Ryan Lowe urges Preston North End to relish play-off push and hails support from the fans

With five games to go, North End are level on points with fifth and sixth in the Championship with Millwall – in fifth – to come this weekend.

There is pressure on PNE to keep up with the pace of those around them – although they are the most in form side in the division over their last six games – but Lowe insists his players have to enjoy the ride.

He said: “We've got to relish it. We have to relish the opportunity of fighting with these teams to get in and around it. We can't get too carried away with it because it's onto the next one. If you'd been around the place, no one is even talking about the Reading game or the last minute winner, it's gone, it doesn't matter.

"We've just got to move onto the next one. That's what the lads have done for the last 11 games, certainly. We've ticked it off, got points there and moved on.

"We'll put some work into them on Millwall and go there full of confidence and try and get a positive result.”

PNE will be backed by a sold out away support this weekend as they descend on the capital. The club sold around 800 tickets in a matter of days after the win over Reading on Easter Monday – the late surge in ticket sales meaning Millwall were not in a position to supply more.

Lowe appreciates the support from the North End fans, taking into account the current cost of living and also some rockier times between him and the Lilywhites’ faithful in the past.

He said: “It's massive, it's been important all season. I know we've had moments, that's just football, and that's the way it works.

"Ultimately, the backing of the fans, the away fans - I know not everyone can go to away games because of the financial impact on people and we appreciate that home and away - but to see them sell out and come to Millwall, to help us. That's what we do it for - the football club and the fans. That's who we represent.

"What I've got to do and the lads have got to do is keep performing to the levels they've been performing to to keep the fans backing us, singing and following us.”