Preston North End defender Andrew Hughes is looking to keep the season going until the final game of the season by getting the result required this weekend.
The left back admitted that Wednesday night’s narrow defeat at Brentford had left the squad frustrated and said it had been a hard one to take.
“It was frustrating,” he told iFollow PNE. “You can’t go to places like Brentford and concede as early as we did, especially against a team in the form they are in at the minute and we needed to win the game. It was a hard one to take.
“The gaffer came up with a solution to try and frustrate them, bring them onto us and for them to get bored and start to force passes which weren’t really on and DJ nicked one and that brought Barky’s chance, we also had some corners, Darnell’s free kick and we were unlucky not to score.
“The early goal, killed us. Conceding first in this league always gives yourself a mountain to climb.”
That leaves North End five points behind Cardiff City and the No.16 says that the only thing they can do now, is to win the next game.
“The ideal scenario now is to get all three points on Saturday and then hope the results go our way to take it into the final game and see what happens and take it from there,” continued the 28-year-old.
“Before the lockdown playing at Deepdale was a good place for us. Having the season cut off and then coming back having to find our form again was tricky.
“We had to try and hit the ground running, but it just hasn’t worked for us. We still haver a chance and hopefully we can go out there and show everyone that we are still in the race.”
The former Peterborough United man is the only outfield player to have started very game since the resumption of the Championship; so how has he coped physically with the challenge of so many games back-to-back?
“It does take its toll. From a fan’s perspective, watching the games, they have probably not been the same tempo that they normally are on a Saturday game, but it hasn’t been too bad.
“We the games and the speed they are coming at, you just have to try and give your all and do everything you can to win the games.
“I always thought the Christmas period was busy, but this has taken it to a new level. As a team, fitness wise, I think we have looked good, it has just been a few results here and there, but we can’t go back and replay them,” added the Cardiff-born man.
There’s more from Andrew on the full interview – which you can access by clicking on the video at the top of the page – as he discusses the fine margins in the recent games and what to expect from Birmingham City this coming weekend.