Eleven points from the last five games suggests we are back playing the kind of football we played in the early season – as I am sure a well-beaten Bristol City side will confirm.

North End won very comfortably in the end, on a cold, foggy evening at Deepdale.

They produced an assured performance, particularly from the back five and the ever-dangerous Ross Wallace.

For once, we only started at a fairly even pace, and I thought the Robins' best spell of the game was in the first 20 minutes, with Lonergan being called into action several times.

After Mellor's unfortunate departure, due to a clattering injury, we were soon in the lead as Sedgwick fed Wallace on the left and the wee fella's cross found Elliott just in front of the defender to score with a classy finish.

North End continued to generally dictate play, and although Lonergan was twice called into serious action, we went in at half-time in buoyant mood.

The second half started where the first half ended, and as North End seemed to be finding more and more room it was no surprise when we went two up via a doubly deflected Wallace shot.

Elliott (twice) and substitute Parkin had great chances to extend North End's lead, but a mixture of good keeping and poor finishing kept the score down to two.

Gary Johnson can have no complaints as his side were well beaten on the night.

But for Alan Irvine, things are certainly on the up at the moment.

Another pleasing point was the atmosphere created on Saturday evening, which I thought was the best for some weeks.

It's not the time of year to be discussing play-offs and league positions, as this is one of the tightest sections I have ever known.

Suffice to say, that at the moment everything at Deepdale is looking ship-shape and Bristol fashion.