John Roper’s Preston North End Fans’ Panel verdict: Three points away from an automatic promotion spot!

Preston had to show both sides of their game which started very much like a game of chess but eventually opened out to see Alan Browne and Tom Barkhuizen score the goals that gave them their third consecutive win on the road and made it 13 points from the last 15 available.

Both sides started off not want to give any ground but it was the home side who edged the first half with North End keeper Rudd making two excellent saves to keep the Potters out. In the second half North End got that vitally important first goal and from then on, even though Stoke had plenty of the ball, we never looked like we were going to lose and when the second goal went in the home supporters started to drift off as Preston defended resolutely to bring the points back up the M6.

Alex Neil decided to stick with the starting XI that did the job at the DW Stadium and PNE started the game quite well. The midfield battle between Joe Allen and Ben Pearson was always going to be worth the watch and we were not disappointed in that repect.

North End started brightly enough but the game soon got very cagey with Stoke having ten men behind the ball and PNE playing out very conservatively from the back.

Stoke had two good chances in the first half with a shot from the dangerous Campbell and a header at the back post from Chester.

Fortunately for North End, Declan Rudd was at the top of his form and saved superbly on both occasions to keep the home side out, while at the other end we had chances through Barkhuizen and Sinclair but both shot wide when they really should have done much better.

No changes at half-time for North End but we did seem to come out with a more attacking intent as the second half got under way.

Browne seemed to turn his ankle and was struggling for a while however he had shaken the knock off on the hour-mark as a corner from the right eventually found its way to him through a crowd of players and he made no mistake smashing the ball home from close range.

The first goal was always going to be important and so it proved as Preston created more chances.

With a quarter of an hour to go Barkhuizen wrapped up the game from close range to spark wild celebrations in front of the 1,002 travelling North End fans, who once again made plenty of noise cheering the boys on.

Stoke did their best and threw everything at us but there was no way past our defence with Ben Davies, once again, being outstanding on the night.

There was a little spat between Pearson and McClean, which was hardly unexpected, with both receiving yellow cards as the game got a little fractious but it was all to no avail from a home perspective as we were home and dry with the points in the bag.

So a week on the road has seen PNE gain maximum points and with the away games played now equalling the number of home games played no one can argue that the league table is not representative of North End’s true position.

With 14 games to go we are just three points behind the team in second place and anyone would have taken that at the start of the season.

They are all big games between now and the end of the season and Preston must make home advantage count with trips to West Bromwich, Fulham, Brentford and Bristol City still to come.

We have certainly done the business in the last three away games and this performance at Stoke was no different with the team having to show its undoubted defensive prowess along with the counter attacking at the other end.

No one should need reminding of the importance of the next two home games against Millwall and Hull City and every extra fan inside Deepdale will make the boys job that much easier.