Frankie McAvoy felt his side were ‘magnificent’ as they became the first team this season to defeat AFC Bournemouth in the Championship.
North End took all three points from the Vitality Stadium thanks to goals from midfield duo Ben Whiteman and Ali McCann, the latter scoring his first for the club to win the game.
Speaking to iFollow about his team’s performance, Frankie said: “I'm absolutely delighted with them. We work really hard with them, they give us everything and I cannot ask any more of them.
“Sometimes we’ve had bad days at the office where the results haven’t gone our way, but I think tonight they’ve showed that when we put our mind to it, we’re not bad and we can be formidable.
“I said in the press conference before that anybody is capable of beating anybody in this league when you’re on your game. If you prepare yourselves as best as you can, then you’ve got a chance.
“I think all credit [should go] to the players because it’s easy for myself and the backroom team to set us up in the way that we think we can go and get the points or do our best to get them, but they need to carry it out and I felt tonight they were magnificent.
“I’m so delighted for them and hopefully we’re prepared and ready. We’ll try and do the exact same against Forest and try and win there.”
North End were backed by around 300 supporters who made the long journey south on a Wednesday evening to be in the away end.
Frankie devoted the victory against the league leaders to the whole of Preston but to those fans in particular.
He said: “I felt the fans were magnificent, absolutely brilliant. It’s some trek for these people to come all the way down here on a Wednesday night, it’s not easy, and I want to dedicate that win to them because they were magnificent.
“I’ve said to you before, they’re fantastic. There’s nothing better than seeing the players getting the adulation from the supporters, but I could hear them all night. I felt they were magnificent.
“Credit to them for coming here on the night. It’s some journey on a Wednesday night all the way down here against the league leaders and probably not a lot of people would have given us any chance of winning, but I’ve got full faith and belief and trust in the group, and I knew we’d be capable and I’m delighted that they’ve managed to go and win that and all credit to them.”
PNE went ahead through Whiteman relatively early in the second half, but were pegged back when Philip Billing equalised on 60 minutes.
McCann then earned the three points, slotting home after good work from Emil Riis, who then could have put North End two ahead, being denied one-on-one by goalkeeper Mark Travers.
At the other end, Daniel Iversen was called into action on a few occasions, but a double save in particular will be remembered, as he somehow got up to save a rebound from Jamal Lowe just six yards out.
“I just feel that the players deserve immense credit,” said Frankie, “because it’s not easy at times and we’d watched a few games at how teams played against Bournemouth and we felt the best way to do it was the way we set up today and thankfully we managed to win it.
“It was two great goals from our point of view as well, and then the opportunity with Emil going through can maybe put a wee bit of icing on the cake.
“We needed Daniel when he was called upon and I felt the defenders to a man were excellent. You don’t win it with ten, I’ve said this before, it’s about the group and the group have had a few knocks in the past few weeks but that’s the making of a good squad.
“They can come back from a wee bit of adversity and I was absolutely delighted for everybody connected with Preston tonight.”
Hear more from Frankie on iFollow PNE.