Preview: PNE – Town
By Aston
February 27 2009
Town travel to Preston tomorrow afternoon, in search of three points that could lift them into the top 6.
The home-side will be without Chris Sedgwick and Wayne Henderson. Barry Nicholson and Karl Hawley are doubts but Callum Davidson and Neil Mellor are fit again.
Preston boss Alan Irvine: "It's a classic six-pointer but it is not the be all and end all with regards to our season, it's one of 12 games, there are 12 big big games between now and the end of the season, this is just one of them. If we win it, it doesn't mean that we are going to finish in the Play-Off positions, if we lose it doesn't mean that we are not going to finish in the Play-Off positions.
"It's a game that we are hoping to win and if we do win it then we open up a big gap between ourselves and Ipswich, if we don't then they are level with us.
"Ipswich are coming to this game in very good form, they have had a couple of great results in the last couple of weeks, they went to Queens Park Rangers and got a very comfortable win so they will be coming to Deepdale feeling confident.
"Our home record has been excellent and we are hoping that that will continue and if it does from now until the end of the season and we get some good results on the road then we will find ourselves in a very good position at the end of the season."
Town have doubts over the fitness of Ben Thatcher and Danny Haynes. Moritz Volz and Ivan Campo are still sidelined.
Town manager Jim Magilton: no pre-match thoughts available.