'They've got to understand quickly' - Manchester City and Everton loanees sent clear message by Preston North End boss

That game saw Manchester City loanee Liam Delap subbed off at half time, in favour of another loanee in the shape of Troy Parrott.

Delap was given the nod for the game ahead of Parrott, partnered up front with Cannon who is on loan from Everton – with those two in their first season out on loan in senior football.

Lowe made two changes at half time as the Tigers were the side on top and pushing for a goal for the first 45 minutes, switching up his strike force but also his tactics.

Cannon and Delap have only been at PNE for a matter of weeks but Lowe insists they must learn quickly what is required.

He said: "They've got to understand and they've got to understand quickly. We had a unit meeting with them and watched all their clips, what they can do better and what they're doing good at.

"There's more stuff that we want and at the moment they're not firing on all cylinders in terms of scoring but we're trying to get them to hold up the ball and make darting runs in behind, and link up a little bit closer together.

"When you're pressing from the front you have to make sure you're pressing together not single-handedly because you'll get popped off.

"When Troy comes on he can dictate that because he's a little bit older and wiser, believe it or not. That's why it was better in the second half.”

North End have a much better showing of themselves in the second half at the MKM stadium, Parrott having a chance to win the game but failing to find the target from inside the area.

Lowe revealed he made tactical changes at half time, as well as changes to personnel, to try and get his side to play in a more attacking way.

He said: “We wanted to be on the front foot more. I said to the boys at half time, in no uncertain terms, that we needed to have a little rally up with them and in the nicest possible way they weren't good enough - and they knew they weren't good enough. It would have only been a matter of time before we conceded if we'd have carried on like that.

"The back three had to split first and foremost and get wide to have options to play. So if the left sided centre back had it the centre one had to drop off to feed it round and then we could get the eights on the ball and the wing backs higher up the pitch which they were.

"We had to be on the front foot more, which they were. Then the press from the front, it gifted it us opportunities, but it's knowing when to press and when not to press and cutting angles off.

"In the first half they were just playing around us and you can't do that. We had to tweak a bit of that at half time and it proved in the second half that they couldn't get out as much. We put them into a bit of trouble.”