UPBEAT Blues boss Joe Royle has set his players a seven-win target from their remaining 11 games to ensure a play-off place.After the agony of an undeserved defeat at Norwich, Royle has vowed that Ipswich will pick themselves up, dust themselves down and start all over again.

UPBEAT Blues boss Joe Royle has set his players a seven-win target from their remaining 11 games to ensure a play-off place, writes Derek Davis.

After the agony of an undeserved defeat at Norwich, Royle has vowed that Ipswich will pick themselves up, dust themselves down and start all over again.

Royle said: “The players come back in for training looking forward. We can take a lot of solace out of our performance at Norwich.

“I have gone through the tape again and we were exceptional. There are a lot of positives to take out of that game. Even in the second half they did not give us that much trouble. They scored twice, one from a free-kick which should not have been given.”

This is a time where the whole club and the supporters need to show their mettle, be positive and go into the last quarter of the season in determined mood rather than be defeatist.

Royle said: “We all need to stick together. We are all united and have not given up hope. No one should.

“We need at least seven more wins from the rest of our games. That will put us right in there and in with a good chance of promotion, and that is achievable.”

Royle's hunt for a loan player continues with 16 days left before transfer deadline day. While a proven goal-scorer remains a priority, Town's attack will be bolstered by the return of Alun Armstrong, who scored the winning goal for Bradford City against Norwich during his loan spell.

The Bantams are in administration and have told Ipswich they can not afford to keep hold of the striker who is recovering from a thigh strain.

Royle will meet with reserve-team boss Steve McCall this morning to finalise a squad to travel to Derby County tonight. There will be a mixture of senior players and youngsters in the 16-man party with Martijn Reuser, Pablo Counago and Dean Bowditch likely to be involved.

Derby are unbeaten in 13 games and lead the league by five points from Charlton, who have a game in hand.

The Rams' run started at Portman Road when they beat Ipswich 1-0 with former young Blue Matthew Robinson scoring on his return. As the first team's game with Sunderland was postponed on Saturday George Burley took his squad to Dublin for the weekend where they beat St Patricks 3-1 and some of the usual reserve-team players took part.