IN these days of social media, message boards and radio phone-ins, fans’ reactions to results come quickly and in great numbers, often veering from one wild extreme to the other.

In just a few short days Town fans have gone from worrying that their previously promising season might be doomed and back to floating on the cloud on which they’ve spent most of the campaign. If not actually cloud nine itself, certainly number seven or eight.

After the 2-0 defeat at Rotherham the rot appeared to have firmly set in. Four points from 15 since the turn of the year and one win in seven matches in all competitions is not the form of a play-off-pushing side, let alone automatic promotion challengers.

The Blues seemed to have run out of steam. They looked tired and were beaten at their own game.

Town’s success this season has been built on hard work and grinding wins or draws out of typical tight Championship battles.

If a close game was going to end up going one way or the other invariably it would be the Blues who would be celebrating come the final whistle. The wins against Watford at home and Charlton away, for example.

But in recent weeks the boot’s been on the other foot. Derby grabbed their winner via a mistake in a game where chances were at a premium and it was a similar story at the New York Stadium on Saturday.

Town failed to take their opportunities and gave away uncharacteristically bad goals from set pieces, ex-Blues loanee Conor Sammon perhaps inevitably netting one of them.

On the back of the dullathon that was the 0-0 draw with Wigan, it very much appeared that the Blues’ season was hitting the skids.

Manager Mick McCarthy is generally fairly conservative with his team selections. Most weeks he sticks with the majority of the side from the previous match, maybe swapping one or two.

However, there have been a couple of occasions when he’s decided to go for a more significant overhaul. After the 2013/14 campaign had started disappointingly – the Blues had lost four of their first five games – McCarthy made five changes for the trip to Birmingham.

Although his side only drew that game, they put in an improved display and went on to win their next two matches and subsequently put together a decent run.

On Tuesday, the Town boss again made five changes, bringing in the likes of Jonny Parr and Darren Ambrose, whose opportunities have been limited since joining the club, and recent signing from the U’s, Freddie Sears.

The introduction of those three – and then after the break rested subs Tyrone Mings and Kevin Bru – seemed to give the Blues renewed vigour and impetus.

Despite Wednesday taking the lead after a rather slapstick mix-up between Bartosz Bialkowski and Christophe Berra, the Blues were always the better team against a very poor Owls side.

Murphy duly notched his 19th of the season and Luke Chambers headed in his first to seal the victory. It might have been more comfortable with Murphy and Ambrose both hitting posts.

While the three points were obviously the most important thing and moved the Blues back to fourth, five points behind new leaders Middlesbrough, the manner of the performance was also heartening.

The Blues had been rather uninspiring throughout what will hopefully prove to be their short-lived downturn.

On Tuesday, with the likes of Ambrose, Bru and Cole Skuse all impressing, Town played rather more football than has often been the case.

Hopefully, there’ll be more of the same when the Blues take on Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday, both from a result and performance perspective.

The Cottagers, a Premier League side last year, are still to live up to their pre-season billing and currently languish in 18th in the table without a win in five games in all competitions.

Town beat the West Londoners 2-1 at Portman Road on the opening day and it’s another one of those matches that a team which has top two aspirations really ought to be winning.

History is on the Blues’ side with their last defeat to Fulham having come at Craven Cottage on Boxing Day 1963, although that was a record-breaking 10-1 hammering.

Wonder what response that result might have received on social media, message boards and phone-ins.