Payback time for PNE against Ipswich after suffering in Suffolk

The 3-0 loss at Portman Road was a fourth reverse on the bounce at the time.

North End have lost just one of 17 league games since, a line firmly drawn under that afternoon in Suffolk.

On Saturday, Ipswich make the return visit to Deepdale and maybe a touch of revenge will be on PNE’s minds.

Neil said: “I think you can only really appreciate the high moments when you had your low moment and Ipswich was certainly the lowest moment for us.

“No disrespect to Ipswich but I don’t think we should lose games 3-0 with the 
players we have.

“We have a score to settle there, a point to prove.

“The goals we conceded were really poor, the free-kick wasn’t a great one because it changed the game putting them 1-0 up going into half-time.

“The second-half display was really disappointing and I think it is the only time I have apologised to the fans since I have been here.

“That apology was merited because the performance was not good enough.

“Since then, individually we have got a lot better and collectively we have got a lot better.

“The determination we are showing at the moment and the passion we have for the club is at the top end of it.”

Ipswich come to Deepdale in 14th place, on the back of a 1-0 home defeat to Cardiff on Wednesday night.

By all accounts, they could count themselves unlucky not to have got something out of the contest.

Said Neil: “I’m expecting a tough match.

“When you look at their games there are not a lot of goals in it.

“Cardiff scraped a 1-0 win there the other night.

“I watched the highlights and most of the chances fell to Ipswich, while the one that fell to Cardiff went in the net.

“Those are the finer lines you want to find yourselves on the right side of.”

Missing from the Ipswich side against Cardiff was Joe Garner.

The former PNE favourite is carrying a knee injury and Town boss Mick McCarthy chose not to risk him.

Garner will be hopeful of recovering sufficiently to make his first playing return to Deepdale since leaving to join Rangers in August 2016.

He scored 57 goals in PNE colours, the striker being a key figure in the club’s promotion from League One in 2014/15.

A £1.8m move took him to Rangers but Garner returned south of the border to sign for Ipswich last June.

The 29-year-old has scored 10 goals for the Tractor Boys, the latest of those in a 2-0 win at Sunderland on February 3.

He is joint top scorer with Martyn Waghorn.

Ipswich will be without David McGoldrick who could miss the rest of the season with a groin injury.

Muzzy Carayol may return after missing the Cardiff game because of illness.