Elliott Ward is looking forward to another home game in a Huddersfield Town shirt when Nottingham Forest visit for a Sky-televised Championship clash.

The centre-back enjoyed a winning start at the John Smith’s Stadium as Bolton Wanderers were beaten 4-1 on Saturday.

And he believes the two away games which preceded the Roses derby were crucial in helping Town’s five recent loan signings, of which he is one, bed in.

The AFC Bournemouth player made his Town debut in the 2-0 defeat at Cardiff City.

He then played a lead role as Chris Powell’s side picked up a first win of the campaign, 2-1 at Charlton Athletic.

The squad, including his fellow loanees Jed Steer, Emyr Huws, Mustapha Carayol and Jamie Paterson, stayed down South between the two games on the road.

“Normally the way new faces are thrown in together it can be quite hard,” said the 30-year-old, who had two loan spells at Forest as a Norwich City player.

“But the two away games really helped us out. We had a team meal and bonding and stuff like that goes a long way.”

Town went 13th, a place behind Forest, by beating Bolton with the help of two goals by Huws and one from Carayol.

“It felt good to make my home debut,” added Londoner Ward, who began his career at West Ham United.

“It has been a good spell for us in terms of getting wins in the last two games and it has pushed us right up the table.

“In the first half against Bolton we didn’t really show our true colours and I think it took us until half-time to get going.

“But in the second half we proved what we can do and we need to carry on from there.”

Now Town are aiming for three successive wins for the first time since the season before last.

“It’s a good game for us again, another home game and a chance for us to show what we’re about,” said Ward.

“These last two games have been massive for us in terms of how we have played and we can go into the Forest match with confidence.

“Forest are a tough team and they have had a good few results until being beaten by Middlesbrough.

“They are a team we have to be wary of but we’re on the front foot and we fancy ourselves to do well.”