Dean Saunders hopes to break losing run against Preston

Reds’ sequence of defeats against Rochdale, Fleetwood and Chesterfield have all been against top 12 teams and have all happened away from the Checkatrade.com Stadium.

He can see areas of improvement in the way his side is playing.

Saunders said: “We’ve had two good results since I’ve been here with a draw against Colchester and we should have beaten MK Dons.

“We’ve been playing some really good teams all near the top of the table.

“There’s been some good patches of play - against Chesterfield for 37 minutes the game was even.

“We had a perfectly legal goal disallowed which happens when you are down the bottom of the table.

“Jimmy’s (Smith) hit the crossbar from a header from a free-kick and Izale’s (McLeod) had a good chance.

“Allround we’ve had about six chances in the game and had spells which were some of our best football.”

Saunders is working hard both on the training ground and on the phone to improve the team before Monday night’s transfer window deadline.

He said: “We have to turn our good patches into longer periods and we have to get to the point where we have three chances and score two.

“I have to work on the weaknesses in the squad by making as many phone calls as possible and make as many favours as I can to get the best team and shuffle things around.

“We just need to get a win - everyone knows that even if its Sunday League football. Its brings confidence.

“If we get one win you can roll into four or five.”

Two of his players have suffered injury setbacks this week with Josh Simpson’s hamstring problem likely to keep him out for another three weeks and Conor Henderson now sidelined for up to six weeks with a damaged ankle.

Dean Leacock will miss the Preston game but could be back in time to face Yeovil.

Goalkeeper Brian Jensen is out for a total of ten weeks having disclocated his thumb.