Ryan Lowe’s verdict on West Brom defeat as Alan Browne and Brad Potts spat addressed

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe wants the Lilywhites to move on quickly from Saturday’s 0-4 thrashing against West Brom.

The Lilywhites suffered their first Championship defeat of the season in their ninth game, with Carlos Corberan’s men scoring two goals in either half. PNE were well beaten on the day, with Darnell Furlong breaking the deadlock after four minutes before Alex Mowatt, Matt Phillips and Kyle Bartley got themselves on the score sheet.

North End were not at the races and struggled at both ends of the pitch. There is little time to dwell on the result, though, with Preston heading to league leaders Leicester City on Wednesday night. Lowe is proud of North End’s start to the season but recognised post match that his side were miles off it against the Baggies.

"I am obviously disappointed,” said Lowe. “I don’t think anyone wants to lose a game of football like that. We were nowhere near the levels expected and the levels we’ve been at. You can’t give a good team in West Brom, who are well coached and have some good players, the opportunity to do that to you. So yeah listen, disappointed, but I am proper proud of the group because they kept going until the end. The quality wasn’t there, which we know; the effort was there and they’ve been terrific. The four goals are disappointing but we’ve only lost three points and we’re still in a good position.

“It is early doors, I have said that all along and what we have to do now is pick ourselves up. We will debrief the game today and tomorrow and show it to the lads on Monday, then move on to the next one because that’s all you can do. Gone are the days when I get too down and disappointed - because I’ve got a group of players who work their absolute socks off for the football club and for me. Today is a day we need to get over very quickly, because you don’t expect that from the group we’ve had so far this season.

“It is the manner (of the defeat) and I have to pick the lads up. They know; it is pointless me shouting and balling at them. They know it wasn’t good enough as a team. The quicker we get over it - I have said I want smiles on faces Monday morning and we go again. You are going to lose games of football but the manner of it was disappointing - and they know that. The second (goal) is a mistake, which Jordy knows, but he has been terrific for us. I told him to keep his head up and at half time I told him to swim, not sink.

“(West Brom) were good when we gifted it to them, to be honest. We turned the ball over too much in the first half. There were a lot of passes turned over - probably the highest all season, in the first half, which you cannot do. We probably tried to play a bit too much football in our defensive third, rather than the top end of the pitch. I am not taking anything away from West Brom - they pressed us, got about us and scored four goals. That same team and personnel who were out there had won six out of eight, so you can say to bring more freshness in - but the freshness will probably be this week, because of the games we’ve got coming up.

“There is no blame culture here and there is nobody we point the finger at. We look at ourselves collectively and we weren’t good enough from start to finish. I just told them to get their heads up. They know that the performance wasn’t good enough. I said to them that they’re the games you cannot have an off day in - when you are third in the league and everyone wants to beat you. West Brom came to beat us today and we were nowhere near the levels. We will debrief it, move on and then bounce into work on Monday.”

After the third goal went in, Brad Potts and PNE captain Alan Browne exchanged heated words on the pitch and needed to be separated by team mates. Lowe was asked about that spat in his post-match press conference and had no problem with it.

“I didn’t know what happened,” said Lowe. “I just asked them at the end, because I saw them doing something and the players getting in between them. I said to them in there: “Is it dealt with?” and they said: “Yeah, it’s done with, it’s gone.” But, I am absolutely pleased that happens because they care. If they didn’t and walked away with their heads down, but they care. Browney is the captain and Pottsy has been terrific, so if they’ve got a bit of beef about conceding a goal then I am right up for that. It is right up my street, but one thing I do know now is that they will have shook hands, hugged it out and we go again - because they are team mates.”