If only we had brought Ryan Lowe in 10 games earlier, Preston fan John Roper ponders whether new boss could have PNE in the play-offs

We had gone behind to a sloppy goal just after half time but immediately fought our way back and were level just four minutes later with a goal from Cameron Archer.

The game looked to be heading for a draw when Iversen made a world class save late on to keep North End in the game.

It proved to be the catalyst for one final effort from the boys and with just sixty seconds on the clock Emil Riis smashed home the winner from the inside right position to send Deepdale delirious and make up, somewhat, for last week’s heartbreaker at Coventry.

The Cherries had plenty of the ball in the game and played some good football but North End had a game plan and you have to say that over the 90 minutes Ryan Lowe outwitted Scott Parker for a memorable victory.

It took hosts a while to grow into the game as it had done at Coventry and Lowe had an early effort blocked by Hughes.

North End saw out the opening twenty minutes and started to assert themselves with Archer having a chance which he put over the top.

No changes for North End at the interval but with just four minutes gone in the second half the visitors took the lead.

A curling cross from the left hand side and as Hughes left it for Iversen top collect Jamal Lowe nipped in to give Bournemouth the lead.

Conceding the goal galvanised North End and just four minutes later we were level when good work on the right by Johnson saw the ball reach Archer and the on loan Villa man quickly composed himself and slotted in the equaliser to the keeper’s left hand side.

It was the home side in the ascendancy but just lacking that final ball. With two minutes left Phillips looked to have headed the winner for the Cherries but Daniel Iversen leapt like a Salmon to somehow push the ball out for a corner.

It was to be the turning point as just a minute later Riis was put through on the right hand side and smashed a beautiful strike across the keeper and into the far side of the net to give North End all three points and send the crowd wild.

The win was some recompense for last week but it was much more than that in so far as North End, once again, went toe to toe with a top side in the division and came out on top.

We absorbed the pressure early on and got into our stride as the game wore on. All three forwards should take credit too because Evans got through a mountain of work before being replaced by Riis.

I think that takes Ryan Lowe`s record in the league to twenty five points from fifteen games with six wins, seven draws and only two defeats.

That record over a season would give us about 76 points which would be very close to the play offs.

Perhaps when May comes we will look back and say if only we had brought Lowe in 10 games earlier.