Preston North End's Ryan Lowe is hoping for earlt goals to calm the nerves after draw with Watford

PNE drew their fourth game out of five in the league against the Hornets, all four draws being 0-0.

The home side had a period of dominance in the first half, Watford being unable to get out and North End sending wave after wave of attack forwards - backed by the fans.

Lowe would like to see an early goal to prevent his side from being too desperate to find the difference in games and coming out of their shape.

He said: “If you score early doors it helps settle everything down and then it prevents getting any desperation to score, which I don't ever want.

"I was saying to Ben Whiteman in the middle of the pitch to keep the discipline because you don't want to just go off track off what you're doing. You want to win and you want to score but you don't want to concede either.

"If you do score in the first 30 minutes when you're on top then it certainly helps.

“The fans have been good, they're just missing that last bit. The players are feeding off it, I know that.

"Once we get one, or two, or three whatever it may be, the flood gates will open.”

Andrew Hughes was replaced in the first half, the first disruption to Lowe’s defence in the league this season.

It remains to be seen how bad the injury to the Welshman is but Lowe was delighted with the way Greg Cunningham slotted straight into the role.

"He said he felt something in the top of his shoulder, we'll have to get it assessed and send him for a scan,” Lowe said.

"It's in a sling but it's not too sore. We'll just have to wait and see how he is.

“Greg was fantastic, he did well against Huddersfield and he's probably the fittest he's ever been.

"He had a couple of niggling injuries last year but we got them settled down and he's fitter and stronger now.

"He has to be, anyone who comes off the bench has to be. If you're not, you're not going to play - or you'll get found out. I thought Greg was fantastic.”