PRESTON manager Craig Brown has played down any thoughts of making the Division One play-offs, despite his side romping to their fifth win in six games.

Preston raced into a 4-0 lead at home to Derby County before two second-half strikes by Fabrizio Ravanelli pegged them back.

But Brown said: "I don't want to be a kill-joy but I think it (the play-offs) is a bit unrealistic.

"We have to be sensible, we might have left it a bit late.

"The barren spell when we lost our two strikers and found it hard to score goals might have cost us."

Preston were three up inside the first 30 mintues after Graham Alexander, Dixon Etuhu and George Koumantarakis got Preston off to a flyer.

Richard Cresswell added the fourth on 52 mintues after the ball was played deep to Chris Lucketti. The former Huddersfield man unselfishly knocked the ball across the face of goal for Cresswell to bury it from six yards out.

Ravanelli hit back on 76 minutes when he touched Craig Burley's long range shot past substitute goalkeeper David Lucas.

Ravanelli added a second in injury time from Burley's cross.

Brown added: "At 4-0 we had a terrific chance to make it five or six but I don't want to be greedy. We were very happy to get a home victory after two good away victiroes.

"I was satisfied for the first hour. It was a bit of an anti-climax after doing so well in the first half.

"I have to commend the teamfor their early part of the game, we played some good football and scored goals thay I think we deserved.

"I can't be disapleased with three wins on the trot and five wins out of six."

PRESTON ...4 DERBY COUNTY ...2