Grayson targets winning streak

“There are nine games to go and if we win them all, we have a chance,” said Grayson, with a smile stretched across his face.

The odds might not be in North End’s favour of making the top six but their 3-0 victory over Reading kept the hope alive.

Grayson’s message to the squad is to keep on going, see what the next few weeks brings.

He said: “We have some tough games from now until the end of the season, we play a lot of the teams in and around us.

“Wherever we finish, we will have had a great season.

“These lads are an honest bunch and will keep fighting until the end.

“We’ve got a big derby game to prepare for on Saturday and then there is the international break for a couple of weeks.

“After that we go into the final run-in and we will see where that takes us.”

The nine-game run in is certainly a demanding one.

This weekend’s visit to Ewood Park to face Blackburn in next on the agenda.

Action resumes after the international break with a Deepdale double header against Nottingham Forest and Bristol City.

Then there are back-to-back trips to Yorkshire to take on Leeds and Huddersfield who are both in the top six.

Norwich, currently under the caretaker stewardship of former Preston manager Alan Irvine, come to Lancashire on Easter Monday.

Then it is Newcastle (a), Rotherham (h) and Wolves (a).

PNE’s form at home of late offers plenty of encouragement in that final run.

On the flip side, the trips to Leeds, Huddersfield and Newcastle will be very demanding going off position alone.

North End’s victory over Reading certainly showed that possession is not necessarily king these days.

They had 37% of the ball compared to the Royals’ 63% share, the statistic that mattered being the 3-0 scoreline.

Said Grayson: “Reading had even more possession in their previous game against Newcastle, they had 70%.

“Teams play in different ways throughout the division, you do what is required to try and win the game.

“We played some really good stuff against Reading, we moved the ball well and used the pace of the team well.

“Every game has different demands.”