Andy Drury is relishing the task of taking on Championship leaders Southampton at St Mary’s this evening.

The Town midfielder is in the form of his life, netting twice in an uninterrupted 10-game run of league games that has seen him firmly establish himself in Paul Jewell’s starting line-up.

Drury, 28, said: “It will obviously be a huge test. You look where they are in the table and at their home record — just two defeats in 17 games — and it tells you how tough it is likely to be.

“But we are going there in decent form ourselves. We have won five of our last six and the one we lost, at Brighton, wasn’t as bad a display as the 3-0 scoreline tends to suggest.

“We can go there full of confidence, play our own game and hopefully come back with something. The only pressure we are under is the pressure we put on ourselves to perform and carry on with the good run we are on.”

Drury’s recent form has been a revelation and if it continues he may well figure in the end-of-season Player of the Year polls.

He added: “I am probably playing the best football of my career right now and with us also winning games it could hardly be going any better for me.

“I’m enjoying it in a central role, in the thick of things and getting on the ball a lot. At my previous club, Luton, I tended to operate out wide more.

“The competition for places — Luke Hyam, Grant Leadbitter, Lee Bowyer and Ryan Stevenson all want to be starting — is also keeping me on my toes.

“Luke didn’t play at the weekend but Grant came in and did well. Lee came off the bench and so did Ryan, so there are plenty of people looking to play.

“I don’t really mind who is alongside me because I tend to play my own game. All I want between now and the end of the season is to keep playing well, hang on to my place and get us as high as possible in the league table.”

Story syndicated from TWTD.co.uk

Photo: Action Images

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