BLUES boss Joe Royle was unconcerned at the weekend's results in the Championship and insists all his promotion hopefuls can do is keep their impressive form and look to pick up maximum points.

By Derek Davis

BLUES boss Joe Royle was unconcerned at the weekend's results in the Championship and insists all his promotion hopefuls can do is keep their impressive form and look to pick up maximum points.

Despite not playing over the weekend due to a frozen pitch at Preston, Town maintained ninth place and remain five points off the top six.

The only difference now is that Cardiff also have 55 points along with Preston who have three games in hand on the Bluebirds.

Royle said: “There is no point in worrying about what other teams are doing at this stage. All we can do is concentrate on ourselves.

“Wolves and Cardiff meet next weekend and they both can't win and there will be few games from now on where team take points off each other.

“We need to win as many games as we can and then on the last day of the season look around and see who needs to do what - that is when it will matter.”

City beat relegation-threatened Sheffield Wednesday, with Cameron Jerome scoring for the third time this season against the Owls.

Wolves managed a point away to QPR to push them four points clear of Town and play host to Cardiff on Saturday, but before that have an opportunity to overhaul the Welsh side by beating Stoke on Tuesday, while Preston travel to Plymouth.

Crystal Palace, who have arguably the most difficult run-in of the top six, lost at home to Leeds United but still have a five-point cushion in fifth place. Iain Dowie's side are one of the promotion hopefuls Town have still to play.

After being given an unexpected weekend off the players will regroup today for a double training session to prepare for Saturday's home game against a rejuvenated Millwall. The Lions'' 2-1 win over Luton on Saturday has taken them to within two points of fourth-from-bottom Sheffield Wednesday and a chance to pull themselves out of the relegation zone.

The extra week's rest will allow Alan Lee more time to recover from his hamstring tear after the EADT revealed on Saturday that he would not have been risked at Preston.

Lee also has a Republic of Ireland call up to look forward too when he is fully fit after missing out in their friendly against Sweden through the injury. Jimmy Juan and Fabian Wilnis would have been fit for the Deepdale visit but will also enjoy a few more days training.

Ricardo Fuller will now have to serve his one game suspension against the Lions with just one more match of his current loan spell to play after that with an extension already being considered.

n Meanwhile, Kevin Horlock will today decide on whether to stay at Doncaster Rovers for the rest of the season on loan after a successful stint with the League One side. Horlock will be released by Town in the summer and is also a target of Oldham Athletic, while Millwall are understood to have shown an interest.