Jewell hails Wickham performance

16 February 2011 11:00
Ipswich manager Paul Jewell paid deserved tribute to hat-trick hero Connor Wickham but was at pains to stress the importance of a squad effort following his side's 6-0 romp in the npower Championship at Doncaster.

Town have won four of six league games since Jewell took over at Portman Road last month and a Sam Hird own goal set them on their way before Colin Healy, starting in place of injured captain David Norris, claimed his first goal for the club.

From then on it was all about highly-rated England Under-21 youngster Wickham. A strike either side of half-time put the result beyond doubt, and a last-minute penalty after Gareth McAuley headed the fifth capped a memorable night for the 17-year-old.

"I said to him at half-time `go and get another goal' and he said `I'll get two more'," Jewell explained.

"Out there he put a lot of yards in. He's learning the game, he's learning a different position and it will add another string to his bow.

"It's a team and a squad effort that we're trying to build here and confidence is important.

"He's 17 and he's got people talking about him. He's got huge potential, everybody knows that. But we have to be careful to not just focus on him because he's part of a squad. He's playing with confidence and when you're playing with confidence and you're scoring goals life's good isn't it?"

Source: PA