Preston North End

Joe Garner’s second half header have the Lilywhites the three points and after the game the gaffer told PNE PlayerHD he felt that his side had thoroughly deserved the win.

“It was a very good performance against a very good team,” he said. “They have some very talented individuals and collectively I thought there were a lot of really good performances in our team. 

“I thought we defended well and it is very pleasing that there were no shots on target with the players that they’ve got. We looked a threat with the energy that we had and it is a big scalp for us. We are delighted to get three points and another clean sheet as well.

“It was a cracking game and them bringing 5,500 was part of the atmosphere. It was a proper atmosphere and that’s why we worked so hard to get to the Championship. I am delighted with what we’ve done; that we sent out supporters home happy and not theirs.

“We had the better chances in the first half. Joe had a good header saved by Westwood and Clarkey had a good opportunity. 

“In the second half we thought we had to pass it a little bit better, a little bit shorter and that would hopefully create a few more chances. We tried to utilise the spare man in midfield and as the game wore on we did that and the sending off helped us as well.”

North End’s No.14 grabbed the headlines with his first goal since mid-December and the manager described his forward as the side’s ‘talisman’.

“Sometimes you have players in the team and you think they are not contributing and not getting the goals then you sometimes have to take them out of the team, but you don’t do that with Garns because he is a talisman with how he works, how he holds the ball up for us and what he does for the team,” continued the PNE boss.

“He has a nice little understanding with Reachy at the moment and I am delighted for Joe, because he has deserved that. 

“His header first half was a real good save and hopefully that is the start of a run for him.”