SCUNTHORPE United defender Andrew Wright has urged fans not to panic after defeat to Leicester City left them with 10 games to save their Championship skins.

Although the Iron's 3-0 demise to the Foxes was not costly in terms of the points difference to fourth bottom Crystal Palace – they lost 2-1 at QPR – it meant another chance had passed United by to claw back the four-point deficit.

That is not lost on Wright, whose side head into tomorrow's crunch clash with bottom-of-the-table Preston North End – their only game in hand on the Eagles – knowing time is running out to preserve their second tier status.

"I think it is important we don't get into panic stations mode," Wright told the Telegraph.

"I know people will roll their eyes, but as long as it is mathematically possible for us to stay up then we are going to keep fighting.

"We have got to look at it as 10 cup finals now.

"Every game is absolutely massive.

"Everyone gives 110 per cent every game because we desperately want to stay in this league.

"It is a cliche to say your next game is your most important.

"But now Preston is the most important game.

"They are still fighting for their lives and they still think they are in with a chance with 11 games left.

"But we need to be picking up the points and closing the gap between ourselves and Crystal Palace."

The nature in which Scunthorpe were beaten on Saturday displeased Wright.

Defensive errors once again crept back into the Iron's game, after they had conceded just twice in their previous four home games prior to the City game.

"There is no excuse, we have conceded three goals from set-pieces," Wright continued.

"We knew coming into the game that set-pieces were going to be massive.

"We have not learned from the first mistake and given away three soft goals.

"We take responsibility as a team when it comes to set-pieces but things like that, defensive organisational situations, they definitely disappoint us as defenders.

"We have got a little bit of time to dwell on it.

"But we need to try and pick ourselves up because we have got a massive game tomorrow."