Paul Heckingbottom: How Preston North End fought back after 'brain freeze' to beat Sheffield United 3-2
Daniel Jebbison netted the winning goal on Friday night
Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom heaped praise on his players for their comeback 3-2 win over Sheffield United.
The Lilywhites trailed two-nil inside 20 minutes after goals from Andre Brooks and Callum O’Hare, in quick succession. Lewis Dobbin pulled one back for PNE right before half time and North End were level almost immediately after the restart, courtesy of a Japhet Tanganga goal. Just shy of the hour, former Blades front man Daniel Jebbison bulleted home a header to clinch all three points.
“I think the only abnormality in that game for us is how we had a brain freeze for 15 minutes,” said Heckingbottom. “We started great. Listen, we've got a lot of young players in the team playing at this level for the first time - Odel, playing out position, switches off on the throw in and the team we've highlighted are really good in transition. They win the ball, but first off in front three and from being really dominant we are one down and then we give them the second goal.
“I felt that was our worst moment and after the next 10 minutes we just lost discipline in our shape, going gung-ho trying to get the next goal. But the problem was we weren't playing the way to hurt them and then every time we lost the ball, they could break on us again. Someone went down for them in their box, but it allowed us to get them in and just correct it a little bit and then we were okay again.
“We've not shown that before, but I accept we're going to make errors; we just lost a little bit of discipline for 10 minutes. When we corrected it I felt comfortable again, but we're two down against a good side so we have to be able to open them up to hurt them. We got back to playing how we were playing at the start, which was going to create us chances, create us shots.
“I always think we're a better team when we're in front but yeah, that's what's really pleasing. Someone's told me it’s many years since Preston came back from two down, so that's great. It’s ironic... it’s probably, for different reasons, the worst of the (last) three games yet we've got the three points. That's why I say all the time, we don't listen to the noise, we forget about all that and the lucky thing is I've got a good understanding of this league - and that's just how crazy it is.
“You can't get wrapped up in it. You've got to focus on yourselves and sometimes just deliver what's really, really important to give yourselves the best chance of winning. I feel like the fans have been great for us and helped us the last ten minutes, but I felt the fans responded to the players today. It went a bit quiet 2-0 and the players kept the nerve, brave... we want to show that spirit and I felt the players got the fans back engaged and back into it. That's what we want here, we need each other.”
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