GALLAGHER AND STYLE Neil’s boys keep pressure on leaders

HUDDERSFIELD’S sevenmatch unbeaten run came crashing to a halt after they were “blitzed” by Alex Neil’s Preston.

Jayden Stockley, Alan Browne and skipper Paul Gallagher did the damage at Deepdale as in-form Preston kept the pressure on leaders West Brom.

Juninho Bacuna pulled a goal back but the midfielder’s fourth goal in seven games came little too late for the misfiring Terriers.

“We were very good,” said Neil (above). We carried out the game plan very well. We always try and blitz teams when they come here for the first 15-20 minutes to get on top. It worked for our first goal, but they didn’t really trouble us.”

Preston took just four minutes to draw first blood when Gallagher’s thunderbolt freekick struck the right post but Stockley was on hand to head home the opener. Sean Maguire had a shot blocked in the box as the hosts pressed for a second before Stockley dragged a left- foot shot just wide of the target.

North End’s Ryan Ledson was lucky to stay on the pitch for a studs-up tackle on Tommy Elphick, the challenge making sure the Huddersfield centre-back limped off early.

The Lilywhites then doubled their lead when Browne timed his run to perfection to tap in at the back post from Tom Barkhuizen’s deep cross. And

PRESTON HUDDERSFIELD 4 ......... Shots on Target .........1 10........ Shots off Target ........3 12 ................ Corners ................4 11 ....................Fouls ................ 17 6 .................Offsides.................1 56.7...Passing Success % . 71.2 231 ..........Total Passes....... 393 37.8 ...... Possession % ....62.2 59.1 .... Territorial Adv %.40.9 the third came when defender Terence Kongolo, playing his first game after a long injury layoff, handled Barkhuizen’s cross.

Gallagher made no mistake from the spot for his second goal in as many games.

Bacuna scored with a superb solo goal to hand his side a potential 74th minute lifeline in the game. And although substitute Alex Pritchard saw a goalbound shot cleared off the line by Browne and Bacuna lashed into the side netting, the fightback came too late.

Huddersfield never looked like ending a dismal winless run in league games at Preston stretching back to 1969

Frustrated Terriers boss Danny Cowley, who was booked for arguing with referee Geoff Eltringham, said: “The challenge ( by Ledson) was reckless. It was a sending-off.

“But you have to give credit to Preston, who were excellent.

“They were direct, played with purpose and they outfought us. We weren’t able to cope with that.”