Bristol City chairman Steve Lansdown believes his side need to win five of their last six games to have a chance of making the play-offs.

Following the international break, City resume action on Saturday when they host fellow top six contenders Preston North End at Ashton Gate.

However, the Robins' chief accepts that City's last outing, a 2-1 defeat at QPR, has damaged those hopes.

Lansdown said: "It is still on but it is more of a long shot than we would want it to be. We know what we have got to do. We have got to win five games to have a chance. It makes the Preston game on Saturday very important. We talk about cup finals but the remaining games really are.

"It isn't quite must win but if we didn't win it we would be in a position where we couldn't afford not to win the last five."

The game kicks off at 5.20pm because Sky Sports are televising it live. But Lansdown insists City need a full contingent of home fans behind them at Ashton Gate.

"The reality is that we need everybody's support against Preston," he said. "There is no doubt it is our biggest game of the season so far."

City are eighth in the Championship table. A win against Preston would see them leapfrog the Lancashire club on goal difference. Gary Johnson's Robins face Nottingham Forest and Ipswich over the Easter weekend before a trio of fixtures against fellow play-off contenders to end the season.

First there the clash with Swansea at the Liberty Stadium, before a tie with mid-table Sheffield Wednesday at home and then a trip to Owen Coyle's Burnley on the final Sunday.

Midfielder Marvin Elliott could be a key man in the run-in and he continued his rehabilitation from injury with 80 minutes in yesterday's reserve game at Bournemouth.

City reserves went down to a 4-2 despite a late rally inspired by Lee Trundle.

They were 4-0 down before Trundle scored twice, being denied a hat-trick by the woodwork in the final 15 minutes.

The hosts were two-up by half-time, and went four clear midway through the second half, Lee Bradbury scoring twice and George Webb and Matt Oldring finding the net.

Good build-up play involving Tristan Plummer and Ashley Kington led to City's first goal before Trundle scored his second from the spot following a handball in the Bournemouth box.

Elliott played 80 minutes of the game to continue his comeback from a groin injury and defender Izzy Iriekpen, coming back from a thigh injury, built on his 45-minute spell against Forest Green last week by playing for an hour.