Jordan Hugill acknowledged that a second-half reaction was key to North End sharing the spoils this afternoon.
Few would have wagered that Simon Grayson's side would earn anything from the game after being 2-0 down at a difficult place to play in Villa Park, but the second period saw North End come back to earn a solid point, largely due to Hugill's heroics who bagged a second-half brace
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"To come away with a draw having been 2-0 down in the first-half, it's a great reaction from all of the lads and we'll take that," said Hugill to PNEPlayerHD.
"We weren't there in the first-half and we were off the boil but the reaction from the lads in the second-half was unbelievable, to get the two goals and nearly nick it.
"The gaffer sat us down at half-time and said that it wasn't good enough and that we are miles off it and if we want to get back into the game, we have to be better in the second-half and that was the reaction that we needed.
"At 2-0 down, we're never dead and bured these days and with the lads we've got in the team, we can create something from nothing as shown in the second-half. We worked hard and deserved them two goals."
The goals would have come as a relief to North End and Hugill who was understandably ecstatic that he was able to get himself on the scoresheet, especially considering the forward was seconds away from leaving the field due to a knee injury for his second goal.
The brace means it's eight for the season now for Hugill in all competitions seeing him top of the North End goalscoring charts.
"I couldn't have Robbo (Callum Robinson) beating me!" joked Hugill after leapfrogging Robinson in the scoring charts.
"I'm delighted; I'd have liked to have stayed on and got the hat-trick but the two goals are brilliant for me because I haven't scored for a while. It's nice to get the confidence back up as it's been a while since I've scored and we'll see where it takes us from here."
Hugill and North End were backed by 2,700 vocal PNE fans for today's game at Villa Park, and Hugill concluded by adding his praise to their support for this afternoon's encounter.
On the support, he added: "They were in great voice all of the way through, even when we were 2-0 down they were in great voice and that motivates you to do well and they'll be buzzing with that second half.
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"To come away with a draw having been 2-0 down in the first-half, it's a great reaction from all of the lads and we'll take that," said Hugill to PNEPlayerHD.
"We weren't there in the first-half and we were off the boil but the reaction from the lads in the second-half was unbelievable, to get the two goals and nearly nick it.
"The gaffer sat us down at half-time and said that it wasn't good enough and that we are miles off it and if we want to get back into the game, we have to be better in the second-half and that was the reaction that we needed.
"At 2-0 down, we're never dead and bured these days and with the lads we've got in the team, we can create something from nothing as shown in the second-half. We worked hard and deserved them two goals."
The goals would have come as a relief to North End and Hugill who was understandably ecstatic that he was able to get himself on the scoresheet, especially considering the forward was seconds away from leaving the field due to a knee injury for his second goal.
The brace means it's eight for the season now for Hugill in all competitions seeing him top of the North End goalscoring charts.
"I couldn't have Robbo (Callum Robinson) beating me!" joked Hugill after leapfrogging Robinson in the scoring charts.
"I'm delighted; I'd have liked to have stayed on and got the hat-trick but the two goals are brilliant for me because I haven't scored for a while. It's nice to get the confidence back up as it's been a while since I've scored and we'll see where it takes us from here."
Hugill and North End were backed by 2,700 vocal PNE fans for today's game at Villa Park, and Hugill concluded by adding his praise to their support for this afternoon's encounter.
On the support, he added: "They were in great voice all of the way through, even when we were 2-0 down they were in great voice and that motivates you to do well and they'll be buzzing with that second half.