Preston North End boss reveals stat his side used to get the win against West Bromwich Albion

Emil Riis scored the opening goal of the game inside the first 10 minutes which proved to be enough to get Lowe’s side their first home win of the season.

Albion on the other hand have a tendency to concede inside the opening quarter of an hour this season, something the PNE boss was well aware of.

The Lilwyhites started the game at speed and got their rewards.

Lowe said: “The plan was to get on the front foot and have a fast start. You look at some stats - some matter and some don't - but they concede a lot of early goals and don't tend to come back from it.

"They've conceded so many goals in the first 15 minutes and we needed to take advantage of it and that's we did. We told the lads to get on the front foot.

"I'm pleased with the way the lads are playing and they're still believing in us playing on the front foot. We did give the ball away a few times and a bit unexpectedly but that's football and that's why we're entertaining.

"Overall to get three points and to score a goal at home is really pleasing.”

North End had to have most of their men behind the ball in the second half as the visitors controlled most of the ball.

The star-studded forward line of Steve Bruce’s side could not find a way through however, leading to Preston’s ninth clean sheet of the season.

That was the most pleasing element of the game for Lowe, who still has total belief in his style.

He said: “The character and the resilience of the boys was the most pleasing. It's tough, without going on about it, when you're creating chances and aren't scoring. People are always going to talk about it, that's how football is.

"We'll score goals because of the way we play, we should have been 3-0 up in the first half. We did everything right except for putting it in the net.

"To score one and be solid and resolute in keeping them out, because they have some good players, the second half showed that.

"We had to adapt and change our shape a little bit and go to two 10s and two midfielders and one striker, just to shore it up a bit. We didn't want to concede and I thought the defence and the goalkeeper were fantastic.”