Hopefully the worst is behind Preston North End after a positive week

It’s been tough to follow North End over the last few weeks, on the pitch and off it. Performances have not been great, shots on target have been at a premium and the frustration and toxicity in the stands has only grown and grown.

But this week, things have changed. It seems such a simple solution too – just play well eh! Why didn’t they think of it sooner?

I jest of course, but in all seriousness, the improved performance against Coventry City was a real boost for everybody concerned,

It was a performance which saw Ryan Lowe’s side play on the front foot, create chances and do the little things right such as crisp first touches, exciting moments of dribbling and attempting killer balls.

It sounds so obvious and basic when it’s written out but that really was all that was being asked for.

North End sufferers are not stupid, they know they will not win every game, some likely won’t even expect them to win half of their games, but they want something to enjoy, as do most football fans.

There are players in the Preston side that are more than capable of entertaining in different ways. Alvaro Fernandez and Daniel Johnson wowed with the technical side of their game whilst Alan Browne and Ched Evans battled their way through the match in wholehearted fashion.

PNE are now aided by the return of some more first team players, with Ben Whiteman back after serving a three-match ban and Robbie Brady back after one. They’re two influential players when playing at their best so it only strengthens Lowe’s hand.

Another huge area of positivity can come from the exploits of the academy side in Thursday’s FA Youth Cup quarter final defeat to Southampton. Whilst they may have been beaten, their performance was excellent and they were very much the better side.

They were appreciated for that fact too. Sides don’t have to win, just be committed, play forward and press well. That’s what they did. Everyone who played on the night had reason to be proud of themselves.

Noah Mawene in the middle of the park as captain but in a performance that should see him pushing for a place in the first team squad, he was a step above his peers when driving with the ball. Josh Seary and Jacob Slater look good options out wide with determination to get forward and deliver the ball into the box.

Finlay Cross-Adair and Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile are both willing runners – though it was a relatively quiet night for the pair – with Kaedyn Kamara and Kitt Nelson both doing fantastic but different roles in the midfield.

Finlay Wallbank, Kian Best and the pace of Kian Taylor kept Southampton relatively quiet until subs disrupted the backline and all are accomplished on the ball, with Tommy Davis in goal the same.

There’s so much to be positive about with the youth side and the opportunities they should hopefully get. And that is without mentioning Lewis Leigh, Dana Amaral, Aaron Bennett and Lewis Coulton who are also promising talents.

It’s been a good week for PNE, a win at Watford would cap things off nicely.