Preston North End made it six wins in a row with their fourth consecutive 2-1 home victory.
Despite Birmingham City taking the lead, Ryan Lowe’s side turned the game on it’s head with recent signing Milutin Osmajic grabbing the winner.
The Lilywhites remain top of the Championship with Ipswich Town breathing down their necks.
Not pretty but another three points
The 2-1 score line at Deepdale is becoming very familiar now, but it does make it a nervous watch. Preston had already come back from a goal down to Swansea City earlier in the season and they would have to do it again against The Blues.
Jay Stansfield gave them the lead early in the second half after some slack defending. North End hadn’t created much in the first half and it looked like it could be difficult to get back into the match.
Step forward Krystian Bielik. The Polish midfielder powered a header past his own goalkeeper which hauled Preston back into the match. It was a good corner from Alan Browne but there were none of his teammates near the ball. A lifeline for the team and they made it count.
Osmajic up and running
Preston could then smell blood and with the impressive run we were on, the fans sensed three points was now up for grabs.
Milutin Osmajic was having a quiet game but the best of strikers come to life when it matters. After some superb work from Alan Browne who glided through the middle of the park he released the Montenegrin striker.
It seemed like he was too wide to get a meaningful shot away but he struck a thunderbolt through the legs of John Ruddy sending the Town End into pandemonium.
Osmajic was clearly delighted as well tearing off his shirt when celebrating and duly picking up a yellow card. Scoring the match winner on his second game will be a huge boost to him. Well and truly announced himself to the fans in the best way possible.
A captain’s performance
Preston weren’t at their fluid best on Tuesday night and Birmingham were enjoying a lot more of the ball. Saturday’s man of the match Liam Millar was struggling to get into the game and the diagonal balls weren’t paying off.
Alan Browne got Preston back into the game via his corner and continued to push forward to find a winner. Even when the defence who were sloppy at times today, were struggling, he was there to mop up the mess.
The nutmeg of Ivan Sunjic was lovely. He then touched it past Dion Sanderson with ease before releasing Osmajic to do the rest. It was a bit of quality that won the game. It’s what we all know Browne can do and we would love to see it more regularly.
Hughes needed in the back three
Andrew Hughes had to settle for a place in the bench on Tuesday after coming off with a knock against Plymouth Argyle.
Jack Whatmough replaced him in the side with Liam Lindsay shifting over to the left. Along with Jordan Storey the trio didn’t seem as comfortable as we have done in previous games. The passing from out the back also wasn’t up to scratch.
For the goal Whatmough sold himself too early before Lindsay made a hash of it when he looked set to dispossess Jay Stansfield. It was a great finish from Stansfield and just as his namesake Lisa said he could be ‘the real thing’.
Whatmough was too relaxed and lost the ball shortly after the goal before being replaced by Hughes. The Welshman brings calmness to the defence and is also strong going forward and linking up on the left.
Depth to this squad will be key
I mentioned it on Saturday but the depth that Ryan Lowe now has available to him is without doubt the strongest it’s been of his tenure.
He decided to change things just before we scored when Hughes and Robbie Brady were ready to come on. They both did despite the goal and the two left footers are experienced players at this level. Although Brady did lose the ball far too many times his game management can help us.
Mads Frokjær has provided legs at a much needed time in the last two games and we all know the quality Ben Whiteman has. Ryan Ledson and Ali McCann have barely put a foot wrong in recent weeks but you’d imagine Lowe will get Whiteman back in the first eleven soon enough.
The fact we’ve managed this incredible run with Ched Evans and Emil Riis out injured is very surprising. A huge credit goes to Will Keane for a lot of that run and then even without him Osmajic who doesn’t even speak the language has stepped up to the plate.
This is all going far too well. Tuesdays performance was probably a typical type of display we were used to seeing last season. However last season we weren’t winning those sort of games.
North End travel to Rotherham United on Saturday and will be followed by a sold out away end. They will fancy their chances against a Millers side who have only picked up four points this season.
Whenever we have been top of the league at this level in the past it doesn’t usually last this long. We’re even winning when we’re not playing well which is what all great teams do right? We’re still top and the momentum continues to build.
Bring on Saturday.