Wide play was Preston North End's key to victory against Huddersfield Town says Alex Neil

Preston North End manager Alex Neil felt using width was key to his side's victory over Huddersfield Town at Deepdale.
Preston manager Alex Neil on the touchline during the 3-1 win over Huddersfield at DeepdalePreston manager Alex Neil on the touchline during the 3-1 win over Huddersfield at Deepdale
Preston manager Alex Neil on the touchline during the 3-1 win over Huddersfield at Deepdale

The Lilywhites made it three wins on the bounce with the 3-1 scoreline, Jayden Stockley, Alan Browne and Paul Gallagher finding the net.

Victory kept them in second spot going into the international break and they are back to being the Championship's top scorers.

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Neil said: "I thought we were very good. Certainly in the first half we were the side in the ascendancy, we pinned them in, got a lot of balls wide and got a lot of deliveries into the box.

Preston's Sean Maguire rides a challenge from Huddersfield's Lewis O'BrienPreston's Sean Maguire rides a challenge from Huddersfield's Lewis O'Brien
Preston's Sean Maguire rides a challenge from Huddersfield's Lewis O'Brien

"We talk regularly about the three different ways to beat teams, you can either play through them, play over them if they leave space in behind or you need to work round them.

"With Huddersfield I thought we needed to get into wider areas and put crosses in which is not generally the way we play.

"We normally play inside teams and look to get in behind them. That is something we had to do quite a bit of work in during the week but I thought the lads carried that out extremely well.

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"If you look at the goals we scored, they came from that style of play. It was very good."

Stockley and Browne got their first goals of the season, Neil delighted to see Stockley find the net after two hard-working performances against Blackburn and Charlton.

North End were in front inside four minutes, Stockley first to react after a Gallagher free-kick had hit the post.

Browne netted the second when he connected with a Tom Barkhuizen cross to score at the far post in the 33rd minute.

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The third goal came from the penalty spot, Gallagher hammering home after a Barkhuizen cross had been handled.

Speaking about Stockley, Neil said: "Jayden has been so unselfish in the last two games, he put two great back-to-back performances in for us.

"As a striker you feed off goals and it was so important he got his goal today, it was no more than he deserved. He was a real handful again.

"We needed the second goal as you always do at this level, you are never going to dominate for the full 90 minutes.

"The biggest difference for us this season is when we have been on top and chances have presented themselves, generally we have tucked them away."