Joe Garner talks to the Club's official website following Sunday's game at Walsall
After Sunday afternoon’s disappointing 3-1 defeat at home against Walsall, PNE.Com spoke to new signing Joe Garner following the 24-year-old’s involvement in a controversial penalty shout that could have changed the game had it gone the Lilywhites’ way.
Having signed for PNE during the week and making his debut for North End on Thursday night against Coventry, the boyhood Preston fan was pulling on the famous white shirt at Deepdale for the first time, and could have marked his home debut with a maiden strike when presented with a simple tap-in had he not been shoved to the ground by a Walsall defender.
Referee Carl Boyeson waved play-on, and from the resulting counter-attack Walsall opened the scoring when Febian Brandy fired in from close range, and Garner was left to rue what he felt was an obvious decision that had gone against him.
“It was obviously a blatant penalty,” said Garner. “If their defender doesn't push me in the back then I’ve got a simple tap-in and a goal on my home debut so who knows, it could have changed the game.
“The scores was 0-0 at that time then without a minute of us getting the penalty shout turned down they’ve gone up the other end and scored.
“Obviously it’s very disappointing, but having said all that I don’t think we can have any complaints about the result. We did not play well enough to win or even draw the game and Walsall played quite well to be fair.”
It was a case of mixed emotions for Garner at the final whistle, as he left feeling thrilled at having played at Deepdale for the first time as a Preston player, but was left devastated by the result, promising the Lilywhites will be out to make amends next week against Yeovil.
“The result was awful,” Garner said. “I think the only thing we can do is look forward to the weekend and try and put things right with a better performance when we face Yeovil away.”
“I was very happy to put the shirt on and come out at Deepdale as a Preston player for the first time. They’re my boyhood club and it’s a dream come true. I just wish the result had been better.
He added: “I can’t really explain why our home form hasn’t been good enough. I think it’s up to the manager to look at the games, work out what’s going wrong and turn things around on the pitch.”
Having signed for PNE during the week and making his debut for North End on Thursday night against Coventry, the boyhood Preston fan was pulling on the famous white shirt at Deepdale for the first time, and could have marked his home debut with a maiden strike when presented with a simple tap-in had he not been shoved to the ground by a Walsall defender.
Referee Carl Boyeson waved play-on, and from the resulting counter-attack Walsall opened the scoring when Febian Brandy fired in from close range, and Garner was left to rue what he felt was an obvious decision that had gone against him.
“It was obviously a blatant penalty,” said Garner. “If their defender doesn't push me in the back then I’ve got a simple tap-in and a goal on my home debut so who knows, it could have changed the game.
“The scores was 0-0 at that time then without a minute of us getting the penalty shout turned down they’ve gone up the other end and scored.
“Obviously it’s very disappointing, but having said all that I don’t think we can have any complaints about the result. We did not play well enough to win or even draw the game and Walsall played quite well to be fair.”
It was a case of mixed emotions for Garner at the final whistle, as he left feeling thrilled at having played at Deepdale for the first time as a Preston player, but was left devastated by the result, promising the Lilywhites will be out to make amends next week against Yeovil.
“The result was awful,” Garner said. “I think the only thing we can do is look forward to the weekend and try and put things right with a better performance when we face Yeovil away.”
“I was very happy to put the shirt on and come out at Deepdale as a Preston player for the first time. They’re my boyhood club and it’s a dream come true. I just wish the result had been better.
He added: “I can’t really explain why our home form hasn’t been good enough. I think it’s up to the manager to look at the games, work out what’s going wrong and turn things around on the pitch.”