Preston North End manager Simon Grayson was delighted for Stevie May after he marked his first start for 18 months with his first goal in Lilywhites colours.
The Scot scored the equalising goal just before half-time with a lovely curling effort into the top right hand corner from the edge of the ‘D’, which ultimately gave the home side a point in their final outing at Deepdale in the 2016/17 season.
Speaking to PNE PlayerHD after the game, the manager was pleased that the No.21 had taken his chance: “Stevie has been working very hard in training and he has had to be patient waiting for this opportunity, given the form of the other forward players we have in the squad.
“He has waited and I felt today was a good opportunity to get him into the team and it is never easy when you have not played for so long to pick up the reins again, but he showed his class by dropping into space and executing a fantastic shot.
“I am really pleased for him, because he has worked really hard to get back and he is probably the one who is most disappointed that the season is coming to an end, as he would like many more games.”
The game itself was one of two halves from the PNE perspective, something the gaffer acknowledged post match: “We wanted to finish the home season in a positive manner, try and put on a performance like we have had on many occasions this season at Deepdale,” he continued. “Unfortunately, we started the game slowly and really never recovered until Stevie scored the good goal that he did.
“I was disappointed with the performance in the first half. With the ball we were too slow in possession, without the ball we didn’t stop the opposition for playing and we looked very ponderous, which is not really what we have been about all season.
“In the second half at least we had a bit more fight in our belly, asked questions and we looked like the only team who were trying to win the game and that’s what we wanted to do.”
In the end the home side were unlucky not to come away with the win, substitute Simon Makienok twice going close late on to giving North End the win.
“We were trying everything to win it; different personnel, different systems and we were the only team asking questions of the opposition, which we really had wanted to do first half.
“It probably epitomised the game today when we hit the cross bar and it bounced straight back into the goalkeeper’s hands.
“We know we have had a good season; it was disappointing to finish at Deepdale the way we did today, but we will try and go and get three points at Molineux next week,” added Simon.
Speaking to PNE PlayerHD after the game, the manager was pleased that the No.21 had taken his chance: “Stevie has been working very hard in training and he has had to be patient waiting for this opportunity, given the form of the other forward players we have in the squad.
“He has waited and I felt today was a good opportunity to get him into the team and it is never easy when you have not played for so long to pick up the reins again, but he showed his class by dropping into space and executing a fantastic shot.
“I am really pleased for him, because he has worked really hard to get back and he is probably the one who is most disappointed that the season is coming to an end, as he would like many more games.”
The game itself was one of two halves from the PNE perspective, something the gaffer acknowledged post match: “We wanted to finish the home season in a positive manner, try and put on a performance like we have had on many occasions this season at Deepdale,” he continued. “Unfortunately, we started the game slowly and really never recovered until Stevie scored the good goal that he did.
“I was disappointed with the performance in the first half. With the ball we were too slow in possession, without the ball we didn’t stop the opposition for playing and we looked very ponderous, which is not really what we have been about all season.
“In the second half at least we had a bit more fight in our belly, asked questions and we looked like the only team who were trying to win the game and that’s what we wanted to do.”
In the end the home side were unlucky not to come away with the win, substitute Simon Makienok twice going close late on to giving North End the win.
“We were trying everything to win it; different personnel, different systems and we were the only team asking questions of the opposition, which we really had wanted to do first half.
“It probably epitomised the game today when we hit the cross bar and it bounced straight back into the goalkeeper’s hands.
“We know we have had a good season; it was disappointing to finish at Deepdale the way we did today, but we will try and go and get three points at Molineux next week,” added Simon.