A HOME defeat in August could be the most important result in Preston Athletic’s charge towards promotion, according to their manager.
The Pennypit side have enjoyed a near-flawless season, winning 12 of their 14 league games to mount a genuine title challenge.
The one mark on the record came in August when Edinburgh South sprang a surprise to win 2-1 in East Lothian.
Since then, Jack Lynch’s side have won eight games in a row, scoring 32 goals and conceding just one.
The latest victory came as they thumped rock-bottom Hawick Royal Albert United 8-0 to close the gap on the leading pair of Glenrothes and Oakley United, who were left sidelined.
Lynch said: “We had a good start and beat teams that were favourites for the league, like Kinnoull and Heriot-Watt University.
“Then we played Edinburgh South, and no disrespect to them but we thought we would turn up and beat them no problem.
“They deserved their win, 100 per cent, but from that moment the boys have not underestimated anyone.
“They know if they do underestimate anyone and do not give 100 per cent then they will lose.
“The mindset since the Edinburgh South game has been fantastic.”
The big win at the Pennypit on Saturday came in Preston’s first game since November 20, when they lost 3-2 to Sauchie in the Challenge Cup.
Postponements have left Lynch’s men in the unwanted position of bystanders and they have watched as Glenrothes and Oakley United moved clear at the top of First Division Conference B.
However, Saturday’s comfortable win narrowed the gap to four points on the league leaders and to two on second-placed Oakley; with Preston having three games in hand over Glenrothes and four over Oakley.
Lynch (pictured above) felt that the scoreline flattered the opposition and told Courier Sport “we should have won the match by double figures”, with two late goals chopped off for offside.
He said: “It was seven weeks without a game, which is ridiculous.
“It is important to try to keep momentum going when we are doing well.
“Having the lay off never really helped and the only good thing was we managed to get decent friendlies played against Camelon and Tranent.
“We were playing teams from the league above us and it kept us ticking over quite well.
“Going into Saturday, there was that not knowing what we were getting after being off for so many weeks.
“But, from minute one, the boys were at it, really up for the game and we scored within the first five minutes.
“That settled everybody straight away and we got the ball down and started playing.”
This weekend brings a trip away from East Lothian for Lynch’s team, who have conceded just four goals in their 14 league contests.
They head for Peebles aiming for not only a victory but the chance to further turn up the heat on the leading duo.
Preston will be looking to make it a hat-trick of wins over their opponents having thumped them 4-0 in the league and won 2-1 in the Challenge Cup.
Lynch was full of praise for Peebles boss Michael Wilson but stressed that his team were going all out for victory.
He said: “It is one we could just look and think we are going to win but we need to turn up and play.
“If we do that then I would not have any qualms about us winning.”
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