WHEN it comes to football, little makes me happier than an away win for Ipswich Town.

While it’s always nice to take maximum points in front of your own fans, there’s something special about a victory on the road.

As the hosts, I fall into a trap of almost expecting my team to win (clearly, I’m talking generally here. Town’s track record has been woeful in the past year, both home and away).

But on your travels, regardless of the opposition, three-pointers feel like a real achievement.

Bonus points – something to cherish and be proud of.

Which is why I was so pleased to see Town take the spoils from Saturday’s trek to the University of Bolton Stadium.

Of course, the circumstances were far from normal.

The besieged Trotters are crippled by problems both on and off the pitch and the fact the game was cast into doubt shows the gravity of their dilemma.

I feel for them. An iconic former powerhouse steeped in history but now on their knees.

It’s terribly sad but, from an entirely selfish point of view, puts Town’s problems into perspective. It’s been a season from hell but at least the future is bright, at Portman Road.

In such unprecedented circumstances, with preparations laced by doubt and uncertainty, it was no mean feat to go there and get three points.

Message board posts have suggested it papered over cracks and maybe so, to an extent.

But I’d argue that any away victory should be savoured – regardless of the opposition, occasion or circumstances.

Not least when it’s only the second of the season and fourth overall – ending a barren winless run that, depressingly, had stretched to a dozen games.

Anything that helps garner a positive vibe at the end of this turbulent campaign should be welcomed – especially when it comes in front of nearly 1,500 brilliant travelling Town fans.

Tickets may have cost just £5 but that’s still exceptional support – a near 460-mile round trip to watch a side anchored to the bottom of the Championship and heading into League One.

It’s more than the overall attendance for the League Two match between Accrington and Crawley and not far short of the gates at both Morecambe and Dagenham and Redbridge.

So hat’s off to those travelling Blues.

For them alone, I’m pleased they got the outcome they craved.

There were two more huge plus points, for me.

First, the youthful flavour of Paul Lambert’s team.

Josh Emmanuel, Teddy Bishop and Andre Dozzell were drafted into his starting line-up, alongside the fast-improving Myles Kenlock.

Flynn Downes stepped off the bench on the hour-mark while Idris El Mizouni was un unused substitute; another talent whose day will come.

Second, the fact the result came just 24 hours after news of Alan Judge signing a contract, keeping him at Portman Road until the summer of 2021.

Excellent news.

The Irishman is a mercurial talent who has become the heartbeat of the side, certainly in an attacking sense.

Mark my words – he’ll be a star next term (barring injury); a pivotal figure who will be key to what we hope will be a promotion push.

Back to this season and Town’s victory changes very little in the context of their dire, forgettable 2018/19 campaign.

They’re still propping up the division and still heading down, but the recent feelgood factor has been built on performances rather than results up to now.

For once, it’s nice to put the two together.