A philosophical Ricardo Fuller has put aside his disappointment at being banned for a return to Preston this week and is content at scoring on his Ipswich Town debut.

Football: A philosophical Ricardo Fuller has put aside his disappointment at being banned for a return to Preston this week and is content at scoring on his Ipswich Town debut, writes Derek Davis.

The on-loan Jamaican striker bagged the second goal in Town's 2-0 win over Leicester City to keep their play-off hopes alive but his joy was tempered when he picked up his fifth booking of the season and a one-match ban.

Fuller will miss the Blues' visit on Saturday to sixth-placed Preston North End, the club where he was a firm fans' favourite after scoring 31 goals in 63 games.

But the 26-year-old is already looking towards the games after that and a play-off push.

Fuller said: “Preston was one of the better teams I have been at and I was really looking forward to playing in that game.

“I have a lot of friends there still, although that would have disappeared while we were on the pitch.

“Everything happens for a purpose so we will see what happens now.”

The debut-making goalscorer was adamant that he did not deserve to be booked and accused Icelandic midfielder Joey Gudjonsson of making a meal of the incident.

He said: “It was not a booking. The guy should be in the Olympic diving team - he also dived when Ian Westlake went near him too.

“I was protecting myself shielding the ball but didn't touch him and he went over.

“The referee booked me but didn't see when I should have had a penalty, so I was disappointed with that.”

Fuller's claim was backed by manager Joe Royle, who was delighted with his new signing's second-half showing.

He said: “I should have warned Ricardo about the striker's curse here. He will miss the Preston game and for me it was not even a booking. It is all the more suspicious because the player involved is well known as one the division's top simulators.”