George Hirst: Ipswich Town striker rules out any 'resting on laurels'

George Hirst joined Ipswich Town in the summer following a loan spell at Portman Road last season

Striker George Hirst says there will be no "resting on laurels" by Ipswich Town following their superb start to the Championship season.

They go into the international break second in the table, and level on points with leaders Leicester.

Southampton were the last team to win back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League in 2011 and 2012.

"I don't really look at the table. We're still early on in the season yet," Hirst told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"For us, it's part of the process, taking one game at a time. Each opponent in this league is different and each have their own threats.

"It's not one (in which) you can rest on your laurels and feel that because we're on a good run, we'll go on and win the next one, you can get shot down, back to the ground, at any time."

Ipswich beat Swansea 3-2 at Portman Road on Saturday and prior to the game, the Welsh club's boss, Michael Duff, backed them as strong promotion candidates. Hirst scored what proved to be the winning goal, his fourth of the season, from the penalty spot.

And he is relishing his current role as the team's lone striker.

"It's a lot of running, a lot hard work, but it's the same for everyone else on the pitch," the 24-year-old said.

"That's what I've been brought up doing, learning my trade, so it's second nature at times and if I can keep going out there and putting on performances to help the team, then great."

He admitted, however, that he was still not the finished article and needed to work on the physical side of his job.

"It's part of my game that I need to improve more, so that I can really go and assert myself on centre-halves and on the game itself," Hirst said.

"I've got to be strong, be a focal point for the team and if that means me bringing others into the game and setting up other people to score, then brilliant, that's me doing my job.

"For me, it's all part of the all-round performance and if I can keep setting people up as well as scoring myself, then we're in a good place."

A total of 17 players have scored at least once for Ipswich this term and Hirst added: "We can score from all over the pitch. We're not relying on any one, two players to get the goals, it's a team effort."

Town will return to action following the international break with an away game at West Bromwich Albion on 25 November.