Preston North End's Ched Evans relishes the battles but questions protection from referees

An off the ball incident saw PNE’s top scorer ruled out of Saturday’s defeat to Middlesbrough as it flared up an old neck injury.

The Welshman is often in the thick of it up front, scrapping and fighting away to wrestle possession for Ryan Lowe’s side but it is sometimes a challenge for the 34-year-old to keep himself in check.

He said: "I do get a bit excited when I get into a battle because it is a battle on the pitch and I try my hardest not to lose that battle.

"I do have to rein it in sometimes because I feel like if we're both doing the same thing, I do have to be careful because I don't get the free kicks that I should.

"It might be because I'm a physical player and they'll say that I can take it. I have to be a bit careful but I do generally enjoy it.”

As a target man kind of striker, it is sometimes expected that Evans will put himself through the mill for the cause.

Although his game is more than just being a battering ram for the Lilywhites, with nine goals so far this campaign.

North End’s no.9 doesn’t think he gets the right protection from referees however and feels that because it is him, and because of his style of play, there are allowances made.

He said: “It's difficult for me, just take the Rotherham game for instance, their centre half grabbed me around the throat and the referee is looking directly at us and he's telling us both to calm down but he's got me by the throat.

"I often think that if the shoe was on the other foot, it would be different. He said he didn't see it but he's looking straight at us.

"Our first goal, I'm going to make a run into the box and their centre half grabs me round the throat and head with both arms. He's that occupied with me that he leaves Tom to have a tap in. So in one respect it can be frustrating but us as a team can take advantage of that, which we did.”