Dan’s the man again
PRESTON’S stroll towards a place in the play-offs turned into a stutter as Alex Neil’s men breathed a sigh of relief at full-time.
Leading 2-0 and with midfield masters Ben Pearson and Daniel Johnson pulling the strings it appeared a case of just how many goals they would win by.
But Wigan boss Paul Cook – who had masterminded a shock victory at Leeds last weekend – almost pulled another rabbit out of the hat when he introduced youngster Joe Gelhardt off the bench.
Suddenly Preston found themselves under the cosh with Gelhardt calmly lobbing into a packed box for defender Chey Dunkley to pounce for his seventh goal of the season. But North End survived, Gelhardt forcing keeper Declan Rudd into a smart save in the dying minutes, to leave the famous old club dreaming of the Premier League.
Neil said: “We showed great mental strength and that’s the biggest thing that gets you believing whether you can do it or not. I think in the past we have half-believed – but not really.
And if we’ve got any chance of getting into the play-offs they have to fully believe and why shouldn’t they?
“That’s something we need to instil more and more as the games go by. The last 10 games will dictate things because that’s when pressure kicks in and we haven’t dealt well with pressure in the past in terms of expectancy. If you don’t want that pressure as a player you shouldn’t be playing.”
The opening Preston goal after just six minutes was a North End masterclass, created and finished with stunning perfection.
Pearson was always looking to supply the killer pass and he did just that with a ball inside the full-back for Johnson to cross for Tom Barkhuizen who steered home.
As Wigan wobbled Neil’s side should have been out of sight with a glancing header from Sean
Maguire producing an acrobatic stop from David Marshall while Scott Sinclair – with the goal at his mercy following another precise pass from Pearson – could only slice wide.
It didn’t prove costly as Wigan were once again caught out just after the break through another a swift counter attack. Alan Browne and Barkhuizen combined to set up the lively Johnson who hammered past Marshall from around the penalty spot.
Cook had seen enough and abandoned his three at the back formation with a double substitution including wonderkid Gelhardt.
It was too little too late, and Cook said: “It was very disappointing. It was the poorest performance for a long time. Young Joe gave us a lift and we almost nicked a draw, one we wouldn’t have deserved.”