Manager Simon Grayson is looking forward to coming up against Paul Cook’s side on Tuesday night, with memories of the September goal-fest still at the forefront.
The North End boss takes his side to the Proact Stadium for what is fourth versus fifth in Sky Bet League One and he is excited at the prospect of playing against a promotion rival.
“We want to win any match that we can and if that means pulling away from the teams below us and catching the teams above us, then that’s the intent we should go with,” he said.
“We have 18 league games to go and plenty of points to play for and we will go into every one of those games looking to win.
“It will be a good occasion; it’s a good stadium, it will be a decent atmosphere and is fourth against fifth, so there won’t be many bigger games in League One on Tuesday night.”
The game back in September saw the sides share six goals, with North End flying out of the traps into a 3-0 lead after only half an hour, only for the visitors to hit back, with an Eoin Doyle hat-trick earning them a point.
“They gave us a good game at Deepdale earlier on this season, when we were cruising after half an hour, but they played with no fear,” continued the gaffer.
“You always get one team who come up who hang in there and get into the Play-Offs, like Rotherham did last year, and they are in there for a reason.
“They have lost their leading goalscorer to Cardiff, but other players have come into the team and I am sure they will keep their momentum and keep the run going and it is a tough game, but one where we will be going to win it.”
The opening half hour against the Spireites was some of the Lilywhites’ best football of the season and the manager is looking for a repeat in south Yorkshire.
“We played with a real tempo with and without the ball and put them to the sword in the opening half hour at Deepdale, scoring the three goals.
“They then had nothing to lose and afterwards we talked about it and I think we learnt our lesson from it – going on a big winning run after that game.
“We know the powers that they possess, but they will be aware of the qualities we have; they will know we went and put on an excellent performance at Sheffield United and beat Coventry at the weekend,” he added.
“We want to win any match that we can and if that means pulling away from the teams below us and catching the teams above us, then that’s the intent we should go with,” he said.
“We have 18 league games to go and plenty of points to play for and we will go into every one of those games looking to win.
“It will be a good occasion; it’s a good stadium, it will be a decent atmosphere and is fourth against fifth, so there won’t be many bigger games in League One on Tuesday night.”
The game back in September saw the sides share six goals, with North End flying out of the traps into a 3-0 lead after only half an hour, only for the visitors to hit back, with an Eoin Doyle hat-trick earning them a point.
“They gave us a good game at Deepdale earlier on this season, when we were cruising after half an hour, but they played with no fear,” continued the gaffer.
“You always get one team who come up who hang in there and get into the Play-Offs, like Rotherham did last year, and they are in there for a reason.
“They have lost their leading goalscorer to Cardiff, but other players have come into the team and I am sure they will keep their momentum and keep the run going and it is a tough game, but one where we will be going to win it.”
The opening half hour against the Spireites was some of the Lilywhites’ best football of the season and the manager is looking for a repeat in south Yorkshire.
“We played with a real tempo with and without the ball and put them to the sword in the opening half hour at Deepdale, scoring the three goals.
“They then had nothing to lose and afterwards we talked about it and I think we learnt our lesson from it – going on a big winning run after that game.
“We know the powers that they possess, but they will be aware of the qualities we have; they will know we went and put on an excellent performance at Sheffield United and beat Coventry at the weekend,” he added.