SCOTT Vernon swept aside several weeks of frustration to be crowned the new darling of Layer Road.Vernon blasted a brace to sink play-off chasing Ipswich, in what was only his fourth start since his move from Blackpool on transfer deadline day at the end of January.

Carl Marston

SCOTT Vernon swept aside several weeks of frustration to be crowned the new darling of Layer Road.

Vernon blasted a brace to sink play-off chasing Ipswich, in what was only his fourth start since his move from Blackpool on transfer deadline day at the end of January.

And the 24-year-old doesn't want Saturday's 2-0 win to be an isolated success. He's hungry for more.

“The lads are buzzing. We are all chuffed to bits,” enthused Vernon.

“To be honest, I'm just happy to be playing. It's been frustrating for me not to start many games. But there are times when you just have to get on with it.

“I haven't featured too much, usually just coming off the bench. As a professional footballer, you want to be playing every week.

“Clive Platt and Kevin Lisbie have been doing well up front, but I feel that when I play games, then I'll score!

“To be honest, though, the team has had no problem scoring goals. The front lads have always looked dangerous. Of course I'm thrilled to get these two goals, but it's a team game and at least it shows that we are capable of grinding out a result.

“We need to take this performance into the next performance now. I don't want this to be just a one-off win,” added Vernon.

The U's front-man scored his first goal with his right foot, and the second with his left, to fend off relegation for at least for the time being. They were both quality strikes.

Vernon continued: “With the first goal, the defender made it very easy for me. He ran at me, so he made up my mind for me. I ran into the space behind him and the ball sat up well for me.

“It was a bit of a battle (with Sito) for the second goal. I decided to take a swipe at it with my left foot, and luckily it went in off the post.

“I just took a chance with it. I was quite a long way out, and I didn't connect with it cleanly, so I was a bit surprised that it went in.”

While Vernon was delighted to notch his third and fourth goals in a U's shirt (his first was at Bournemouth during an earlier loan spell in the promotion-winning campaign), he also recognised the important role of both the back four and keeper Dean Gerken.

“We rode our luck, we know that, and Dean (Gerken) made some great saves, but we felt that we deserved to win over the 90 minutes,” insisted Vernon.

“We showed today that we can be a decent team. I'm delighted for everyone, and especially the defence for a clean-sheet. I've just asked Dean how it feels to keep a clean-sheet!

“Ipswich like to pass the ball. We let them have the ball at times, but I don't think they really hurt us. They weren't getting through time after time after time.

“The place is now buzzing, and this win is for the fans at the end of the day. There was an extra edge, because it was a local derby. It doesn't matter more to me, just because it was against Ipswich, but it did for our supporters.

“We didn't want to be relegated by our local rivals,” added Vernon.