Boss Roy Keane felt the Blues were again made to pay for their failure to take their chances as his side slid to their sixth successive league defeat at Preston. Iain Hume’s second half strike gave the Lilywhites a 1-0 victory at Deepdale.

Keane said: “The first half was fine, no problem, but the game is 90-odd minutes long. We had good possession, we got into threatening positions, particularly in the first half and at the start of the second, but we don’t seem to be capable of scoring many goals, and that puts you under pressure constantly."

The Blues manager felt his side gifted the opposition another poor goal: “Repeating myself once again, we gave a soft goal away. It’s not as if teams are opening us up. After that we huffed and puffed without having that quality in the final third to get us back in the game.

“The second half performance was a bit disjointed. Once they’d got the goal they had something to hold on to, but we always expect more from the players, whether that’s in terms of creating that chance, that bit of quality, when in shooting positions hitting the target.

“But that’s been going on for a few months now, even last year. We don’t score many goals. Whether we play one up front or two up front, we don’t seem to have that little bit of quality in the box. And that’s the hardest part of football.”

Keane says there is no issue with his players’ application: “There’s no problem with the commitment and effort and possession, but you’ve got to score goals, and we don’t score enough of them.

“That’s nine defeats in 11 now and at any level in any league, in any country that is not good enough.”

The Irishman, showing signs of the return of the beard he sported during his latter days at Sunderland, still feels he can turn things around at Town but conceded that whether he will be able to is ultimately not up to him: “That’s out of my hands, don’t ask me questions I’ve got no control over.”

Preston manager Darren Ferguson, whose father Sir Alex was in the crowd, was pleased with the three points despite a poor beginning to the game: “We started really slowly, we couldn’t keep the ball well enough and they penned us in a little bit. It was a slow start and a nervy start.

“But we got a spell at the end of the first half of about 10 minutes where we got a lot of corners on the bounce and in the second half it was far, far better.

“I had to have a bit of a go at them at half-time, but they responded. We played really, really well in the first 20 minutes of the second half and that alone was enough to win us the game.”

As for Keane's current predicament, Ferguson said: “I don’t have to worry about Roy, he’s a very, very strong character. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

Photo: Action Images

bluearmy4life added 19:05 - Dec 11 It's about time Evans shows his face and stand up and be counted. I want town to be in the news for all the right reasons not all the wrong. Get out of are club, Get out of are club, You useless corky Bas!ard, Get out of are club!!!!!!FORK!
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Keaneish added 19:07 - Dec 11 With you there Basil.
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petermorris added 19:13 - Dec 11 After their effort v WBA & Swansea, Townsend, Peters and Priskin must have enjoyed this afternoon. Great reward - warming the bench for most of it......What the fudging hell is Keane doing? Bring on Leicester. FORK. FORK. FORK.FORK. FORK. FORK.FORK. FORK. FORK.FORK. FORK. FORK.
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Radlett_blue added 19:13 - Dec 11 Roy - you say we don't score enough goals so you bring in Fallon, a proven non-scorer who can't get a game for a team near the bottom of a league one below us.
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December1963 added 19:19 - Dec 11 Was Marcus Evans called Nero in a former life?
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BlooooCD added 19:20 - Dec 11 I/we all love this club and it is being brought to it's knees under the current regime! I have always been slightly sceptical about our ambitions.. Or at least those at the helm! Now I'm sure they are complete fools! I am so pi$$ed off! Please ME don't let our club go to the ground.... A brave decision and the axing of clegg can turn our fortunes! FORK! Pleeeeease! COYB'S!

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NSL added 19:24 - Dec 11 I can't believe how short sighted town fans are. This is the culmination of 3 years of complete rubbish. Keane must go but it is not just the football, the whole running of the club is just wrong. SACK THE BOARD. EVANS OUT.
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runaround added 19:25 - Dec 11 Keane bemoans the lack of goals HIS team are scoring, the lack of quality HIS team has in the right areas, the individual errors HIS team are making and the way HIS team just dont look like scoring a goal or winning a game. Seems to be a common thread there!! The tactics are all wrong...HIS tactics!! The decisions he is making on team selection, substitutions and game plan are failing dismally and the current situation is down to HIS decisions. Players confidence must be at rock bottom as they just dont know where they stand from 1 day to the next as playing well seems to be a droppable offence and some players disappear without trace before suddenly returning as a sub, being played out of position. He has to go and has to go now, I cannot believe there is a sensible argument to keep him FORK

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petermorris added 19:29 - Dec 11 Well said r'around and well said 'Bob' on Radio Suffolk phone in earlier.
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BROTHERBLUE1974 added 19:31 - Dec 11 Lack of goals you say keane, I've got a good idea why don't u leave our goal scorer from the last game and a striker who looks hungry out. And you wonder why the towns not scoring. Sorry I think you've lost the plot.... O yeah would you please shut the door on the way OUT!!
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brendanh added 19:32 - Dec 11 You can bemoan lack of goals all you like, they're your strikers! We started the season top of the league with an effective striker in Jon Stead, but due to your irrational dislike of him (sold at Sunderland too) you have ruined our season. Scotland was no replacement for Stead's industry and athleticism which filled the attack in the 4-5-1 formation. Now we don't score enough in the 4-5-1, and concede too many conceded in 4-4-2. Another Ipswich manager with money burning a hole in his pocket ruins a good team. Keane has petty irrational dislikes and spats with people, just as he did a player. Why else is Delaney not in the squad? Keane's ego is too big for football management.

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Eireannach_gorm added 19:32 - Dec 11 Becoming more and more impressed with Roy's statements of the obvious. I fear his may be overplaying the honesty card. Clegg's backing will settle everyones nerves though. Dont worry everyone, Roys plan of playing a team of loanees before Christmas and a rested team of players that are actually owned by the club, after, is coming along nicely. O ye, of little faith! What was that comment about any half decent manager, again?

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alfromcol added 19:33 - Dec 11 Runaround Completely agree. I still think we have a good squad, but they do need to play more regularly together. Apart from injuries, the same team should take the field every week. With RK know one knows who will be playing from one game to another. You turn up at PR for a game and wonder what team he will put out. No place in the starting line up for Peters, Townsend and Priskin no place on the bench for O'Connor or Delaney. What the hell is going on?

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Mungo added 19:40 - Dec 11 Time to do a Strachan and walk Roy. Hard to give up that sort of salary I know (because its unlikely you will be receiving anything like that again, at least for a while) but this is doing nothing for your career long term and you're not exactly short of a few quid. Go and rebuild your reputation at a lower league club, where the 'Roy Keane factor' might still be able to work for you. It doesn't here. Would also be helpful to get the contract situations sorted out. It can't help having over 20 players uncertain of whether they have a future here (or in the case of some of the loanees, not wanting to be here at all). Get the key players signed up at least. I also don't buy this theory that this is some how the fault of the supporters, for not cheering loudly enough - over the past few years there has been less and less to cheer about. Supporters appreciate effort above all else and they will always applaud the individual efforts of a player, but they haven't seen anything to lift them or get the place buzzing for some time. Supporters will generally not applaud rubbish and should not be expected to do so. Wigan went up a few years ago with very few supporters, so does it really make that much difference? That said, it is possible for the supporters to destroy the confidence of certain targeted players (like Matt Richards and Liam Trotter) however I have not aware of this happening so far this season.

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pennblue added 19:45 - Dec 11 Roy, Scotland aside, we have proven goalscorers in attack. We don't have goals in our midfield either, leadbitter, Norris, Colback, Townsend, Livermore, Carlos, all of these are 1-2 goals a season players. In defence only McCauley or Smith score.... this is why we have no goals in the side. We need 2 goalscorers who can attack from Midfield midfielders, and we need another striker to play alongside Scotland... a big man, someone (dare I say it) like Holt who is a handful but also knows where the back of the net is... It is down to the scouts to find these players if we are not going to develop them.... oh and we need 2 natural fullbacks who also chip in with 3-4 goals a season as well... THEN we will get goals and be a threat....

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Blandford added 19:47 - Dec 11 To all the fans of our great club who have said from the start that RK was wrong for us I apologise - you were right I was wrong. Enough is enough Mr Evans - your media magnet is a failure. We were lucky to avoid relegation last year and if Roy is still here at Christmas we look certain to go down this time. Please remember media coverage of Division One is very limited regardless of who your manager is. Sort it out before it is too late - please !!!!!!!!!!!!

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nitractorboy added 19:57 - Dec 11 STARTED WITH A PLAYER UP FRONT WHO CAN'T EVEN MAKE A TEAM IN LEAGUE ONE WHILE LEAVING PRISKIN AND TOWNSEND ON THE BENCH. GET OUT NOW KEANE YOUR A JOKE.
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paul73 added 20:01 - Dec 11 hi david norris here,just like to say thanks to the 500+ town fans here today...i know we lost yet again,but we did try very hard..honest...anyway me n the lads have picked up our £6000-12000 aweek and are off on our well deserved xmas party to get bolloxed..think we deserve it,dont you think..hope the 4hr journey home goes well and see you agaim next saturday...for yet another piss poor instalment..

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Lower_North added 20:03 - Dec 11 Leyton Orient away 2011. Drive to Newbury Park (1hr) 4stops on the Central Line.Easy..
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truebluesince1992 added 20:07 - Dec 11 Lack of goals lack of clean sheets lack of good players set piece takers creative players lack of good manager good chief ect but probley our fault tho hey stuck in our ways. Why int he been sacked or quit yet. Keane out!!!!
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petermorris added 20:11 - Dec 11 p73 - don't start on the players; all they need is a manager. Three of our most committed players started on the bench today, and lots more are either 'injured', on loan. or sold.... hell, even the reserves are facing the sack according to Beano, sorry, Keano. FORK WAINS ... (We Are In The Sh1t) erm, FFS.
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corunnaviking1759 added 20:12 - Dec 11 I WAS a RK loyal, but now ME give us all a BIG XMAS PRESSIE and Sack him!!!!!!!! Utter rubbish a total shame and a waste of money! FOXTROT OSCAR RK!!!!!!!! Think of the club, think of the fans, as us the fans help keep you in the lifestyle that you are used too.
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WarkyWonderLand added 20:12 - Dec 11 ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. If this man who calls himself a manager (which surely he could be done under the trade description act) is still here next Saturday it is time for us to speak out and let Keane, Clegg and Evans know what we think. We have been patient enough and can't believe what an easy ride Keane has had. 22 players in 18 months, no settled team , no man management (his treatment of Priskin and Townsend is shocking), no team spirit, no tactics, I could go on. Alex Mathie said it today that we will never score enough goals with the way we play. We need an experienced manager WHO KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING, CAN MOTIVATE, CAN MAN MANAGE AND GET OUR PLAYERS PLAYING WITHOUT FEAR. SAY I WANT KEANE OUT I WANT KEANE OUT.

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blueysbighoof added 20:17 - Dec 11 FFS get this clown out now, swallow your pride M.E and admit it's not working,and i bet deep down RK knows it's time to go
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OrkneyBlue added 20:27 - Dec 11 (in a soccer am style) Taaaaxi for Keeeeane! Oh and maybe you could give Clegg a lift? Has anyone ever been on such bad form and still been in employment, its a bloody mystery to me! There is a hard working up and coming young manager who just got the boot for taking Newcastle up last year as champions and respectable mid table in the prem this...he would be welcomed with open arms by me. Anyone else?

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