PRESTON NORTH END 0 IPSWICH TOWN 1 Carayol (21)

Preston’s play-off hopes were dealt a blow as Ipswich completed the double over them with victory at Deepdale.

Mustapha Carayol scored the only goal to condemn Preston to their first defeat in eight Championship matches.

Carayol should have given Ipswich the lead on his first start for the club after eight minutes. The visitors broke from a Preston corner and Martyn Waghorn played Carayol through, but the winger fired straight at Declan Rudd before inexplicably poking the rebound wide from six yards. Preston began to trouble Ipswich with a succession of crosses into the area, the best chance coming after 18 minutes when Billy Bodin found Alan Browne who headed over from six yards.

But it was Mick McCarthy’s side who took the lead after 21 minutes as Carayol made amends for his earlier miss. Preston full-back Calum Woods hesitated in clearing, allowing Carayol to slide past Declan Rudd. And Ipswich would have doubled the lead on the halfhour mark as Carayol found Waghorn eight yards out, but Browne denied the striker with a superb last-ditch block.

Dominic Iorfa then struck the bar for Ipswich. Preston boss Alex Neil had seen enough from his side, making a double substitution after just 37 minutes as Woods and Callum Robinson were hauled off for Josh Earl and Josh Harrop.

The hosts continued to struggle to get the ball forward, but did manage to get a strike on target after 54 minutes as Browne’s strike was held by Bartosz Bialkowski. And Neil’s men remained confined to long-range efforts, Josh Earl cutting in from the right after 71 minutes and firing an effort that was held by Bialkowski.

The Lilywhites went in pursuit of the equaliser and tested Bialkowski six minutes later. Sub Daryl Horgan whipped a cross for Tom Barkhuizen to guide a header on target. Ipswich held on though without any problem.