Preston North End right back Darnell Fisher is looking forward to the business end of the season, with the games down to single figures after the weekend’s clash with Queens Park Rangers.
The Lilywhites’ No.2 was in the line-up for the trip to Fulham last weekend, after the red card he was awarded at West Brom in the week was rescinded by an FA panel and he felt the right decision had been made, but was disappointed to then not return from London with something.
“I didn’t think it was a sending-off at the time,” he told iFollow PNE. “The referee thought it was a red card and I knew when I made the tackle he was going to do something due to the way he was all night, but they came back and rescinded it, so I was happy.
“We more than matched them in the first half. We knew it would be a hard game going down there, they are a tough team and they move the ball really well, but we more than matched them and should have been two up at the break.
“But when you don’t take your chances, good teams punish you and we were a bit unfortunate with Nuge’s header, but that’s what happens against good teams.”
Going into the 37th game of the season, at Deepdale this coming weekend, ‘Fish’ says there is a positive mood in the camp, given their fate is in their own hands.
“This is the nitty gritty of the season now,” he continued. “After this weekend’s game we will be down to single figures in terms of games left in the season and when it is single figures, you know it is coming to an end.
“We are looking forward to it, we are in a buoyant mood and we can’t wait to get going.
“We have lost two on the bounce now, but we are still in the top six, which shows what we have done so far this season.
“It is a positive, in a sense, that even though we have lost two games in a row, it is in our own hands and we just need to do what we need to do.”
With ten games to go, it is easy to look ahead and try and work out where points might come and what the other teams might take and need, but for Darnell and the group, they are very much focused on the old cliché of one game at a time.
“We aren’t going to look any further than the game against Queens Park Rangers. We have to play that one and try and win the game and then move on to see who the next one is.
“Each game is a massive one. Any team can beat anyone else in this division and we have to go into the game with the right mentality.
“We know what QPR are about. They beat us at their place earlier this season and their front four – with Jordan down the middle, one behind him and two wingers, are all very good, so it will be a tough game.
“Eze is one of the best players in the Championship and Bright-Samuel is another good player and it will be a tough test for the defenders. Jordan is a good lad; I was here for half a season with him and hopefully we can keep him quiet on Saturday,” he added.