THE manner of Ipswich Town's opening day defeat has underlined the importance of bringing in two new defenders for Jim Magilton.

Derek Davis

THE manner of Ipswich Town's opening day defeat has underlined the importance of bringing in two new defenders for Jim Magilton.

The Blues boss was livid at the way Town crumpled after going ahead against Preston and will today strive to add to his squad further.

Ivan Campo is expected to complete his move to Portman Road today after completing a medical and Ben Thatcher will fill the left back void if personal terms can be agreed before he agrees a move elsewhere.

Thatcher is currently on trial at West Ham with his former Charlton boss Alan Curbishley and is competing with Swiss trialist Bruno Berner for a contract.

Magilton said:” We have not hidden from the fact that we want a couple more defenders and all this does is heighten the search.

“Quality defenders don't switch off. If you switch off you are going to get punished and we got punished twice.”

Before mistakes allowed Preston to equalise and then go on and win through Paul McKenna and Simon Whaley, Kevin Lisbie had put the Blues ahead and threatened to find more goals.

Magilton said: “There was a spell where if we had gone for the jugular to win but we didn't and good seasoned players sniff it out.

Preston did that. They are a good footballing side and took advantage.

“We huffed and puffed in the second half but didn't create enough clear cut chances.”

Conversely, Preston boss Alan Irvine was delighted at the way his team fought back.

He said: “We got off to a terrible start but we regrouped

“We came into the game feeling good about ourselves and then that happened. Our season started at 3.15pm - that was when we made our first pass.

“We could not have had a more difficult opening day fixture their record here last year was outstanding and I expect it to be the same this year.

“It is a hard place to come and they are a very good team so it was a magnificent result for us.”

Magilton believes the defeat will act as a piercing wake-up call to his complacent team and said: “We got off to a flying start with a fantastic goal from Kevin who did every well for us. But it seems because we had such a fantastic home record last season some players thought it would happen automatically for us again and we got punished for a really sloppy 15 minutes.”

Poor defending once more contributed to the loss.

Magilton said: “It was a great strike from Paul McKenna but it was an avoidable goal from our perspective.

“Our two wide players (Quinn and Haynes) were poor first half and allowed them back into the game.

“Then switching off at the free kick was a schoolboy error. Turning your back to the ball is not very switched on while Preston were bright and any one of three could have put the ball in the net.”