PNE ready to get going again says Gally

Paul Gallagher hopes the break from action will refresh Preston ahead of their clash with Derby

They do not play again until Tuesday night’s visit to Derby County, that clash having been moved from its original slot this weekend because of the Rams’ FA Cup game against Manchester United.

The North End squad was back in training today after a couple of days’ break, the focus now on the trip to Pride Park.

Midfielder Gallagher told the Evening Post: “We will dust ourselves down from the Brentford game, recover and go again.

“When we win a game, we want to play straight away and try and build on it.

“But maybe these extra few days between matches are what we need.

“We can get one or two injuries cleared up and, who knows, there might be another signing?

“Over the next few days we will work on our approach for the Derby County game.

“With Derby being up there in the table, it will be a tough game but every game in this division is a test.

“People might have thought we wouldn’t get anything from Ipswich the other week but we got the draw.

“On the road we have done quite well this season and it would be nice still to be saying that after playing Derby.”

The 3-1 defeat to Brentford was PNE’s first league reverse of 2016.

Gallagher felt a sense of frustration at parts of their performance but was encouraged that chances were created in the second half.

The stand-in skipper said: “You look back at the game and in the first 20 minutes hardly anything happened, no one wanted to make a mistake.

“At home we need to take matches by the scruff of the neck, dictate play and create more chances.

“Brentford scoring gave us a kick up the backside and we managed to get an equaliser without playing well.

“Their goal just before the interval was crucial.

“In the second half, I thought we got around them a lot better and we were unlucky not to get an equaliser.

“We had gone into the game with plenty of momentum from the run of three league wins and a draw. Saturday was a set-back but we are still looking up the table.”

Anders Lindegaard was due to join the squad today after signing on loan from West Bromwich Albion.

Gallagher has welcomed the keeper’s arrival on the back of losing Sam Johnstone.

“The gaffer reacted quickly to get an experienced keeper in place of Sam,” he said.

“Anders has played for his country and for Manchester United – he’s a good signing.”