Blues keeper Scott Loach says Preston North End showed why they are fourth in League One during Saturday’s 1-1 FA Cup third round draw at Portman Road. Town will now meet the Lilywhites in a replay at Deepdale next Tuesday with a fourth round tie at Nottingham Forest the prize.
Saturday’s draw extended the Lilywhites’ unbeaten away run to nine games in all competitions, which doesn’t surprise the Town keeper.
"Preston are no mugs,” he said. "They are where they are in League One for a reason and we knew it was going to be tough.
"They didn’t sit back, they took the game to us and they had an experienced strikeforce which kept us on our toes.
"We are disappointed we could not finish the tie off but our main priority is to take each game as it comes.
"Going to Preston on a Tuesday after a Saturday game is no different to the schedule we have had anyway. We will go there to win."
The 25-year-old, who was making his first start since August with Dean Gerken having established himself in the side, insists that the Town side which lined-up against Preston was strong enough to win: "The starting XI we had out there was a Championship side. There were changes but everyone has been doing so well it is hard to change that.
"I just want to play in goal, and give full credit to Gerks he has done brilliant. All I can do is keep him on his toes and when the opportunity for me comes around I do my best.
"In a way I see the replay as a positive because hopefully I could get another game, if that is what the manager wants to do.”
The ex-Watford man says he’s doing everything he can to push Gerken for his place: "I’m there and waiting and not just in games but in training too. I want to be selfish, I want to play games but I’m a team player as well.
"That is typical of everyone at Ipswich, we are a squad, we stick together, that is why we are where we are, and we have to keep doing that.
"We are still in the cup and being in the next round will give us an extra boost to go to Preston and beat them.
"We won’t underestimate them but we will look to go there and turn them over. First we have QPR and they won’t be in for an easy ride when they come here.”
Preston midfielder Lee Holmes, who set up Kevin Davies’s 42nd minute equaliser, said the visitors thought they did enough to win the tie.
"We were a bit disappointed,” he said. "I think it was harsh to be 1-0 down, Paul Huntington said he was given a push [when he handled for Town’s penalty].
"It was great to get an assist for the goal and another great finish from Kevin. He was one on one. He’s done that a few times in his career.”
Does he believe North End are now favourites to win the replay? "We’re at home but we’re a league below them. But after today they will be a little bit more fearful of us than they would have been before.”