Ryan Lowe said he was massively pleased for everyone at the club after the 2-1 victory over Leeds United, including the fans who he praised as “different class”.
After the visitors went down to ten men in the 53rd minute, North End took the lead through Alan Browne, who headed home Liam Millar’s cross.
Leeds levelled from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute, though, but Millar had the final say with an incredible strike to earn all three points for the Lilywhites.
Ryan said: “I’m massively pleased for the boys and the staff.
“It’s tough when you don’t win games of football and the results aren’t going your way, but the staff work tirelessly hard to put the gameplans to the boys, and then the boys go work even harder to go and execute it.
“Today we knew we had to get back to being a little bit more like us: resolute, solid and hard to beat. The challenges had to be right, the structure and the shape had to be right, pressing had to be right, and they got it down to a tee against a fantastic team in Leeds.
“To go a goal up was really pleasing. It’s a fantastic cross from Liam, and Browney’s header from getting in them areas [is pleasing].
“We give him the licence to get further forward in that shape. To concede the penalty is disappointing of course, but then the lads showed the reaction right afterwards to go and get the winner from Liam Millar, so overall massively pleased.”
There was an incredible noise inside Deepdale all afternoon long, as all four sides of the stadium were sold out.
As the teams went into the break goalless, the PNE players were greeted by a huge showing of support – a metaphorical push to continue the promising level of performance into the second half.
Ryan said: “I’m just massively pleased for everyone, the fans included. I thought the fans were different class today.
“In my programme notes and the interviews over the last few days I’ve said about making this a fortress and a sell out.
“To get roared off at half-time, I used it at half-time to the players. I said, ‘Look, there you go, they’ve given you that roar, let’s go out and roar again because they’re with us and backing us.’
“I know we have to do our bit on the pitch. I get that. But that’s what it brings. A full house like that when the big teams are in town, that’s how we perform.
“It’s alright doing it against Leeds but we’ve got to go again now against another good team [on Friday against Sheffield Wednesday] and we’ve got to make sure we recover the lads right and go and do something similar.”