Heckingbottom on Preston’s Crucial Win: ‘We had to show another side’

Preston secured a vital three points during their match in Cardiff on Wednesday evening. This victory marked not only their first win in 11 games but also their inaugural away triumph of the current Championship season. Manager Paul Heckingbottom expressed his delight at the 2-0 win against the Bluebirds, despite acknowledging that his team is capable of performing at a higher level. Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, he stated, “It’s all about the result when we’ve been playing the way we have been and not managing to get three points,” adding, “That was probably not one of our most dominant performances because I feel with the amount of performances we’ve put in where we’ve been easily the better team and only come away with a point, I thought we had to show another side to us.” The Lilywhites’ boss dismissed the significance of ending their away win drought as “irrelevant,” though he noted it would at least “stops people from talking about it.” Their previous league success on the road occurred on March 16 in Plymouth, under the management of Ryan Lowe. Heckingbottom reiterated his primary focus, saying, “I’ve just been wanting the win, that’s the most important thing.” He also commended the “brilliant” supporters who undertook the 430-mile round trip from Lancashire to the Welsh capital. Heckingbottom remarked, “The support has been fantastic, they’ve followed us everywhere and been as frustrated as I am,” continuing, “So for them to get that – it sounds silly, but little moments like that second goal [by Osmajic] and then he can celebrate in front of them. “It just puts the icing on the cake, so I think it’s a good day for everyone.”