Stead still firmly in Robins’ sights as Town rack up another big away win

Town boss Roy Keane was a happy man tonight after Blues racked up their second, successive away win of the new Championship campaign with a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.

Both teams would finish the game with ten men after a ‘lively’ encounter with George Burley’s latest charges.

That, however, was of little concern given Town have now seven big points on the board from their opening three games of the season; light years removed from the mere five points they managed to muster from their opening ten games of last season.

The Irishman can also lay claim to winning the pre-match ‘kidology’. Both Grant Leadbitter and Carlos Edwards were deemed to be doubtful – at best – for this weekend’s trip to South-East London with their respective ankle and groin complaints.

In the event, both rose from the sick bed to grab the two Town goals that should have all-but sealed the result with an hour gone.

Leadbitter converted the opener from the penalty spot after Jon Stead was upended; Edwards adding the second from close range little more than five minutes later.

Andros Townsend’s early exit ensured that it wasn’t all plain sailing; fortunately Neil Danns’ consolation header came three minutes into injury time and even Town could see the rest of the game out thereafter.

“We’re pleased with the effort of the players – the spirit,” he told BBC Radio Suffolk afterwards.

“When we went 2-0 up we obviously made it hard for ourselves; we should maybe have killed the game off. Andros’ sending off gave them a lifeline and lifted their supporters, but we’ll take that – the result and the performance.”

The contrast to last season’s trials and tribulations couldn’t be more marked as Town slip comfortably into the top six; albeit with some nine months of the season to go.

“We obviously didn’t have [that platform] last season, but we’ve now got three good results behind us and if we’d have won last weekend…’

The home draw against Burnley still niggles; if Town can rebuild the walls of Fortress Portman Road then coupled to their early successes on the road, it could all propel them places. And all with Master Wickham to return to the fold as and when his ankle injury allows.

New-boy Darren O’Dea made an assured debut at left-back and earned warm praise from the boss.

“That’ll have done him the power of good; he’s done well – he’s a good lad. And he had a bit of concussion but wanted to stay on,” said Keane, who threw Robins transfer target Stead in in that lone striker role.

Given the headlines that have followed him already all week, he ploughed that lonely furrow with genuine application.

“Could it be his last game for the club? Possibly so; possibly so,” Keane admitted to BBC listeners afterwards. “But I think Steady’s professionalism over the last two or three weeks has been an example to anyone at the football club.

“He’s not the only one that has had the speculation, but he’s gone out there and put a shift in and been prepared to get hurt,” said Keane, revealing that Bristol City’s interest had been maintained – despite their recent managerial upheavals.

“I believe the club have accepted a bid from Bristol City and that might go through on Monday or Tuesday,” he said.

“He’ll be a big loss to us, but there’s nothing finalised yet and you never know he might be available to us on Tuesday night.”