Ryan Ledson felt everyone in a Preston North End shirt performed brilliantly to help them rediscover the winning feeling against Blackburn Rovers as the Lilywhites triumphed in the Lancashire derby at Ewood Park.
North End’s No.18 put in a tough-tackling display alongside Ben Whiteman in midfield to help the visitors to earn the three points and the Lancashire derby bragging rights.
Having lost the reverse fixture earlier in the season, Ledson admitted that played a part in the Lilywhites wanting to avenge that result for the club’s supporters.
“If the fans were here it would have been brilliant, but obviously they weren’t,” Ledson told iFollow PNE.
“It’s a great win. It’s always good to beat Blackburn, as we know, and I thought to a man, everyone was brilliant.
“It was [the 3-0 defeat in November] in the back of our minds and always is. To get an early goal settled us right down and we started to play and I thought everyone was brilliant, it’s brilliant to beat them.”
That early goal came from Greg Cunningham, who brought down Alan Browne’s switch of play and finished brilliantly into the far corner.
Ledson’s signing and Cunningham’s initial departure came in quick succession, almost three years ago, but since getting to know the defender better after rejoining the Lilywhites last month, the Liverpudlian midfielder has liked what he’s seen from Greg.
“I’ve been really impressed with Greg since he’s come in the door. He’s trained well, he’s been brilliant, so he deserves that.
“I wasn’t with him when he was first at the club, but he’s been brilliant. We know what Browney is like, he’s picked a great pass out and it was a fantastic goal.”
Ledson provided the assist for the second goal, nodded in by fellow new signing Liam Lindsay, for whom the midfielder also reserved praise.
“I’ve just got to put it into a good area,” he said of the corner. “Big Linds has got himself on the end of it. Again, I thought Linds and everyone was terrific tonight.”
Ched Evans, having won Sky Sports’ man-of-the-match award, was another man who was the subject of positive words from Ledson post-match.
“Ched doesn’t get much off the referees, if I’m being honest. I think he got man-of-the-match tonight, he was tremendous; he’s strong and he gives us a platform to play off.”
In such an important game, Ledson said that the result was all that mattered for the Lilywhites, and they will carry that mantra through into their next game on Tuesday at home to Watford with preparations recommencing later this weekend.
“The last couple of results, we’ve played well, but we don’t want to play well – we want to pick up results, we want to pick up points, that’s what it’s about. Tonight, the three points will definitely help us.
“We’ll enjoy it tonight and have a day off tomorrow and straight back at it on Sunday.”
Watch more from Ryan on iFollow PNE or by clicking the video above.