Tim Mercer's view as PNE claim three points at Stoke City

Oh, and the gloss received a further polish as it also put us on top of the table.

Yes it’s still a fledgling table, but this fan is going to enjoy it for the present, safe in the knowledge that I will wake up two Saturdays from now with my beloved Preston still top due to the relatively modern-day ‘anomaly’ of the international break.

So what’s different this time around?

This may be taken as a strange comment from some of my fellow fans, but I think there were hints in the same period last season in our opening defensive statistics that threatened to break the all-time club record in terms of goals conceded.

We have the same defensive unit again and it could easily be argued this has been strengthened further with the signing of Jack Whatmough and the unexpected emergence of Kian Best from the youth set-up.

The issue then was our inability to put the ball in the back of the net which, despite being down to one fit striker, is not holding us back thus far.

In part, this is due to the sheer professionalism, experience and fitness of 30-year-old summer signing Will Keane.

His brace took his tally to four and he thoroughly deserved it for his selfless running and unsettling of Stoke’s defence.

The other factor is a more aggressive midfield, personified in the form of half-time substitute Duane Holmes.

Another summer signing who basically changed the game; winning the penalty for Keane to convert and laying his second on a plate after receiving a peach of a pass from Brad Potts and going on a mazy run.

I felt sure he had a point to prove, having been unfortunate to be dropped to the bench following a good performance and winning goal last time out.

The remainder of the game was the now classic away game management, that has become something of a badge of pride when we are away and leads to hilarious comments on social media about #TeamsLikePreston. Long may it continue.