It’s been said many times in recent weeks – Ipswich Town need to put together a winning run if they are to achieve promotion this season. 

The Blues have not won back-to-back League One matches since October, but have the opportunity to put that right when they head to MK Dons this weekend. 

The Blues were 4-0 winners over Forest Green a week ago, in the first of a four-game run against sides in the lower reaches of the table. Burton and Accrington are to come at Portman Road. 

With the two sides occupying the automatic promotion places, Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth Argyle, eight points away, Kieran McKenna’s third-placed Blues need to make rapid progress if they are to fight their way back into that particular battle. 

East Anglian Daily Times: Kieran McKenna's Ipswich Town side are third in League OneKieran McKenna's Ipswich Town side are third in League One (Image: Ross Halls)

This spell of games represents a real opportunity to do that, with matches at promotion-chasing Bolton, Barnsley and Derby to follow after that.  

Town are the only side in the current top eight who have not managed a winning run of at least five League One matches this season, with Ipswich’s best effort the four they achieved against Forest Green, MK Dons, Burton and Shrewsbury at the beginning of the campaign. 

Wednesday and Derby have both managed six-game winning streaks, with those two sides also returning impressive unbeaten runs of 19 and 15 matches respectively. Plymouth have also gone 15 without a loss at one stage during the season. 

Town have only lost four matches all season, with Wednesday’s three the only better return, but Town’s best unbeaten run came at the start of the season, with nine matches passing before the first loss at Plymouth in September. 

With 14 games remaining, the time is now for Ipswich to build the vital momentum required if they are to force their way into the Championship. 

 

LEAGUE ONE’S WINNING AND UNBEATEN RUNS 

1: Sheffield Wednesday 

Winning run: Six (Dec 26 – Feb 4) 

Unbeaten run: 19 (Oct 8-present) 

 

2nd: Plymouth Argyle 

Winning run: Five (Sept 20 – Oct 15) 

Unbeaten run: 15 (Aug 20-Nov 19) 

 

3rd: Ipswich Town  

Winning run: Four (Aug 9 - Aug 20) 

Unbeaten run: Nine (July 30 – Sept 25) 

 

4th: Bolton Wanderers 

Winning run: Five (Jan 24 – Feb 14) 

Unbeaten run: Six (Dec 17 – Jan 14) 

 

5th: Derby County 

Winning run: Six (Dec 30-Feb 4) 

Unbeaten run: 15 (Oct 25-Feb 4) 

 

6th: Barnsley 

Winning run: Five (Oct 29-Dec 17) 

Unbeaten run: Six (Aug 27-Oct 1 & Jan 21-present) 

 

7th: Wycombe Wanderers 

Winning run: Five (Jan 24-present) 

Unbeaten run: Five (Jan 24-present) 

 

8th: Shrewsbury Town 

Winning run: Six (Jan 14-Feb 11) 

Unbeaten run: Seven (Jan 14-Feb14) 

 

9th: Peterborough United 

Winning run: Three (Oct 22-Oct 29 & Jan 16-Feb 4) 

Unbeaten run: Four (Sept 24-Oct 11) 

 

10th: Portsmouth 

Winning run: Six (Aug 13-Sept 13) 

Unbeaten run: Nine (July 30-Sept 17) 

 

11th: Charlton Athletic 

Winning run: Three (Oct 11-Oct 22 & Jan 1-Jan14) 

Unbeaten run: Five (Oct 1-Oct 22) 

 

12th: Port Vale 

Winning run: Two (Nov 19-Dec 2) 

Unbeaten run: Three (Sept 3-17 & Oct 8-22)