DAVID Norris today wrote off any slim chance the Blues have of making the Championship play-offs.And he admitted that Town are in the midst of a relegation battle.

Elvin King

DAVID Norris today wrote off any slim chance the Blues have of making the Championship play-offs.

And he admitted that Town are in the midst of a relegation battle.

The energetic Ipswich midfielder, who was missed so dearly when out for four months with a knee ligament injury, did not hold back after Saturday's despairing 2-0 defeat at a ragged Preston North End.

Town's defeat and wins for Derby, Reading, Scunthorpe, Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace have placed fourth-from-bottom Town back in trouble.

And the forthright Norris, who sat in front of the back four on Saturday, agrees. He said: “Make no mistake we're in a relegation battle. I do not see us a getting into a play-off position.

“It's terrible and so disappointing that we're down there, having had a decent run before and after Christmas.

“But the biggest priority now has to be get away from the bottom. We've just missed another good chance to win.

“Preston haven't got better players than us and we came here in good form, on a good run.

“The minimum we should have left with was a point.

“We were confident we could win the game, but then we went behind and after that it was just so disappointing. That's what's got to be looked at.”

Twelve points off sixth place is not an insurmountable target on paper, but Norris sees the battle ahead to get among and climb above the clutch of clubs ahead of them.

“As far as the play-offs are concerned it is possibly over now,” he added.