Preston 1-0 Ipswich

Iain Hume's classy second-half winner for rock-bottom Preston at Deepdale increased the pressure on under-fire Ipswich manager Roy Keane.

The visitors had largely dominated the first half, with Grant Leadbitter drilling a 25-yard shot just wide.

But they could not make it pay and, in the final game of his 93-day loan from Barnsley, Hume signed off with a superb side-footed finish in the 50th minute.

That condemned Ipswich to a sixth successive Championship defeat.

Former Manchester United captain Keane was given a vote of confidence by Town chief executive Simon Clegg earlier this week, but his team suffered once again as Preston counterpart Darren Ferguson snatched a badly-needed victory.

Preston began strongly when on-loan Stoke midfielder Michael Tonge hit a right-footed shot from 30 yards which Town goalkeeper Brian Murphy saved well.

But Ipswich quickly gained a foothold on proceedings, with midfielder Carlos Edwards forcing Wayne Brown to block his shot.

Striker Jason Scotland then fired a left-foot shot wide from 12 yards after Leadbitter's effort before Rory Fallon collected possession 20 yards from goal and drilled in a fierce shot which Andy Lonergan did well to tip round a post.

Billy Jones hit the post from Danny Pugh's inswinging corner for Preston, who took the lead five minutes after the restart.

Jon Parkin showed superb footwork to cut the ball back for Hume, who fired home a low right-foot finish from 12 yards.

Parkin then hit an 18-yard shot which Murphy did well to save before Tonge had an effort blocked by Mark Kennedy as Preston went in search of a killer second goal.

Keane brought on Jaime Peters as he searched for an equaliser and he met a cross from Jack Colback with a firm header that Lonergan superbly tipped around a post as Preston held on.

BBC Sport