Preston North End

The North End boss spoke to PNE PlayerHD after his side made it five points from nine and three consecutive shut outs and felt his side more than deserved the scoreline on their first visit to the AMEX Community Stadium.

“Nobody said it was going to be easy coming to the league leaders against a team with a lot of quality in it, but today we have shown a lot of good attributes,” said the gaffer. 

“We have worked really hard as a team, we had a good shape about us, we kept the ball when we needed to and looked comfortable in possession and we also had a couple of half decent opportunities to win the game as well. 

“We have had a fantastic week with three clean sheets and five points out of nine.”

The yellows could have been even better off had they been awarded what was a stonewall penalty after only eight minutes, with Lewis Dunk lucky not to have collected a red card as well having brought down Jordan Hugill when clean through.

“There was a good shout for a penalty,” continued the PNE boss. “At the start both players were ‘at it’, but once they were into the box the other lad was still at it and brought Jordan down, so on another day that could quite easily have been a penalty going our way and a red card. 

“Garns had two great chances late on, one cleared off the line and the other he probably caught too well, but we looked a threat and we are delighted with the performance.

“Jordan made a save when he was called upon, but we saw the game out well. We managed them well and we kept the ball and took the sting out of the game and attacked when we had the opportunity. 

“To come here and quieten the crowd and stop a team who are top of the team and full of confidence was a real positive.”

And after a week away in the south east the manager felt the whole squad deserved credit for their efforts: “When you are without the players we are it is great to see players step into the side and put in the performances they have – credit should go to all of them,” he added.