PETER JACKSON today promised Town fans: "I'll raise spirits in time for the play-offs."

Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Yeovil, Town's second successive home loss, ended any hope of automatic promotion from League I.

But results elsewhere ensured a play-off berth for Jackson's men, who could face Barnsley, Swansea, Nottingham Forest or Doncaster in the semi-finals.

Nothing will be certain until the final round of fixtures on Saturday, when Town visit Swindon, who were relegated as a result of their 1-1 draw at Bristol City.

Jackson's side went ahead on eight minutes through David Graham but fell to two controversial Phil Jevons goals (a 66th-minute penalty and a 72nd-minute free-kick) in front of 14,473.

Yeovil's win ensured their survival in League I and raised further question marks over Town's chances of repeating the play-off success of two years ago, when Jackson piloted them out of League II thanks to wins over Lincoln and Mansfield.

But the manager insisted: "Just look back to where we were when I came back as manager three years ago.

"Back then, if we'd have been offered the chance to be playing in the play-offs for a place in the Championship within three years we'd certainly have taken it.

"We're all disappointed not to have at least kept our chances of automatic promotion alive until the last match.

"But we're in the play-offs and we've got as good a chance as anybody, if not more given the fact that we've been through the experience fairly recently.

"Two seasons ago, we missed out on automatic promotion on the last day, yet we regrouped and won through.

"There's no reason why we can't do that again. Lifting the players is my job, and I'm confident I can do it."

On Saturday's game, Jackson said: "We didn't play as we can do, but I'm not going to criticise, because we're all in this together.

"I didn't think it was a penalty - it was 50:50 in the pushing and pulling stakes between Danny Adams and Arron Davies - and I didn't think the Martin McIntosh challenge which led to the free-kick was a foul, but it's pointless complaining now."