Preston North End boss admits striker search has more importance after suspension

Evans’ straight red card against Wigan Athletic means that he will now miss the next three games for PNE.

They are against Hull City in the Championship on Saturday, Huddersfield Town in the Carabao Cup the following Tuesday and Luton Town away in the league.

One positive of the ban is that those games all take place just seven days apart but with Sean Maguire currently out injured Lowe is left with just Emil Riis and Tottenham loanee Troy Parrott as his striking options.

He said: “It definitely puts more importance on getting the new striker in but we will have to wait.

"We could do with another one, we could put Ben Woodburn just off, but we certainly need another one, we know that.

"Seani is a little bit off and Ched is going to miss three weeks now, he'll only miss a week really which is a bonus but if we can get another in then it's happy days.”

North End drew 0-0 with Wigan after a battling display and Lowe feels the sellout away support could be happy with that part of their game.

He’s hoping for bumper followings every week but knows the part his side have to play.

He said: “The season was never going to be defined on Saturday's result or performance because I think we're a lot earlier back than we normally should be.

"We needed another week but because the big hitters go to the World Cup then we couldn't have that.

"I probably would have thought there were a couple of flat performances up and down the division on Saturday.

"Some of our lads have been away on international duty so they have had less pre-season than most. I'm not complaining.

"The fans were fantastic, we appreciate them coming in their numbers and selling out.

"We want that every week and we've got to perform like we did. I think they went home happy, not so much with how we played but more the toughness and resilience which is coming to the party.

“We want to be that solid and resolute team that is hard to beat and I think we were on Saturday.”