GAVIN Williams would love to mark his first-ever game at St Andrew's with a win - and to score would represent the icing on the cake.Ipswich Town's 26-year-old midfielder feels he is overdue a goal after a number of near misses this season.

By Mel Henderson

GAVIN Williams would love to mark his first-ever game at St Andrew's with a win - and to score would represent the icing on the cake.

Ipswich Town's 26-year-old midfielder feels he is overdue a goal after a number of near misses this season.

One squandered opportunity, in particular, springs to mind and the Welsh international winced at the memory of a first-half chance he failed to take in last week's home win over Southampton.

Speaking at today's press conference, he said: “It was a sitter really. I tried to put it right in the corner instead of putting my foot through it and I didn't make the best of contact with the ball.

“But that's not the only near thing this season. I've hit the post three times and I can recall other chances when I probably should have stuck the ball in the net.

“It would be great to get off the mark this season and weigh in with a few goals between now and May. I've never played at Birmingham before so to score there would be great.

“This is obviously our biggest test so far. They are top of the league and favourites to win it. Rightly so, I would say, because they have the strongest squad.

“But we're on a four-game unbeaten run and it has been clear in training this week just how much everyone is looking forward to this game - not just the players but the manager and coaches too.”

A lack of goals aside, Williams is happy with his form in the new-look Town side taking shape under the expert eye of manager Jim Magilton.

He is revelling in the fact that Magilton preaches a gospel of bright, enterprising football, with Williams and midfield colleagues Mark Noble and Simon Walton all enjoying individual purple patches in recent weeks. There is another reason why Town are on a roll, he believes, and that is because of the second-to-none team spirit.

A renowned joker in the Portman Road pack, the former Hereford, Yeovil and West Ham player said: “Everybody loves a laugh and a joke and we have a united dressing room.

“Togetherness is a big factor.

“You don't get success in football without it. The manager loves the banter as much as anyone - but he always lets you know when it's time to stop and get on with the hard work.”