Ryan Ledson felt the doggedness in Preston North End’s display was a key factor in their impressive 1-0 away win at Luton Town.
Brad Potts volleyed home an incredible match-winner with a stylish scissor kick inside the opening 20 minutes and the visitors saw out the game admirably from there to secure their first Championship win of the season.
The midfielder – one of two changes in the starting line-up from the previous weekend’s Championship clash against Hull City – was delighted with the win.
Ryan told iFollow PNE: “We’re absolutely made up in there. We all know what happened when we came here last time and it’s important that we put that right.
“I thought the lads today were brilliant, got the first goal with Pottsy, it’s an outstanding finish. We just dug in there, we dug deep and you’ve got to when you come to places like this. It’s just a great win and we’re ready to kick on now.
“I said there in the changing room, I think we looked solid, we do. Even on Tuesday night, we looked solid, with Pat [Bauer] and Greg [Cunningham] coming in, we were unlucky to concede.
“I think that’s got to be the platform, we’ve got to have clean sheets and I know we’ll score at the top end of the pitch.”
Ledson praised the quality throughout the squad, particularly that of the wing backs, with the starters on either side at Kenilworth Road – Robbie Brady on the left and Potts on the right – combining for the only goal.
“To be fair, he [Potts] should have had one in the week with a scissor kick in the week against Huddersfield and then obviously he got his goal.
“That’s what he can bring when he’s at right wing back, he’s a goalscorer. Keep getting him in the box and he can finish, great strike on him. I’m so made up for him.
“You’ve got Robbie, you’ve got Alvaro [Fenandez] as well, which he proved in the week as well. I think that’s important for us to get both wing backs up, obviously Pottsy at the back stick coming from the opposite wing back. I think that’s something that we worked on and it worked a treat.”
Ryan Lowe’s set-up saw an additional midfielder in from the off with Ali McCann playing off lone striker Troy Parrott, which is a tactic Ledson believes can continue to serve the side well.
“It just gives us another option, me and Ben [Whiteman] sitting in there with two No.10s and then a lone striker,” Ledson continued.
“I think in this division, I think that’s a good formation to have, especially when you come to places like here. You’ve got to be dogged, you’ve got to win your tackles, you’ve got to win your second balls and I think we did that today and that’s why we’ve won the game.”
Ledson hopes the side can now look to build on their unbeaten start to the season with another positive result when Rotherham United visit Deepdale on Tuesday evening.
“They’re [Rotherham] going to be a tough side, a tough game. Under the lights, Tuesday night at Deepdale, it’s brilliant, isn’t it?
"Hopefully we can get a good crowd there and we can get really up for it. Let’s put a run together now and start getting up that table.
“In the week, it really gave us a confidence boost. Going to a Championship team away and winning 4-1 I think gives you the belief and confidence to say, ‘we’re right in the mix here and we can have a go.’”
Watch more from Ryan on iFollow PNE.