TOMMY Miller has warned March could be make or break for Ipswich Town as they narrowed the gap behind second-placed West Brom to seven points.

TOMMY Miller has warned March could be make or break for Ipswich Town as they narrowed the gap behind second-placed West Brom to seven points, writes Derek Davis.

The Blues midfielder set Town on their way to a 2-0 win over Preston to keep their promotion hopes very much alive.

Ian Westlake secured the victory to cement Town in fourth place as they kept their first clean sheet in the league at Portman Road for more than three months.

Ipswich start a run of six games in a month with a trip to Stoke City tomorrow and Miller insists they must keep the momentum going.

He said: "The trip to Tenerife did us all the world of good. We worked hard but came back refreshed and you could see that against Preston.

"It has done us good and mentally that is going to be vital with the games coming up, especially as it is all so tight.

"This is going to be a very important, and difficult month, but we go into it in good spirits after the win over Preston and we must keep it going.

"The games are coming thick and fast. By the end of the month we could be challenging the top two or we could slip out of the top six, it is down to us to make sure we are still well-placed for promotion."

Miller's goal was shrouded in controversy with Preston manager Craig Brown livid that Georges Santos was not punished for a handball before Westlake fired in a low shot which was deflected into the net from six yards.

Blues boss Joe Royle claimed Claude Davis should have been penalised for a push on Santos but Miller didn't care either way.

He said: "I didn't realise there had been a handball until I saw the goal again afterwards but perhaps there was a push anyway.

"It didn't matter, Westy hit a cracking shot and I managed to steer it into the middle of the goal. It was pure reflex and it was the break we needed.

"Preston were proving to be as difficult as we thought they would be and that first goal was an important breakthrough for us."

While Miller was pleased to hit his eighth goal of the season, he was delighted for keeper Kelvin Davis to keep his sixth clean sheet of the season.

He said: "Kelvin deserved that. He only had one save to make but it was a blinder and at nil-nil, very important to us.

"The defence were excellent but we defended as a unit from the front two all the way through."

With no fresh injury worries Royle has the luxury of keeping the same team although Shekfi Kuqi, who missed the win over Preston due to suspension, will probably win his place back from the out-of-sorts Pablo Counago.