Chris Lakey Stephen Hughes says it's only a matter of time before City's new-found resistance translates into wins. The midfielder is hoping for a start against Leyton Orient tonight, when he expects to put his theory to the test.

Chris Lakey

Stephen Hughes says it's only a matter of time before City's new-found resistance translates into wins.

The midfielder is hoping for a start against Leyton Orient tonight, when he expects to put his theory to the test.

"We have shown we don't throw the towel in, we keep going right to the end and I think we have been unlucky in some games," he said yesterday.

"Tomorrow night should be a good game for us anyway - to get the crowd behind us and get three points."

Late equalisers have become the order of the day - but Hughes believes a little bit of luck is needed as well, pointing to the rejected penalty claim at Gillingham on Saturday when Grant Holt and keeper Simon Royce had a "coming together".

"It seems to be the way with us just now," he said. "After we went down to 10 men I thought we showed good resilience and good character to get back into the game and were unlucky at the death. We could have sneaked it.

"You make your own luck, but at the end of the day we had the chance. Holty went down at the end and it looked like a penalty to everybody, but these things happen so hopefully it will even itself out and maybe we can get a few decisions for us tomorrow."

Hughes missed the Charlton game, when Holt grabbed a late equaliser, having suffered a foot injury after a tackle by former Canary Luke Chadwick at MK Dons on September 14.

The Scot was a surprise inclusion on the bench on Saturday, when he replaced the injured Jon Otsemobor six minutes before half-time.

But he says his fitness is not a problem.

"It's getting there," he said. "Obviously I missed the game against Charlton, but I managed to play 50-odd minutes on Saturday so the fitness is fine, no problem.

"I'm feeling good."