Goal was long overdue admits Preston ace Alan Browne

The Irishman ended his drought in spectacular style, scoring with a shot from the centre-circle to complete a 3-0 win over the Bluebirds.

Browne’s last goal had come back in April 2016 against Birmingham City at St Andrews – North End are there on Saturday.

“It was good to get off the mark for this season because my last goal was so long ago,” Browne told the Post.

“Certainly at this level it was the best goal I have scored, no one here has seen me hit one like that.

“Before the goal I thought the referee was going to blow because Jordan Hugill looked offside.

“But it was a second phase of play because he came back to go again.

“The keeper was under a bit of pressure from Jordan and he sliced his kick.

“It fell perfectly to me to hit first time – I think it was John Welsh and Darnell Fisher screaming at me to hit it.

“I struck it well but ones like that can go anywhere, on another night it might have gone out for a throw-in.

“But I meant it and it was something I would have tried at any stage of the game, not just because we were 2-0 up at the time.

“My celebration was the furthest I had probably run all night.”

Adding more goals to his game is something Alex Neil had spoken to Browne about over the last few weeks.

His 124 appearances for Preston have yielded eight goals, with the 22-year-old not finding the net at all last term.

Said Browne: “The gaffer had been talking to me about scoring more.

“I had been getting into the right areas and a few chances had fallen my way, ones which I should have put away.

“It would have been worse I suppose had I not been in the position to get the chances in the first place.”

Browne’s goal ironically came in a game in which he played a deeper role, having been further up the pitch in previous matches.

“I had been playing more as a No.10 which I really enjoyed,” said the ex-Cork City man.

“Due to the injuries Ben Pearson and Daniel Johnson have got, I’ve had to drop back into a more defensive role in the last two games.

“The gaffer wants a high press on the opposition to stop them playing and we have all enjoyed doing that.”

Johnson could return to the squad this weekend, with a return for Pearson possibly coming the following week at home to Millwall.

Darnell Fisher is having a groin injury assessed after coming off against Cardiff.