Boss Mick McCarthy admitted that Town played as poorly as at any time this season as they drew 1-1 at home to Preston in the FA Cup and took full responsibility for the disappointing performance.
The Blues might have won it late on when on-loan Norwich keeper Declan Rudd saved at close range from David McGoldrick, but McCarthy says they equally could have lost it: "We came close to losing it too when Carlos kicked it off the line [from Kevin Davies].
"It was a fair result. I thought they played well, they certainly deserved to have a replay. I thought we were poor, we were as poor as we’ve played this season.
"And that was probably my fault, the team I picked. There were too many players who haven’t played enough, but if they don’t play in that, they don’t get to play at all and I might have to do it in league game. I take responsibility for that one.”
He says some of the fringe players coming into the team didn’t make the most of their chance but believes that’s not entirely down to them: "I don’t think they did. But it’s difficult for them.
"I had this before with the League Cup. They haven’t played and you change the team and they’re not match-hardened like everyone else.
"Maybe that had a bit to play in it but I’m not going to take anything away from Preston, I thought they played well.”
One player who did impress the Town manager was Tyrone Mings, operating at right-back for the first time: "I think he’s great, he’s different class.
"I feel for him because he was injured when the ball went in and he played them all onside [for the equaliser]. But there was nothing he could do about that.
"It got them straight back in the game, which was a shame, but they deserved it. You try and avoid a replay and try and give people a rest, but now we’ve got to have another game and travel up to Preston, so that didn’t work, did it?”
McCarthy had no doubt that the 20-year-old would be fine on his less natural flank: "I knew he could play right-back as well.
"He’s got a good right foot, he’s got two good feet and he’s got a great attitude to it: ‘Ty, can you play right-back?’, ‘Yes, no problem’. No moaning, ‘Yes, I can’. I love his attitude to it. He’s already a great asset to this football club and he’ll be better still.”
The Town boss confirmed that he had planned to play a 3-5-2 formation with Mings one of a central defensive three but changed his approach when he saw the Preston team.
"They played 4-4-2 and I think that’s our best shape,” he said. "Had they played 3-5-2 I would have done the same because I wanted somebody up front with Sylvan. But I knew when I saw their team that they were going to be 4-4-2.”
Debutant Sylvan Ebanks-Blake lasted 28 minutes before being subbed with McCarthy not sure of the extent of the injury: "I don’t know, we’ll see. His hamstring tightened up. We’re not going to keep him on and let him pull it. It was nothing to do with his previous injury.
"Like I say, I think I had too many who weren’t up to it physically, as well, because they haven’t played, not for any other reason.
"There’s nothing wrong with their attitudes at all, they’re all good lads. I feel for them sometimes when you put them in the team, they’re trying as hard as they can but it’s just not working because they’ve not been playing.
"Tabby had played the other night and that was probably a bit much, two on the bounce, because it was an intense game. They all had a go, I don’t question their attitude, it’s just that they haven’t played.”
Preston boss Simon Grayson thought his side’s display was worthy of the draw: "I think it was the least we deserved in terms of the overall game.
"I thought we controlled the first half for large periods with some good football, we were resilient and showed a lot of good attributes when we went a goal down after a stupid penalty from our point of view.
"Over the course of the game, I thought we controlled large parts of it, had some really good chances.
"Even before they scored we had one or two one-on-one chances that we missed and kept on going. We’d have taken a draw before the start of the game, but are slightly disappointed that we’ve not gone out and won it.”
The replay at Deepdale has been pencilled in for a week on Tuesday, while the fourth round draw is on Sunday at 2pm live on ITV after the Nottingham Forest and West Ham United tie and also on BT Sport.