Neil’s boys put record straight in the capital
PRESTON boss Alex Neil was in dreamland after three of his players broke their scoring duck for the club.
And the Scot can also smile now he can see light at the end of the injury tunnel.
The Lilywhites crushed dismal QPR with Jayden Stockley, Jordan Storey and Brad Potts all getting their first goals for Preston.
Alan Browne weighed in with a ninth of the season in a performance that made a mockery of the visitors’ lowly league position.
Neil said: “You saw Ben Davies, Ben Pearson and Sean Maguire out there.
“We have had quality players missing and are a different proposition with them. We fully deserved to win, clinical finishing puts a shine on the performance.
“There were very good finishes and it was nice to have the three boys getting their first goals. Jayden is a targetman but you saw he is decent with his feet too.
“And it was nice for young Jordan to get a crucial goal at a crucial time and Pottsy doing what he does.
“We will be even better when we get everyone back.
“Today was a reminder of last season when we almost got in the play-offs.
“I haven’t really had selection problems until now – whoever was fit played and now I am starting to have choices.”
Preston took the lead thanks to a terrible blunder from Josh Scowen, who was dispossessed by Browne before the loose ball was swept in by Stockley.
Preston doubled their lead in the 68th minute. Paul Gallagher floated in a free-kick from the right and from Davies’ flick Storey poked the ball into the far corner.
Regular QPR sub Matt Smith got one back shortly after Browne’s header for number three – but Potts sealed the win with the fourth in the 87th minute.
Rangers boss Steve McClaren said: “I couldn’t see that coming, we have to slink away and lick our wounds – and we will want a reaction in the FA Cup at Portsmouth next week.
“You always get bad days at the office and that was one of them.”