Alex Neil says sorry to PNE fans after Ipswich defeat

Preston North End manager Alex Neil admitted that his side's performance in the defeat to Ipswich Town had not been good enough.

The Lilywhites were beaten 3-0 at Portman Road and Neil was quick to express his disappointment for the 435 North End supporters who made the 500-mile round trip to Suffolk.

A poor first half from both sides looked set to end goalless until Martyn Waghorn scored with a 45th minute free-kick, Neil saying that keeper Chris Maxwell had gambled with his positioning behind the wall.

Ipswich netted early in the second half through David McGoldrick, with Bersant Celina completing the scoring.

Neil said: "The best way to sum that up was disappointing.

"In the first half it was a scrappy game, Ipswich got their goal from a free-kick which probably followed our best spell of the game really.

"We'd had a five or 10 minute spell where we had put four or five good crosses into the box and looked threatening.

"Until that point I don't think they'd had a shot at our goal.

"For the free-kick I think Maxi gambles to go over the side of the wall and the lad Waghorn put it into the far corner..

"It was really disappointing going into half-time 1-0 down.

"In the second half, one cross comes into the box and we lose a bad header at the back post and it's 2-0.

"That leaves us chasing the game. We could kid ourselves on that we played well after that but we didn't.

"We kept the ball before they allowed us to do that but we didn't have too much in the way of chances.

"Listen, I'll take full responsibility, I picked the team.

"My biggest disappointment was for the Preston fans who travelled down so far and had to watch that.

"It certainly wasn't good enough."