Johnny Kenny reaction as he scores his first two goals for Preston North End and praise from Jason Euell
A good day on a personal level, but a disappointing one for the team.
Johnny Kenny bagged a brace for Preston North End in their 2-2 draw with QPR on Saturday.
Kenny, who signed from Celtic on deadline day for around £3m, scored his first two goals for the club in the opening half an hour, the first coming 23 seconds after kick off. However, 10-man QPR came from two goals down to equalise late in the day.
Talking through his two goals, Kenny said: “I just saw it when it bounced, I had a chance of nicking it and luckily I got the nick on it and could put it away, it was good to get off the mark.”
“I know I can score from tight angles,” he added when talking about his second, “all I need is half a yard in the box and I can get strikes away.”
Reflecting on the game itself, Kenny said: “A really frustrating afternoon. To have such an advantage - two goals in any game, especially against ten men, you need to hold out, you need to win the game. It wasn’t good enough in the end.”
The striker admits the departure of Paul Heckingbottom has been ‘really difficult’ to process as a new signing.
“It’s not what any player wants coming into a football club, and the manager is leaving two weeks later, but it’s a results business and still today we haven’t got the result we need to get and deserve.”
Interim manager and former Premier League striker Jason Euell was really happy with Kenny’s goals, and was asked by the Lancashire Post about his fearlessness in front of goal.
“That's always important,” Euell said, “the way it's played to strikers now is that you can't always get the perfect opportunity.
“Sometimes you just have to create a half a yard to get your shot off. You're shooting between legs, so with him, he really is that sort of instinctive striker and if you don't shoot, you don't score.
“Sometimes when you get those shots off, you're creating opportunities for somebody else. It could be a deflection that rolls to someone else or it goes out from a corner.
“It's always good to be thinking half a yard shot, half a yard shot. I'm pleased that he's got his goals today.”