Keith Keane thinks Preston North End showed ‘great character’ as they beat Ipswich Town 3-2 to secure their place in the FA Cup fourth round.
Joe Garner scored a hat-trick as the Lilywhites emerged winners over Mick McCarthy’s men, despite going behind early in the second half and being pegged back at 2-2.
“I think any win against a Championship team is a great result, especially going 1-0 down, we showed great character,” Keane said in an exclusive interview with PNE.Com.
“I think it just shows the team spirit we have in the dressing room at the minute and in the end I think we probably deserved it.”
Garner’s treble took his tally to 13 for the season, five of which have been bagged in the FA Cup, and Keane was full of praise for his free-scoring teammate.
“He’s the Jackel isn’t he! He’s been on fire lately, we’re just glad to have him in our squad because we know what he’s capable of,” he said.
“He’s shown what he can do and I’m just glad he is on our team.”
Keane, 27, started his first match since the reverse tie at Portman Road and admits it has been a frustrating few weeks personally.
“It’s very frustrating when you’re not playing,” he revealed.
“But the team’s doing well and the manager makes the decisions and all I can do, like I’ve been doing, is to train hard and train well and wait to be picked again.”
The win over Ipswich was Preston’s second over Championship opposition this season, adding to their famous 1-0 victory against local rivals Blackpool in the Capital One Cup.
“I think it just shows the quality we have in the dressing room, it shows how good the team is, I think all we’ve got to do in the league now is make sure we do it on a consistent level,” said Keane.
“That’s what it’s all about, we know on our day we are a match for anyone but in the league it’s just about being consistent.”
The triumph over the Tractor Boys sets up a fourth round tie against Billy Davies’ Nottingham Forest at the City Ground next week.
Keane is looking forward to the encounter and believes North End have every chance of earning yet another scalp of higher league opposition.
“They’re a very good side, as they’ve shown, it’s a one-off game and anything can happen,” he said.
“We’re going to go there, do our best and, like I say it’s a one-off game, and anything can happen.”