Tim Mercer's PNE fans' panel opinion: Relief and belief after picking up three points

It also meant that a dreaded club record was avoided of going eight league games on the bounce with a big fat zero in the goals-for column.

The build-up to the goal itself was a peach to watch, as full debutant Kaine Kesler-Hayden beat his marker with a neat backheel to Emil Riis on the left of the area.

That allowed Riis to pick out Keane for the strike, though he still had work to do as two Luton defenders bore down on him.

A smart sidestep gave him the room to produce his trademark shot of almost placing the ball into the corner of the net.

With new manager Paul Heckingbottom having only arrived on Tuesday, there was great anticipation among the faithful as to how the players would react and perform.

Having nailed my colours firmly to the ‘Hecky’ mast on the day that previous manager Ryan Lowe resigned, this fan can say it was a promising start and confirmed that the Lowe era is over.

While I know many of my fellow fans had fallen out with Lowe and couldn’t forgive him for comments he made when under pressure in a post-match interview, in my view he had run out of ideas and knew it.

Let’s at least give him credit for that as we now move on.

Sensibly, Heckingbottom chose not to make wholesale changes in personnel or formation after only three days on the training ground.

However, there was something refreshing in the way Preston played against tough opposition who look like they take no prisoners.

Following the Hatters’ relegation from the Premier League, I think they will soon readjust to the Championship and expect them to climb the table as the season progresses.

Nonetheless, it was the Lilywhites who held onto their first-half lead and deservedly won.

In part this was down to some good and – at times – fierce defending, admirably led by Liam Lindsay, and in part due to Preston being on the front foot in challenging the visitors further up the pitch: thereby maintaining a threat whenever they regained possession.

The latter point was the most noticeable difference in the effect the new manager has been able to have on the team in less than a week.

For once, I felt quite comfortable as we saw out the game to secure all three points.

The team will inevitably evolve and change over the next few weeks and months as we head into the winter period, but this was a good start that gives us, the fans, hope of better days to come.