PNE Fans’ Panel’s John Smith feels like dancing after victory over Swansea!

I could have quite easily exited the Deepdale stands skip dancing, Morecambe and Wise-style, following an excellent win over Swansea had my ageing knees not prevented this.
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The chorus of the “Bring Me Sunshine” signature tune of the famous comedy duo perfectly sums up the way I felt on Saturday night after the game had brought me “fun” while watching a thoroughly enjoyable performance in the late August “sunshine” and also rekindled my “love” for Deepdale.

I’ve always said that football is a two-way thing with the team having to create some excitement on the pitch in order for the crowd to lift the team off it.

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This certainly was the case on Saturday and when the news that our “friends” from the seaside had conceded a late goal in London it felt like we had almost made the play-offs or something, such was the loud volume of noise all around the ground.

Ben Whiteman is congratulated after scoring Preston’s third goalBen Whiteman is congratulated after scoring Preston’s third goal
Ben Whiteman is congratulated after scoring Preston’s third goal

Although we conceded the first goal we levelled almost straight away and the cherry on the cake of an impressive first half came when Emil Riis fired a thunderbolt into the roof of the net right at the end of it.

Like Austin Powers he appeared to have lost his mojo at the end of last season but now seems to have rediscovered it this term.

In the second half we kept on pressing Swansea, who like to play out from the back, further up the pitch.

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Both wing-backs Sepp van den Berg and Josh Earl looked far more comfortable in this position than Tom Barkhuizen and Greg Cunningham did in the opening game against Hull and this, coupled with the return of the inspirational Patrick Bauer, has given the team a more balanced look.

My man of the match was Daniel Johnson who I think has been our most consistent performer so far this season and he was backed up well in midfield by Ryan Ledson and Ben Whiteman.

The most pleasing aspect for me in the last two games is that we have shown some passion which as a fan is what you want to see