Ryan Lowe hails team effort as Preston beat Huddersfield

Posted Wednesday, October 19, 2022 by PA

Preston boss Ryan Lowe acknowledged a good defensive team performance after he saw his side run out 1-0 winners over Huddersfield at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Manchester United loanee Alvaro Fernandez threatened to put the visitors in front with a couple of chances at the end of a low-key first half.

North End sprung to life in the second period and got their goal when Greg Cunningham nodded in Ben Whiteman’s corner at the back post.

Lowe was quick to praise the display following two defeats on the bounce.

He told a press conference: “I thought the football we played first half and then second half to get the goal was fantastic.

“The defenders have been brilliant but it starts from the front, we defend as a team. I thought Emil Riis was fantastic tonight, but people won’t look at his work rate or what he’s done because he didn’t score.

“Those performances are for those who travel all the way, whether it be Norwich or Huddersfield, they earn their hard-earned money to watch us and I love it when we put performances on like that.”

Lowe and his side boast the best defensive record in the league and are now two points behind the play-offs.

He continued: “I believe in this group, like I believed when people said we weren’t scoring. People will probably start calling us boring and ‘Preston only win 1-0’ but it does not matter, there’s a way to win, you find a way.”

Huddersfield did not register a single shot on target throughout the game as visiting keeper Freddie Woodman remained untroubled and defeat means they have already slipped to their ninth loss of the campaign and remain in the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.

Mark Fotheringham took charge of his second home game and admitted there is “a lot of work to do” with his new side.

He said: “We’ve got to start getting back to basics.

“We weren’t really at it and it was a really soft goal to concede again. We just couldn’t click into gear and kind of huffed and puffed. They worked really hard but it was frustrating, in front of our own fans.

“We had good bodies in the box but I don’t think we had any shots on target or troubled their keeper at all. There’s a lot of work to do.”

The fans made their feelings known as a series of boos rang around the stadium following the referee’s final whistle.

Fotheringham continued: “There’s been a real hangover and I can absolutely understand the frustrations after losing to a set-piece, against a side in Preston who have been in poor form recently.”