DAVID CUFFLEY Midfielder Mark Fotheringham lamented City's lack of killer instinct as they slipped to defeat at Preston. The 23-year-old Scot, playing only his second full 90 minutes for the Canaries since his transfer window move, set up their goal in the 2-1 defeat by taking the corner from which Jason Shackell headed his first goal for the club, and he later went close to an equaliser when his thumping free-kick was scrambled away.

DAVID CUFFLEY

Midfielder Mark Fotheringham lamented City's lack of killer instinct as they slipped to defeat at Preston.

The 23-year-old Scot, playing only his second full 90 minutes for the Canaries since his transfer window move, set up their goal in the 2-1 defeat by taking the corner from which Jason Shackell headed his first goal for the club, and he later went close to an equaliser when his thumping free-kick was scrambled away.

But Fotheringham admitted that Championship points took priority over all else for 18th-placed City.

He said: "I think everybody could see we were really pressing to get a draw. I think it's been the same old story the last few games. We've done really well and we've passed it well, but we've just lacked that killer instinct to finish the games off.

"But the most important thing at this time is that we get points in the table and get up this league. We'll go into the Coventry game with the same determination and belief and hopefully we can climb up this table.

"The lads have got confidence from the way we're playing. There were four new boys in tonight and I really enjoyed my second start.

"The gaffer said that in the first 25 minutes we started the game really well. We were just unfortunate to lose two goals. It was a great strike from the lad for the first one and I think for the second goal Paul McKenna scuffed a cross-cum-shot and we were unlucky not to react.

"But we dug in, did well to get a goal back and deserved more from the game."

Of his own contribution, he said: "I do work on my set pieces, free-kicks and corners and that. Big Shacks attacked the ball really well and it was a great header from him. Crofty hit the post and I had a shot from a free-kick which Brownie followed up and almost scrambled it in.

"Dion Dublin is a massive player for us and when a guy like him goes off, you're really going to miss him, but the lads did well. We just had to reshape and get on with the game."