ENGLISH LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP Preston NE 2 Ipswich Town 0:ROY KEANE'S relegation fears were reawakened after second-half goals from Preston duo Neill Collins and Danny Welbeck condemned Ipswich to defeat.
Substitute Collins had only been on the pitch five minutes when he rose highest to greet Richard Chaplow’s right-wing cross with a firm header in the 64th minute.
And on-loan Manchester United striker Welbeck showcased his undoubted class with a delightful chip over visiting goalkeeper Arran Lee-Barrett with six minutes remaining.
The result allowed Preston manager Darren Ferguson to get one over his former Manchester United team-mate Keane as the hosts chalked up their second successive win.
Meanwhile, Ferguson revealed Celtic have still not come close to matching North End’s €5.2 million valuation of highly-rated Republic of Ireland defender Sean St Ledger. He said: “The situation with Sean St Ledger hasn’t changed. Celtic are a million miles away and they aren’t going to get him with what they have offered and as a manager there’s no way I want him to leave.
“He’s one of the best defenders in the league and I think Celtic should stop messing about to be honest.”
Keane criticised his side’s defending and said: “From our point of view the first goal came from unbelievably bad defending.
“We don’t score enough goals so we are putting ourselves under pressure all the time.”
PRESTON NE: Lonergan, Hart, Mawene (Neill Collins 59), St. Ledger, Nolan, Mellor (Parkin 81), Chaplow, Jones, Wallace (Carter 86), Brown, Welbeck. Subs not used: Henderson, Chilvers, Barton, Mayor. Booked: Chaplow. Goals: Neill Collins 64, Welbeck 84.
IPSWICH TOWN: Lee-Barrett, Rosenior, McAuley, Delaney, Balkestein, Peters (Garvan 63), Leadbitter, Norris, Colback, Priskin (Counago 65), Stead (John 78). Subs not used: McLoughlin, David Wright, Quinn, Edwards. Booked: McAuley, Leadbitter, Garvan, Rosenior, Norris.
Attendance: 12,087.
Referee: Jon Moss(W Yorkshire).
