Mick McCarthy's team could be the dark horse

No one outside of Ipswich has really been talking up Mick McCarthy's team in the Championship play-off race which probably suits Mick. But there is no more disguising the fact that they are in with a chance of snatching sixth place if they can string a good series of results together in the final games. The big clash for them though will be the game against Bournemouth now which is as big a game as they come. Still, if AFCB can win this one there will be an even bigger game on the south coast against Nottingham Forest next weekend.

Ipswich players at Dean Court.

I looked at Ipswich's game before Good Friday and thought that the Watford match was a really tricky one for them away from home. Watford are capable of spoiling anyone's party as we know all too well and it proved to be so for Ipswich. They also have to go to Burnley and play Sheffield Wednesday, so I would not say that they have had the easiest fixtures in the run-in.

Daryl Murphy is getting nothing but praise from Mick McCarthy although he is one of the Championship's strikers who has not been spoken about as frequently as some. Now he has some 15 goals and is rapidly getting noticed in McGoldrich's absence. He even scored against Bournemouth at the Goldsands stadium so Eddie Howe will have done a lot of homework on him.

But have Ipswich got enough about them when it comes to the big games? Well they have beaten teams such as Derby, Brighton and Reading so they can mix it with the big boys. They have only lost to Wigan at home since 15th March. It is whether McCarthy can convince his players that they are good enough yet. I find similarities there with Eddie Howe and the Cherries. The worse result for both teams would probably be a draw but such a result can half be expected in such a big game. Brighton certainly look favourites for the last play-off place, but it's really too tight to call and a slip up now could see anyone of five or six teams snatch it away from the Seagulls.

We're on our way to Portman Road. Singing a bunch of A-ha songs!

Ipswich Home form:
WLWDW

AFCB Away form:
WLWWD

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