Following the 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, left-back Tom Williams told of how North End failed to capitalise on a number of chances.
The defeat plunges the Whites only five points above the relegation zone with 22nd place currently being occupied by Alan Irvine's Sheffield Wednesday following their 1-0 home loss to Bristol City.
And with four games remaining it is essential that the Lilywhites come out of the home tie against Scunthorpe on Saturday with three points.
The Eagle's win today lifts Paul Hart's Crystal Palace out of the relegation places and four points behind Darren Ferguson's men with as many games to go.
For Williams it was the full-back's first start since limping off with an ankle injury in the 1-1 draw with Doncaster just under a months ago.
Following the defeat, in the end to end encounter, Williams said: "I feel good having just completed my first 90 minutes in a while but we were a little unfortunate we couldn't put the game to bed in the first half.
"We had a few chances and had them open wide exactly where we wanted them. We have gone in at the break at 1-1 and then two sloppy goals is all they have
had in the whole second half. The effort was there but we just weren't good enough at the end of the day.
"We opened them up quite a few times early on before the break and were looking comfortable. But in the last five minutes it was scrappy, they went long ball and
caused us some big problems - it was just a frustrating game really."
For the last 25 minutes Williams was advanced into the left wing role following an injury to Carter who came off for Callum Davidson with the Scotland international slotting in at left-back.
The result means Preston haVe now lost their last three on the road and asked what seems to be going wrong for Preston Williams claimed it's a mixture of not taking their chances and poor defending.
The on loan Peterborough star who is out of contract in the summer said: "We are having to score two or three goals every time whilst other teams aren't working hard enough to score their goals. Lonners [Andy Lonergan] didn't have a save to make in the second half but we conceeded two goals and one was a break form our corner. Maybe better organisation would help us pick up a win.
"After switching to the left wing position I just didn't get the ball - it seemed to be missing me out by then. We were going more direct and I think I only touched the ball
twice in left midfield. I don't mind playing there but I'd rather play at left back.
North End's last two games, following the away defeat to Middlesbrough, have been agaist teams entangled in the relegation dog fight and Saturday's game against Scunthorpe will be no different.
Asked whether it has been difficult coming up against the bottom clubs who are fighting for their lives to aviod relegation Williams continued: "At this stage of the season you are always playing teams who are trying to make the play-offs or scrapping and we seemed to be playing teams who are scrapping at the minute so we'll push on, we have Scunthorpe at home so we will take it from there.
"Scunthorpe will be a difficult game, they'll be scrapping for their lives and we want to put a stamp on the end of the season so it will be a good game. To be fair the effort was there everyone can see that but I'm not going to say we need that little bit of luck, instead we need that little bit of quality in the final third and a little bit tighter at the back - if that happens then we'll be fine."
