The first half performance against Barnsley was excellent even taking into account that PNE got lucky with the sending-off and the goal that even Patrick Agyemang admits he knew nothing about and was gifted by an inexperienced goalkeeper.
In the second-half though PNE were quite simply outsmarted. Barnsley had a game-plan, keeping things tight, swamping midfield and preventing Preston getting play out to the flanks and then throwing on another forward late on and going for the win. It very nearly worked and only Carlo Nash's foot prevented them getting at least a point.
It was worrying that the team and/or Paul Simpson failed to respond. Indeed, amazingly Preston have not really got going yet (i.e. there's not been a game in which they have fully convinced for 90 minutes) but they are in third place. I only hope the current luck holds and that when some of the other player options are back (Davidson; Mellor; Ormerod; O'Neil - what's happening with him by the way) things will improve.
I've normally been a fan of Matty Hill but he had a poor game (not helped by slipping all the time) and surely Davidson will be back when fit and he'll be much more solid.
Nugent linked up well tonight I thought but his shooting boots weren't on but I'm confident he'll get goals with more games and as usual Dichio was very good when he got the service and made at least three goal-scoring opportunities.
Nash was excellent as usual and Chilvers is definitely getting better. (Is Lucketti coming back here on loan for cover as most seemed to think the other week? I hope so).
Whaley was man of the match in the first-half and really lively but was denied any service in the second.
"Three points is 3 points" as people point out BUT let's not kid ourselves that there weren't any warning signs!
PS At least the game has stopped the talk about Billy Davies!!
In the second-half though PNE were quite simply outsmarted. Barnsley had a game-plan, keeping things tight, swamping midfield and preventing Preston getting play out to the flanks and then throwing on another forward late on and going for the win. It very nearly worked and only Carlo Nash's foot prevented them getting at least a point.
It was worrying that the team and/or Paul Simpson failed to respond. Indeed, amazingly Preston have not really got going yet (i.e. there's not been a game in which they have fully convinced for 90 minutes) but they are in third place. I only hope the current luck holds and that when some of the other player options are back (Davidson; Mellor; Ormerod; O'Neil - what's happening with him by the way) things will improve.
I've normally been a fan of Matty Hill but he had a poor game (not helped by slipping all the time) and surely Davidson will be back when fit and he'll be much more solid.
Nugent linked up well tonight I thought but his shooting boots weren't on but I'm confident he'll get goals with more games and as usual Dichio was very good when he got the service and made at least three goal-scoring opportunities.
Nash was excellent as usual and Chilvers is definitely getting better. (Is Lucketti coming back here on loan for cover as most seemed to think the other week? I hope so).
Whaley was man of the match in the first-half and really lively but was denied any service in the second.
"Three points is 3 points" as people point out BUT let's not kid ourselves that there weren't any warning signs!
PS At least the game has stopped the talk about Billy Davies!!
