PNE Fans’ Panel’s John Roper says atmosphere change was a breath of fresh air

It is way to early to start reading too much about what we saw at Deepdale but the freshness and the support inside the stadium was certainly a welcome breath of fresh air. I think the supporters generally felt that the shackles of the two previous regimes had been released and we were going to see a Preston North End full of purpose and attacking intent. The two goals were both well worked with man of the match Daniel Johnson involved in both, although for a while it looked as if the visitors might get a point out of the game that on another day they might have deserved.

North End put a huge amount of effort into this victory and fitness may well be a factor in the weeks and months to come but for the moment all at Deepdale can be pleased with the start Ryan has made.

The new boss made five changes to the side beaten at Blackburn last week with Van den Berg, Bauer, Hughes, Johnson and Maguire coming in for Storey, Cunningham, Lindsay, Olosunde and Evans.

We started well enough and it was very clear to see the 3-1-4-2 formation with Whiteman holding the pivot role in midfield.

North End’s passing was more purposeful right from the start but the effort and pressing was the most noticeable factor.Twelve minutes into the second half and the Ryan Lowe era at Deepdale was up and running with a lovely goal.

Johnson let the ball run across him and played it into the path of Alan Browne who took one touch before firing home into the Barnsley net.

But the visitors had not thrown the towel in and eight minutes later they equalised when a mis-hit shot by Brittain was headed in at the back post by Woodrow.

The goal didn’t rattle North End and we kept to the plan and with 12 minutes left Johnson fired home a training ground move from a Ledson free kick after Sinclair had been fouled.

So Lowe’s first win sees PNE climb up to 14th in the table after 22 games, three places in front of Blackpool.

It was a day at Deepdale when a sense of normality seemed to return and while the new manager will take time to get the squad playing just has he wanted it, the ethos and work ethic was certainly more pleasing on the eye than what we have generally witnessed at Deepdale for quite some time.

The players clearly bought in to the manager’s philosophy and although a few were blowing hard at the end of the game, I am sure they will feel an awful lot better going into training on Monday morning.

This formation may leave us a little open at times but games against teams at the bottom are never generally classics and we move on to Millwall next week.

Three points in the bag with a solid performance and the hope that this is going to be the start of a special time for us at Deepdale.