Jack Taylor is hoping that Ipswich Town can go on a good run in the FA Cup after starting their campaign with a 3-1 win against AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane.
An early own-goal from Josh Davison was quickly cancelled out by a penalty from Jake Reeves, but the Blues sealed progression thanks to goals from Axel Tuanzebe and Taylor, reaching the fourth round for successive seasons.
“There is magic in the FA Cup,” the midfielder said after the game.
“You need to come out and be strong, resilient and take it as seriously as a league game.
“We started off really well. We pinned them back for a bit and scored from a set piece, which was good.
“Then obviously I give the penalty away, which I thought was harsh, but we reacted in the right way by getting the goal before half-time.
“I’m glad we’re through.”
Aside from the financial gains of progressing in the cup, as well as the chance of facing a big Premier League side, it allows Kieran McKenna to rotate his squad and give those on the fringes a chance to prove their worth.
As a player who hasn't been able to nail down a place in the first-choice lineup for Championship fixtures, Taylor knows how important it is that Town keep winning games in the competition, giving him a platform to stay fresh and force his way into the manager's thinking for other games further down the line.
“The whole squad need minutes and you don’t want to have free weeks all the time,” he admitted.
WATCH: Alex and Stu react to Town's 3-1 win against AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup
“You want to stack up the games and make sure everyone’s ready for the run-in.
“It’s good to have cup runs because, at this stage, we’re at the fourth round now and we could get a big boy away, which we’ll hopefully get.”
It certainly doesn't hurt his case that he now has five goals to his name in all competitions, having scored twice in the league, twice in the Carabao Cup and once in the FA Cup.
His strike against Wimbledon wasn't one of his trademark screamers, but it proved to be vital in killing off the game in South London and ensuring that Ipswich's name is in the hat for Monday's draw.
“When they went down to 10, I had more of a license to get forward and arrive into the box," he explained.
“I’m glad it fell at my feet.”
As for who he wants in the next round, there's a quick answer.
“[Manchester] United away," he chuckled. "That's if they beat Wigan, especially with the way they’re playing at the minute!”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here