It’s a 10-game season in Preston North End’s race for the play-offs says Andrew Hughes

The Lilywhites go into Saturday’s game against Queens Park Rangers at Deepdale in sixth spot and holding on to that – indeed pushing on – would see them compete in the end-of-season knockout at this level for the first time since 2009.

QPR’s visit is the start of a 10-game countdown to the campaign’s finale and left-back Hughes says it is a huge spell.

Hughes said: “It is 10 cup finals and come the final whistle of the last of those 10 if we are in the play-offs we will be happy.

“Everyone in the squad knows what we are aiming for and what the job is.

“We have all said that if we don’t finish the season in the top six, it will have been a failed season.

“Having been in and around it all season and to have been top at one stage, to not make it would be disappointing.

“Everyone is confident we can do it, we have the ability to get there.

“We wouldn’t have been in and around it all season if we weren’t good enough.

“Perhaps outside the club people will focus on the bigger teams like West Bromwich, Leeds and Fulham, that means we can stay under the radar which would suit us.”

Three of the four games scheduled for before the March international break are at Deepdale.

With North End having one of the strongest home records in the division, this next few weeks could potentially take them nearer to their goal.

“Our home record this season has been really good and we need to continue that,” said Hughes.

“Last season we were stronger away so I’m not quite sure what has been the big change.

“Whatever it is, we have made Deepdale a tough place to come.

“A lot of teams don’t like coming here for whatever reason and that has worked in our favour.

“Our mentality has always been the same but something seems to have clicked at home.

“We have got to make sure that continues while trying to get more points in away games too.”

A chunk of North End’s quest to be in promotion contention this season has been done without the services of Hughes.

The Welshman has had four different injuries to contend with at one stage or another, limiting him to 18 appearances.

In August he suffered a hamstring injury and was out for six weeks.

On his return to the team he damaged his hip flexor, then in October broke a bone in his foot.

In the New Year’s Day game against Middlesbrough, Hughes went over on his ankle.

He has started the last half-dozen matches, much to his relief.

The 27-year-old said: “If it had been the same injury happening over and over again, it would have been more of a worry.

“I’ve not enjoyed all the injuries and maybe I’ve just been unfortunate.

“The most frustrating one was my hip flexor. I’d just come back from my hamstring injury and in the first game at Birmingham I got a nudge from one of their lads.

“It knocked me off balance and I over-stretched my hip flexor.

“That was definitely very annoying and it took me a while to get back.

“I’ve played the last six games which is probably my best run of the season.

“Once you get back from an injury people just assume you hit the ground running.

“It doesn’t always work out that way, you’ve got to do a lot of work to stay fit and get sharp.

“We do a lot of work in the gym behind the scenes, it’s not just on the training pitch.

“Tom Little, our fitness coach, and Mick Kearns work all that out for us, we all have a programme to work with.

“For me personally, this season has been a really frustrating one but for the squad it has been a very good one.

“As a squad we want that to continue and ultimately to be a successful one.”