Preston North End's Ryan Ledson wants focus to be on Blackburn Rovers game rather than brawl against Swansea City

Ledson played 90 minutes as PNE were beaten 4-2 by the Swans, another dent in their hopes to secure a spot in the top six. The result was overshadowed however by a melee that emerged on the touchline as they game reached added time. Joe Allen and Ryan Lowe were in the centre of it, both being given straight red cards.

Preston were a goal down within two minutes as Joel Piroe scored his first of two on the night. Ledson felt aggrieved that his side weren’t awarded a free kick in the build up but wants to move on from the chaos that ended the game.

He said: “It was a disappointing first half, I think the first goal in the first minute kills us a little bit. It’s a foul on Brad Potts which is a terrible decision from the referee but it’s still 3-0 at half time and you give yourself a mountain to climb. I think we came out in the second half and performed well. We got two back with 20 minutes to go and it felt like we had them on the ropes.

"It felt like we could go on and get a third and a point or you never know what could happen. Then it all kicked off. It is what it is. From our point of view, we have three games to go and we’re two points off the play-offs so it’s all focus on that.

“If they lay their hands on you you’ve got to lay your hands on them. It's probably both parties. It is what it is. It’s a bit of a scuffle, it happens all the time. To that extreme, maybe not, but once one happens - it’s all pushing and shoving. It’s not real. Nothing’s going to happen. It is what it is and we crack on.

“It was passion, they’ve gone 3-0 up, we’ve got two goals back and we’ve got them and the ropes and I think they’ve maybe lost their heads a bit and caused something to try and disrupt the game - which it did. It is what it is.

"It was a scuffle, no one was hitting each other, no one was punching each other. It’s all done with it was a bit of pushing and shoving, nothing’s going to happen, we’ll just move on.”

Despite losing their last two games, Preston have barely lost any ground on the top six, sitting just two points behind Blackburn Rovers who occupy the final spot.

Rovers are next up for North End, at Deepdale this weekend, 5:30pm, and Ledson is pleased that there is plenty riding on the game. Rather than mid table obscurity, there is a chance of the post-season for North End, and potentially history.

He said: “We’ve got three games to go and we’re in with a shout. The last few seasons we’ve been mid table with nothing to play for and we’ve got something to play for which means a lot and shows how far this group has come.

"We’re actually fighting for something with three games to go. We’d have taken this, definitely. I think every single fan, player, member of staff and everyone included with Preston North End would have taken being two points off the play-offs with three games to go. Let’s be honest with ourselves.”