Boss Jim Magilton says his side know what they have to do to be in with a chance of making the play-offs when Hull City are at Portman Road next Sunday. The Town manager felt his side would have won Saturday's game at Preston had they taken their chances after the break.
Magilton said: "I think we started really brightly, but we started to take our foot off the gas. It's probably been a bit like us all season - when we have had teams on the ropes we have not really managed to kill them off, so credit to Preston who got back in the game.
"We got a great start with a terrific goal from Tommy, but I was disappointed we didn't build on that. We gave away two bad goals and in a way that has summed up our season away from home, but Jon took his chance very well and the end and it gives us a lifeline.
"We had chances at 1-1 when we could have gone ahead, Pablo and David Wright had great opportunities and then, when you are down with only a couple of minutes to go, we needed a break and got it with Jon's goal.
"I would have been very upset if we had not got something from the game. I knew it would come down to the last game.
"Old habits reared their ugly heads and probably that's the reason why we are not sitting pretty.
"I can only applaud the lads. They keep going and give me everything, it's never a lack of effort.
"If we win the last game you never know what happens. We have to take care of our business and then see how the land lies.
"The lads have a little bit of hope. We have to cling on to that. We have to believe we are still in with a shout.
"The whole game is a big match for us, something to play for at the end of the season.
"Results have to go for us next week but the first result we have to concentrate on is beating Hull. They will have plenty to play for but so do we. It will be a benchmark for next season whatever happens."
Magilton also had praise for Town's travelling fans: "I have tremendous respect and admiration for our supporters.
"They have been outstanding for us and the players and myself respect that. The supporters got a great ovation from the players at the end of the game and they deserved every moment of it."
Preston boss Alan Irvine thought his side should have claimed all three points: "I'm disappointed we didn't see the game off.
"I'd absolutely love to be in a position like Ipswich. It would be fantastic to think we still had a chance of the play-offs - obviously it isn't something I even considered at any time, we had another job to do.
"Today there was that little edge that wasn't quite there at the start of the game. The goal probably jolted us into a bit of action, at least there was a reaction to the goal.
"We have improved quite a lot. We would have been really up near the top of the table had the season started in January.
"It makes you feel good going into next season, but it doesn't give you any guarantees.
"There's a lot of hard work to be done during the summer. We'll train really hard in pre-season. We'll do an awful lot of work as well that will hopefully give us alternatives, different shapes, systems and styles of play. You need time in order to do that.
"We'll hopefully be able to make a couple of improvements to the squad, but I'm not expecting there to be wholesale changes. We just wouldn't have the finances for that.
"We have to cut our costs accordingly. We don't have a massive budget. But I think we have shown we can compete in the division with a team that are capable of beating anybody."