it was. Both goalies and both defences played well, got blocks in and stopped shots and worked really hard.

“That was a really good Championship game between two good teams that have got a chance of being up there. It was a case of whoever blinks first – and they did.

“We get the goal from a well-worked free-kick. I’m always on about trying to invent something, don’t just put it in, well Hunty (Stephen Hunt) and Didz (David McGoldrick) work something and it ends up in the net.

“They’ve had chances and we’ve had chances. How it’s ended up 1-0 I don’t know. Not that there was much profligate finishing. It was just good defending and good goalkeeping.

“If it had ended up nil-nil I’d have took it. I’d have been quite happy with a point.”

He continued: “I don’t know what the gap is or where we are in the league, I’m not really interested in that. I’m just really pleased with the performance and the victory.

“What are we? Second? (Told it’s fourth). I was hoping we were second!

“What are we, two off the top? We’re probably 10 off the bottom three though aren’t we?! Not that I’m looking that way.”

The only disappointment for Town was that Jonny Williams, only just fit again, limped off following a badly-timed slide tackle by Joel Ekstrand.

“If I was playing against him I would probably kick him,” said McCarthy. “That was an awful tackle on him though, it really was. It was a real take-one-for-the-team, cold, cynical, dangerous tackle. There hadn’t been many of those, but that was one.

“I don’t know how bad it is yet. His thigh is heavily strapped and he has a big sad face on him.”

– See Monday’s EADT and Ipswich Star for match comment and more reaction.