Preston were out-passed if not out-played at Portman Road as Ipswich produced a masterful team display to maintain their 100% home record.
A late Neil Mellor penalty gave North End hope after earlier strikes from Alan Lee and former PNE man Tommy Miller, but it all ended in the familiar away day feeling of disappointment that has blighted the 2007/08 campaign so far.
North End were forced to make one change to their line-up, with Danny Pugh replacing hamstring victim Matt Hill at left back, though it was his missed tackle that nearly caused an early setback - Andy Lonergan smothering well after the former Leeds man failed to dispossess the pacy Pablo Counago as he raced towards goal.
Pugh was again troubled by the pace and trickery of a forward with momentum when winger Jon Walters cut inside after a mazy dribble and unleashed a low shot. Lonergan was again alert to the danger, sticking out a leg to deny the ball from making a connection with the back of the net.
The two chances came after an encouraging start for the visitors, where Paul Gallagher and Karl Hawley combined well with good support from the midfield four, but couldn't quite find the killer pass or create the sight needed to unleash a shot at goal.
Town looked more capable of making the telling openings, but Lonergan was on his guard continually, holding firmly when skipper Jason De Vos attempted to head Owen Garvan's corner over the line.
Callum Davidson registered a strike at goal with a left footed drive that cleared the far post from distance, but Ipswich should have scored when Billy Clarke stooped low to get a head onto Garvan's free kick delivery, but the effort somehow skimmed wide of goal.
The relentless pressure continued with Youl Mawene forced to clear after Counago again found a route to goal down the right hand side of the box, and from the resulting corner
Preston really rode their luck - Counago and Fabian Wilnis both striking the metalwork within seconds of one another as a game of pinball broke out in the box.
On the half hour, fortune very nearly favoured the previously out-of-fortune Lilywhites once again, with Wilnis' backward header nearly looping a Kevin Nicholls free kick over the stranded Neil Alexander. The Ipswich keeper was somewhat relieved to see the ball land on the roof of his net rather than into the back of it.
The familiar away day tale of an opening goal for the hosts sadly came to be written once again on 33 minutes when Ipswich finally made use of their persistent threat down the right. A Walters cross was floated perfectly onto the head of top scorer Alan Lee, and his fifth goal of the season squirmed under Lonergan's hand, despite a valiant effort to make the block.
It was nearly all square once again when Wilnis again got in a muddle. His first start of the season was littered with mistakes during the first half, and once again he nearly cleared his own keeper with an attempted clearance that skimmed just wide of his own goal rather than clearing towards North End's.
The second half yielded brighter times for Preston, with an early spell of pressure bringing about a clearer view of the Ipswich net. It took a solid block from Clarke to stop Sedgwick from side-footing an equaliser, and a vital flick off the head of Wilnis denied a trio of North End attackers from getting on the end of Kevin Nicholls' follow-up cross.
An immediate counter saw former North Ender Tommy Miller produce another stop from Lonergan, with the midfielder's left footed drive rounding off a high-quality counter attack that demonstrated all the flair and pace you'd expect from a trademark Ipswich passing move.
Another top drawer Lonergan save denied Lee's header just moments later, but in was all in vain as the referee blew up for a foul against the Town striker.
A succession of corners looked likely to bring about an equalising goal, but PNE's third dead ball in a row saw Darren Carter somehow fail to connect with Nicholls' floated ball.
Carter turned provider for the next chance of note - his service from the left flank creating a headed chance for Patrick Agyemang, but the Ghanaian's first touch after replacing Paul Gallagher off the bench exhibited an element of rustiness.
On the counter attack, a third striking of the metalwork from Billy Clarke left the goal frame rattling, with the Tractor Boys winger running onto a loose clearance from Carter and letting fly with an angled rasper.
The home crowd grew livelier with every chance, and the raucous 'oohs' were again in evidence as Miller's shot deflected over the top for a corner after hitting Davidson's head.
Boss Paul Simpson threw on Simon Whaley in place of Darren Carter to try and inject a different dimension to his side's attacking play, and the back-in-favour flier soon looked lively as he darted forwards.
The chances still kept flowing in favour of the home team, and Counago was inches away from a second when his cross-shot narrowly missed the post, while Karl Hawley looked more wayward as he attempted a wondergoal when Preston broke.
As promising as Preston looked at times, it was always favourite that the hosts would be next to score. Crucially, with fifteen minutes remaining, Counago held off Mawene and a sickening blow followed as the Spaniard's lay off landed invitingly into the path of Miller. The man who failed to score for North End in his loan spell last season saw the opening and sweetly caressed a side-footed drive beyond Lonergan's reach.
A substitute appearance for Neil Mellor provided him with a chance to show his worth for the final quarter hour, but it was Whaley that produced the next effort on goal, firing over from 18 yards as he looked to find the top corner.
A free kick from the right hand side gave Davidson a chance to deliver, and his pin-point pass landed in just the right spot for Youl Mawene, but he couldn't get the ball out from under his feet quickly enough and his eventual shot was scrambled clear.
Young prodigy Danny Haynes was brought on to make an impact for the home side, but the impression he made wasn't particularly welcomed by Callum Davidson. A heavy challenge left the Scotsman requiring a few minutes of treatment from physio Steve Kemp, but fortunately he was ok to continue after some running repairs on a knee injury.
Haynes made a more positive impression by drawing another top save from Lonergan, but the corner it created was of more benefit to North End. The ball was cleared upfield and when Agyemang sent Mellor through, Alexander upended the former Liverpool striker as he looked to round him and get the strike away.
The referee had no hesitation in giving the penalty - even though the Ipswich players and crowd tried to convince him otherwise. A lengthy chat with the assistant eventually affirmed his decision, and after considerable delay, Mellor became the third player to take a penalty for the Lilywhites this season. Crucially, he put it to Alexander's left as the keeper went to the right, and with three minutes remaining, North End had hope.
To the considerable anxiety of the home crowd, every decision seemed to go the way of the visitors in the remaining minutes,
PNE: Lonergan, Jones, Chilvers, Mawene, Pugh, Sedgwick, Nicholls, Davidson, Carter (sub Whaley 67), Hawley (sub Mellor 76), Gallagher (sub Agyemang 59). Subs not used: Chris Neal, St Ledger.
Ipswich: Alexander, Wright, De Vos, Wilnis, Harding, Walters, Tommy Miller, Garvan, Clarke (sub Roberts 72), Lee, Counago (sub Haynes 80). Subs not used: Supple, Bruce, Legwinski.
Booked: Davidson (32); Roberts (90)
Referee: Mr M P Russell
Attendance: 19,243
