Preston boss Darren Ferguson wants the 1-0 win over Ipswich to be used as a platform to build on over the Christmas period. Ferguson said: "It's a relief to get the win and hopefully, with the two draws coming into this match, it can be a springboard for us. It has been a long time coming and it was a good result for us.

"Looking back over the last three games we were 30 seconds away from having three clean sheets on the bounce and that is definitely the platform for success. It was a slow, nervy start, but the second half was better.

"I had a bit of a go at half-time and the players responded to it. But that's three games unbeaten now and hopefully we can move forward. We are still bottom, but you can't look at anyone else, only yourself.

"It is round about the 50-point mark that gets you safe and that means 10 wins out of 25. The game was the last of Iain Hume's loan and hopefully we can do something permanently in January. We will be trying our hardest."

Ipswich counterpart Roy Keane believes his side are now in a relegation battle after their sixth straight npower English Championship defeat.

Keane said: "You wouldn't believe how much this is hurting. You can only guess. I am a proud man and I don't like getting beaten. I am still absolutely determined to turn it round. I would like to see it out, but that (my future) is out of my hands.

"Don't ask me questions about things I have no control over. Nine defeats in 11 is not acceptable. The run we are on is not acceptable. I have been in football since I was nine years of age and this is just not good enough. It is poor at any level, in any league, in any country.

"The first half was fine, no problem. But the game is 90 minutes long and once again we didn't seem to be able to score goals. We gave a soft one away and suffered for it. But this isn't just a problem right now, it has been going on for a few months now, even last year.

"We are in a relegation battle at the moment, that's for sure."