Preston North End’s Paul Gallagher is hoping for a return to winning ways when the Lilywhites host Ipswich Town in their FA Cup third round replay.
After a closely fought contest at Portman Road a week past Saturday, Gallagher believes that confidence should still be high in the squad, despite Saturday’s loss to Wolves.
Speaking to PNE.Com ahead of the tie, the North End No.12 said: “We gave them a good game down there, so Ipswich know they are going to be in for a hard game and under the lights at Deepdale, it should be
a good game.
“We are two teams that try and play the game the right way, but, like I mentioned before, we need to try and get back to winning ways and if we can win that game, it gives us a bit of confidence going into the Coventry game.
“The confidence of the lads should still be high.
“We got beat of a good team in Wolves, but it is all about bouncing back.
“We did it when we lost to Brentford; we bounced back and won three in a row, so if we can do what we did after that game, then we will be in good stead.
“We know that Ipswich are a good team, they got beat at the weekend as well and their manager Mick McCarthy will be wanting a reaction, same as we do ourselves, we want a reaction after getting beat.
“They are a quality team; there is no ifs or buts about that, if you give them time on the ball they will make things happen, so we know we will need to be straight into their faces.
“We know they will let us have the ball because they respect us and they know we have got good players, so it will be a good game of football I think.
“All we can do really is move on from Saturday to the next game and there is no better one than playing against a Championship team.
“We gave them a good game down there and managed to get a replay, so it will be a good game and we will try to get back to winning ways.
“We have had a good run, so let’s try and start another one.”
After a hugely successful festive period, Saturday’s defeat was only North End’s fourth of the season.
And the Scot has full belief in his teammates to rebound against the Tractor Boys, with squad spirit and competition for places key elements in this group of players and staff.
“There is a great togetherness here, the spirit is very high and has been since I have been here,” continued Gallagher.
“We have only lost two games, to Brentford and Wolves, so we have managed to bounce back quiet quick.
“You look around the changing rooms and there is a confident group of lads who believe they can win games.
“You have got the staff which believes in you, that you can win games as well, so that makes it a lot easier.
“It is about getting back out on the field and putting things right after Saturday and it is quiet lucky that we have a game on Tuesday to get that bad feeling out our system.
“It is a good squad here that we have, so every game that we play, you have got to try and give 110 per cent to keep your shirt.
“There is always other players breathing down your neck trying to take your place, but that is good competition in the squad and in the team and even people in the stand that can come in and take your place, so everybody has got to be on their toes and it gives the manager a bit of a dilemma about what players to pick.
“With the FA Cup coming up, people might come in and get an opportunity and if they do well they stay in the team.
“That will be happening all through the country at other clubs, so the players that get a chance to play, need to do everything to try and keep their place in the team.”