Simpson pleased to prove pundits wrong

12 April 2012

Preston manager Paul Simpson believes his side have proved the experts wrong after a 3-1 win over Southampton moved North End back up to fifth in the Coca-Cola Championship.

Simpson's men had lost three of their previous four matches, the most recent a 4-1 drubbing at Cardiff, and dropped out of the play-off spots.

"We needed that result," said Simpson. "We need every result but we needed that more than anything, just to calm everybody down, people on the outside if anything."

He added: "It was a massive three points. All these experts have written us off and said we haven't got a chance.

"But I said to the players that if they're good enough and want to show people what rubbish they're talking, here is the opportunity."

North End took an undeserved lead into the break following Neil Mellor's first goal for the club but Grzegorz Rasiak's 20th of the season levelled matters 10 minutes after the restart.

But David Nugent started and finished a move with 15 minutes left to score his 15th of the campaign and Chris Baird's own goal completed the scoring.

"In the first 45 minutes we were absolutely murdered and we were 1-0 up at half-time but it's strange how it works," Simpson added.

"The only way we earned it was (goalkeeper) Andy Lonergan. We didn't fall over and I wanted a reaction, a performance full of grit and determination."

Simpson hopes there is more to come from Mellor and continued: "It will do him the world of good and that's what he is all about because he's a proper goalscorer. If we can get balls in the box he will get on the end of them."

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