Manager Graham Westley was pleased with his side’s spirit in the 4-2 at Morecambe…
“We are taking one step at a time, one round at a time, you have to earn the right to play at Wembley. I have been lucky to go there twice as a manager in my short career, it is a great experience, a great occasion but we have to win the quarter final first so we will see who we get and take another step down the right road.”“I said after the Oldham game I should have played some of the lads who were showing energy in training and I knew on Friday that some needed resting but I didn’t rest them and I went with the same side which largely had been playing and winning. It was a mistake and I hold my hands up, tonight you could see the appetite of the players was strong and the energy and the work rate was first class.
“Andy had a tough time here last year and it is important that people recognise the qualities he does bring and tonight he was tremendous.
“John Welsh captained the side, there was a determination about him, an urgency coming from him and he set a terrific example and tempo. He passed the ball very well but it would be wrong just to single him out because Andy Procter in the middle of the park was excellent.
Former Liverpool man John Welsh captained the side, as the manager continued by explaining the team won’t get above themselves despite taking a step closer to a Wembley final.
With Cummins, Procter and Robertson all handed starts against the League Two side, the Lilywhites made nine changes in total with only David Amoo and Scott Laird retaining their places.
“If you keep yourselves right then you will be able to make a contribution and if you don’t keep yourself right then you won’t. The professionalism of players when they are not getting minutes is vitally important and Graham Cummins, Andy Procter and Chris Robertson where a credit to themselves this evening and a credit to the football club.
“I have said to the lads who haven’t been involved in the last couple of weeks that you have got a special responsibility because it is the work you do now when you are not involved that is going to dictate success when you do get in the side.
“We needed to bounce back and it was a good opportunity tonight. There is a Wembley appearance at the end of the JPT and the players, especially after going 1-0 down put in a terrific second half performance to earn the right to go into the next round.
He said: “It was a terrific response from the players, it was a disappointing result and performance last weekend.
Pleased with the way his side responded from Saturday’s performance at Oldham, the boss praised the players who haven’t seen much first team football so far this season.
The Lilywhites progressed into the northern section quarter-finals of the JPT for a second consecutive season after coming out victorious in a feisty Lancashire derby at the Globe Arena.