'Wow' - Dara O'Shea drops claim on Ipswich Town's fans | OneFootball

The Ipswich captain has spoken about the pressures his side is set to face going into the final 9 games of the season

Ipswich Town were the big winners in the Championship promotion race last weekend, being the only side in the top four to pick up maximum points.

The Tractor Boys left it late to knock off already relegated Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough, but with Millwall losing, and Middlesbrough being pegged back late against Bristol City, it saw Kieran McKenna's side climb back up to third, just two points removed from a place in the top two, and with a game in hand.

Ipswich have nine games remaining in their promotion bid, and the win against Wednesday will have relieved some worries that they were faltering, after back-to-back draws against relegation-threatened Leicester City and a Stoke City side with seemingly little to play for.

We're at that point where every result matters that little bit more, and for Ipswich, their recent history in these run-ins just two years ago will give them a slight mental advantage, but that doesn't mean that there isn't any pressure on them to succeed.

Dara O'Shea comments on the pressure Ipswich Town are facing in the run-in

Ipswich's captain, Dara O'Shea, has admitted to the Ipswich Star that Kieran McKenna's side are feeling some pressure as we head into the final months of the campaign.

"Yeah, look, I think you can say that there's no pressure, but there is at the end of the day, and the lads can feel that," he said.

"You know, we've spoken up between ourselves, and we're trying to keep that out. We're trying to focus on what's in the group and what we can do. I think the main thing for us and the fans to know is we can only affect what we can affect, and that's us stepping onto the pitch and trying our best.

"That's what we need to be proud of. And that's what we need to implement in games. Of course, there is pressure come the end of the season. Results go your way, they don't go your way. And that's football. I think we've got to remember that we can't look too far ahead."

After a campaign two years ago when Ipswich amassed 96 points, with arguably a weaker squad on paper, there was an added expectation this season to replicate their dominance.

It hasn't been easy, but the Tractor Boys still have their destiny in their own hands, and the Irishman has stressed that the squad just needs to focus on how they can affect the promotion race, rather than what their closest rivals are doing.

"We can't look at other results. We've got to focus on ourselves," he continued. "I think each and every one of us has a massive part to play at the end of the season. It doesn't matter if we're starting every game or we've only played a couple of minutes; everyone's got the same role.

"And I think the fans have a massive job as well. They're helping a lot. We can really feel that. You look at that away end [vs Sheffield Wednesday], and you think, wow, that's amazing.

"It's never going to be plain sailing in this league. So I think the main thing is just happy and proud that we're on the right end of the result [vs Sheffield Wednesday]."

Ipswich Town have a massive opportunity to relieve some pressure on Saturday

There's a rare midweek without any action for Ipswich this week, their first in four weeks, and it's helpful to have this extra rest as they gear up for a massive clash with Millwall on Saturday at Portman Road.

With both sides sitting two points behind Middlesbrough, a win for either would give them a massive boost heading into the frantic final stretch following the March international break, and could even see them inside the top two for a couple of weeks.

With the expectation on Ipswich to win in front of their home fans, it presents a massive opportunity for O'Shea and co to prove that they're up to the task, in a similar way to when they dispatched Hull City a fortnight ago.