What Jayden Stockley’s first home goal for Preston North End meant to him

The centre-forward left it until the last home game of the campaign to find the net in front of the home faithful, heading North End in front in the 3-3 draw with Sheffield Wednesday.

Stockley had scored in the away games against Queens Park Rangers, Middlesbrough and Reading.

Making sure he was able to celebrate at Deepdale before the season was out was a box ticked for him.

“It was something I really wanted to do and it was nice that it came in the last home game,” said Stockley.

“All strikers tend to have targets and a goal here was a big thing for me.

“I’d scored in three away games which was great – 
getting the winner at Middlesbrough was special.

“But it was important I got a goal at home to show the fans here what I’m about.”

Stockley got his head to an Alan Browne flick-on from Callum Robinson’s cross to net in the ninth minute.

Wednesday skipper Tom Lees put through his own goal to give Preston a 2-0 lead going into the interval.

Barry Bannan reduced the arrears after the break before Brown made it 3-1.

However, two goals in as many minutes saw the Owls pull back to earn a draw.

Stockley said: “It was a bit of a crazy game of football in the second half.

“We were disappointed to throw it away after being 3-1 up and looking comfortable.

“They brought on a couple of giants towards the end to disrupt our defence.

“It’s not often I have got players towering over me.

“Atdhe Nuhiu came back to defend at a corner and I was looking up at him.

“I’m 6ft 3in so he must have been 6ft 5in – he’s a big lad.

“In the first half I thought we were very good, there were some passages of play towards the end of it when we carved them open a few times and could have scored more.

“It was a fantastic strike from Bannan to bring them back into the game – he put it right in the top corner.

“When we got our third goal we should have seen it through and maybe we just lacked a bit of experience to hold out.”