Graham Alexander praised his Preston North End side's 'top-notch' mentality after they battled to a 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion. The result at Deepdale on Saturday gave the Lilywhites their first point under the new manager and a vital boost in their fight for Championship survival, a fight that sees them 24th in the Championship with just four points from 11 games, having recorded only one win and one draw all season.
Andrew Hughes headed the hosts into a 78th-minute lead from a Leo Leroy corner, but Norwegian substitute Aune Heggebo levelled for the Baggies just four minutes later. The match was played in wet and windy conditions, with both goalkeepers kept busy throughout an entertaining contest.
"I thought the players, how they approached it was absolutely top-notch," Alexander told reporters. The manager highlighted the team's commitment, saying they "ran their socks off for each other" and imposed their attacking style on a side chasing promotion. He stressed that attitude and resilience are more important than quality alone for a squad in their position.
Chances at both ends
Preston started brightly, with Johnny Kenny forcing a low save from West Brom keeper Max O'Leary inside two minutes. Kenny was involved again early in the second half, setting up Delano Burgzorg for another stop. At the other end, Daniel Iversen made a series of important saves for Preston, tipping an Isaac Price strike onto the post shortly before Heggebo's equaliser. West Brom's Carlos Corberan was left frustrated, stating his team's first-half performance was not at the required level and that they failed to capitalise on their periods of dominance, which he said has been a recurring issue in recent away games.
The draw leaves Preston rooted to the bottom of the Championship table with just four points from 11 games. Their recent form reads five matches without a win, a run that includes heavy defeats to Wrexham and Birmingham. They have conceded 24 goals this season, the leakiest defence in the division, and sit a daunting 21 points behind leaders Middlesbrough. Their recent form over the last five games stands at zero wins, two draws and three losses, a sequence that began with a 2-2 draw at QPR and includes the 4-1 loss at Wrexham where Alfie Devine scored their solitary goal. Alexander acknowledged the table makes for grim reading but insisted the performance against a top side is a step forward.
Alexander will hope the spirit shown against West Brom can be a foundation when they face their next fixture away to Stoke City on Saturday 31 October. He referenced Alfie Devine's goal in the recent loss to Wrexham as an example of the attacking intent he demands.
Further reading: lep.co.uk
