Jon Walters's 87th minute goal kept Town's play-off hopes alive as the Blues drew 2-2 at Preston. Tommy Miller had put Town in front in the first half, before Chris Brown's deflected shot put the home side level and Neil Mellor's goal after the break looked to have ended the Blues' play-off push.

Town named an unchanged side with Shefki Kuqi returning to the bench after his hamstring injury.

Preston full debutant Neal Trotman flicked a header just wide in the second minute, but it was Town who made the stronger start.

On 11 Danny Haynes made a run down the right and sent in a cross to the far post to Alan Quinn, keeper Andy Lonergan doing well to push his header around the post.

From the resultant corner, the Blues went in front. The ball was cleared to Tommy Miller 30 yards out and the former Preston loanee lashed a low drive through a crowd of players and into the net.

Town weren't far from going two in front in the 14th minute when Michael Hart was close to diverting Walters's cross into his own goal, the ball looping on to the roof of the net.

Chris Brown shot weakly at Bywater, then Richard Chaplow failed to test the Town keeper with a strike from the edge of the box. Nevertheless, the home side had come more into the game since the Town goal with the Blues appearing content to sit back on their lead.

The Lilywhites almost got back in terms in the 31st minute when Brown's backheel attempt on goal fell to Mellor, Stephen Bywater pulling off a fantastic reaction save at point blank range. The loose ball ran to ran to Chris Sedgwick, but his shot was diverted wide of the post by David Wright.

Town had been lucky to escape, but a Preston goal was only three more minutes in coming. Brown was found in space by a long ball out of defence after a Town attack broke down. The ex-Norwich striker wasn't closed down and hit a 25-yard strike which took a deflection off a defender and beat the wrong-footed Bywater.

The home side were by now well on top and ought to have gone in front in the 39th minute when Brown headed a cross from the right over the bar when unmarked six yards out, although the Town defenders felt the former Canary was offside.

Just before the break, Alan Quinn hit a shot from the edge of the area which Lonergan saved.

Town had started the half brightly and had deserved the goal, but after going in front appeared to hand the impetus to the home side. Preston's goal was a poor one to concede but was deserved on the balance of play at that stage of the game.

Pablo Couñago almost put the Blues back in front three minutes into the second period, Owen Garvan cleverly finding the Spaniard with a lobbed pass which sent him through one-on-one with the keeper. Couñago slipped the ball past Lonergan but watched as it agonisingly struck the inside of the keeper's left post, ran along the line, past the other post and out for a goalkick.

Town continued to have the better of the opening phase of the second half, Quinn volleying a Walters knockdown just over. On 55 the Irish midfielder again went just over from the edge of the box.

Couñago had the ball in the net in the 59th minute but had been offside when Walters played him through on goal. Alan Lee replaced Danny Haynes in the 64th minute, Walters switching to right midfield and Lee joining Couñago up front.

Lee was quickly into the thick of the action and on 68 appeared to be hauled back when chasing a Couñago pass, referee Eddie Ilderton missing the incident. Preston broke quickly while several Town players remonstrated with the official, the move ending with Mellor hitting a shot which Bywater saved.

David Wright came within inches of scoring Town's second of the game, the full-back just failing to get enough on Lee's cross from the right to divert it into the net. At the other end, Mellor shot wide from the 18-yard line, before Shefki Kuqi replaced Couñago as the Blues pushed forward in ever greater numbers.

Referee llderton again irked the Town players and crowd when Lee was tripped by Trotman as he took the ball into the area. It certainly looked like a foul, although probably just outside the box, but the official wasn't interested.

Town were leaving more and more gaps at the back and hadn't looked the same threat going forward since Couñago's replacement and on 79 Preston went in front. Sub Simon Whaley crossed from the left, Town failed to clear and Mellor lashed the loose ball into the top corner of the net past his former West Ham team-mate Stephen Bywater.

The goal was a big blow for the Blues and the play-off push finally looked over, Town having rarely threatened in the latter stages of the second half. Velice Sumulikoski took over from Alan Quinn for the final 10 minutes, the Macedonian coming into the centre and Owen Garvan moving to the left.

Alan Lee lashed over on 84, then with three minutes remaining on the clock, Walters grabbed the equaliser which extends Town's season to the final day. The former Chester man was played through on goal by Owen Garvan and calmly slotted the ball past Lonergan for his 13th goal of the season.

Town looked the side most likely to score in the remaining moments of normal time and the three additional minutes for stoppages, but David Wright's shot narrowly over the bar was the nearest the Blues would get to a winner.

Town started brightly both halves brightly but on each occasion faded. The Blues certainly had the chances to have won the game in the early stages of the second half, but again wasted too many good opportunities. Defensively, the Town backline will be less than pleased with the way they conceded both goals.

With Wolves drawing with Coventry, Palace losing at Hull and Watford defeated by Scunthorpe at home, the Blues are still in with a chance of a play-off place going into the final day, albeit an outside one.

Town must beat Hull and hope that two of the three sides above them –Wolves, Palace or Watford - lose or that Wolves draw and either Watford or Palace are defeated, or Palace draw if Town beat Hull by three goals or more.

Sheffield United are on the same points as Town but would need to win their game by three more goals than the Blues to finish ahead of them if both sides gain the victories they require to be in contention for a top six place. Whatever happens, Sunday promises to be an exciting end to the season.

Town: Bywater, Simpson, Wright, De Vos, Bruce, Garvan, Miller, Haynes (Lee 64), Quinn (Sumulikoski 80), Walters, Couñago (Kuqi 70). Unused: Colgan, Sito. Att: 14,187.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls