Preston boss Ryan Lowe praised his “fantastic” side following their 3-2 defeat of the Blues at Deepdale but hopes Town win promotion to the Premier League.
Lowe admitted the second half was a nervy affair as Blues second-debutant Kieffer Moore netted twice to peg the half-time scoreline of 3-0 back to just a one-goal deficit with Town throwing everything at the Lilywhites in the closing stages as they looked for a leveller.
"I don't think the heart-rate was good, but I thought the lads were fantastic in everything they did, from start to finish,” Lowe told the Lancashire Pos.
"First half was great - we scored the goals and went in three up, but you always know a team like Ipswich are going to come out fighting and they did.
"Bringing a Premier League player on in Kieffer Moore, they caused us some problems going more direct. I thought our lads dealt with it very good, for large parts.
"The goals are obviously disappointing, but if the truth be known it doesn't really matter. We have got three points, scored three and conceded two, which we aren't happy with, but the points are the most important thing.
"It [the message at half-time] was basically just more of the same. When they bring Kieffer Moore on, they dink balls up. I just walked off the pitch next to him, he is a man mountain.
"The first one was dinked up and [keeper] Fred [Woodman] made a save for the second one; we just weren't able to deal with it. But the lads did terrifically to hang on and get the points.
"I don't know what happened with the one where Mads [Frøkjær] closed the keeper down. I think he touched it and then handballed it, which could've been another goal.
"That maybe would've seen the game clear for us, but I cannot fault the lads' effort. We tried to set the tone, being on the front foot and really being aggressive and brave.
"We are not tagging on to people - we are closing spaces from their keeper's kicks and doing a job-and-a-half for your mate. When the ball is travelling, you can get across and that is what they did right from the off.
"Before half time, there was a chance for Mads to slip Liam Millar in and I was a bit like 'ahh' - because at 4-0, you would like to think it's game over. At 3-0, you are thinking they will make changes and have a reaction - which they did.
"We had to deal with large pressure from them, but they are a good team, aren't they? Let's not deny it, they are fantastic and I hope they get promoted, to be honest. I think they deserve it, Kieran has done a fantastic job and they've got some brilliant players, who bravely take the ball on the half-turn when somebody is up their back side. It is relentless, how they play and keep moving the ball.
"They nearly got back into it, but ultimately being 3-0 up at half-time you are thinking 'okay...'. And we try not to give the lads too much information. I said one or two things about Chaplin running off the back.
"But when Moore comes on it is difficult. He's got a lot of quality. To withstand the pressure and come away with the three points is pleasing.
"It's a big month to see where we can finish and get to. I am not getting too carried away. I just want to keep winning and see where it takes us.
"As I've said, they are all 50/50 games and if we perform like that - on the front foot, brave, bold and creating chances - then we will give ourselves a good platform to build from.”