Mick McCarthy praised his fringe players after Ipswich got back to winning ways with three precious points at the expense of Sheffield Wednesday.
Ipswich had gone into the match having tasted just one victory in seven league and cup matches.
But fears that a mid-season slump was going to derail their promotion push were eased at Portman Road thanks to second-half headers from Daryl Murphy and Luke Chambers in a 2-1 victory.
Periphery players have chance
The victory vindicated McCarthy's decision to freshen up his team by making five changes from the side that lost 2-0 at Rotherham on Saturday.
The Ipswich boss said: "The lads on the periphery have supported the side and if you don't give them a chance when we have won only once, when will they get their chance? They came in tonight and did really well."
McCarthy again had words of praise for the work rate of Ireland international Murphy, the Championship top scorer with 19 goals, and his inspirational captain Chambers whose bullet header made the difference.
Of the latter, the Ipswich manager said: "Captains make the difference at times. He drives the team forward, he's a really good character and he got into the box to score.
"They were two good headers and we absolutely deserved the win - it would have been a travesty if we had not got the points. It is now about maintaining it and doing it again on Saturday."
It could have been so different after Wednesday, who had gone into the match on the back of a four-game winless run, took an unexpected lead.
Kieran Lee fired into an empty net after indecision from Town keeper Bartosz Bialkowski and centre-back Christophe Berra.
Ipswich refused to panic and although Murphy was denied by the inside of the post on the cusp of half-time, the Town number nine grabbed the equaliser eight minutes after the restart, getting on the end of Freddie Sears' pinpoint cross to head home.
After Darren Ambrose had hit a post, the winner duly came midway through the second half after tenacious work by Murphy and sub Kevin Bru saw the latter cross for Chambers to rifle a header past the stationary Kieren Westwood.
"Captains make the difference at times"
Wednesday boss Stuart Gray said: "That was our worst performance of the season, without a doubt. It was not like us at all. We were not at it from kick-off and that makes it even more frustrating.
"We were out-fought and out-battled and had too many men have an off-day.
"I said to the players at half-time I could have made six or seven changes - we can't keep relying on Kieren Westwood to make saves.
"I knew before the game we would miss the experience of Glenn Loovens and Jose Semedo and I will now be looking for a response against Brighton on Saturday."
