Young Preston North End striker Joe Rodwell-Grant hopes he’s impressed boss Frankie McAvoy

Head coach Frankie McAvoy and the Lilywhites’ coaching team were in attendance at Euxton, as Rodwell-Grant scored a penalty and set up the opener in a 3-2 triumph.

The 19-year-old is currently out on loan at Bamber Bridge but looked sharp in the training ground game and the striker is ready to take any chance that may arrive at Deepdale.

He said: “It’s where you’ve got to give 110 per cent and work hard.

“I think I did that by getting a goal and an assist and helping the lads get the win and hopefully impress the staff.

“It was only this year when I was on the bench as a second-year scholar, in March against Huddersfield, QPR and Reading.

“Injuries can happen and that’s when I’ve got to be ready and fully fit. If I’m going out on loan and getting minutes and scoring goals then I think that will happen.

“I know Frankie believes in me, I love Frankie, he is a brilliant coach.”

Rodwell-Grant hailed a moment of magic from teammate Ethan Walker that gave the reserves the three points in their Central League Cup clash.

Walker opened the scoring and ended it in the 95th minute, carrying the ball from halfway before beating his markers and finding the corner after his side had thrown away a two-goal lead.

He and Rodwell-Grant are graduates of the PNE academy and have been at the club since they were children.

Rodwell-Grant was disappointed that North End let a two-goal lead slip but was pleased to be able to contribute and link up with his long-time friend.

He said: “It was good for us to get the last-minute winner, it’s always a good feeling.

“I felt we could have seen the game out at 2-0, that’s the bad part, that we conceded two goals. But it was a good win.

“The intensity dropped a little bit and that’s when teams can come back into the game.

“In the first half I thought we were really good, we dominated it and were running away with it really.

“In the second half Fleetwood got on top of us and that’s when we conceded the two goals unfortunately and we needed a bit of magic from Ethan Walker to get us the win.

“It was good to get an assist and a goal for myself.

“Me and Ethan have been playing with each other since we were younger so it’s good to see him flourishing when we’re playing together. It’s a good feeling to assist Ethan, I’ve known him since I was 11.”