Preston claimed another win this afternoon, beating Hull City 1-0 at the MKM Stadium to continue the fine form under Ryan Lowe.
North End sealed all three points in the second half as Cameron Archer clinically finished off a fine Ben Whiteman pass.
Lowe’s men saw the game out perfectly, meaning North End have suddenly moved up to four points off the playoff places.
A top six finish still seems to be a pipe dream, especially considering the calibre of clubs between Preston and the playoff spots.
Yet it feels otherworldly to even be talking about this just over two months on from Lowe’s arrival as North End boss.
Lowe came in at such a low ebb for Preston fans. Defeat to Blackburn Rovers meant that North End had lost both derby games this season. We don’t really need to talk about that Blackpool defeat.
Fans were disconnected, completely bereft of confidence or belief in a North End side that looked rudderless both on and off the pitch.
Fast forward a couple of months and the entire mood around Preston has changed – and that’s largely down to Lowe.
Lowe has stated repeatedly that he wanted to bring positivity back to Preston, but few would have expected him to do it so quickly.
The former Plymouth Argyle boss has been positive with his words, making it clear that Preston have nothing to fear against anybody in the Championship.
For too long, it has felt like North End have been reactive, focusing too much on what the opponents can do.
Whilst Lowe has gameplans set up for each game, he has been strong pushing that the focus is on Preston; what Preston can do, why the opposition should be scared of Preston.
The words in the press translate to the performances on the pitch, with North End now looking like a side who will never say die.
Late goals against Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion show that, away wins at Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion and now Hull show that Preston aren’t afraid on the road.
Lowe’s league record at Preston now stands at four wins, four draws and just the one defeat. Relegation is no longer even on the radar, with some fans instead looking towards the top six.
That may seem unlikely, but you can hardly blame Preston fans for dreaming after this superb start from Lowe.