Simon Grayson to keep feet on ground after Preston win
Saturday 15 August 2015 21:16, UK
Manager Simon Grayson insists he is keeping his feet firmly on the ground despite seeing his Preston side beat MK Dons 1-0 to move just outside the Championship play-off places at this early stage.
In the battle of two sides promoted from League One last season, Paul Gallagher finished off a flowing move just before the half-hour to hand Preston their first Championship win since 2011.
Jordan Hugill was sent off for the visitors with 10 minutes left but Preston held on and are yet to concede a goal after drawing 0-0 with Middlesbrough in their opening game - not that Grayson is getting looking too far ahead.
"We are settling into this league and we're not going to get carried away with ourselves," he said. "To take four points from two games - with two clean sheets - I've got to be very pleased.
"We were well organised and counter attacked well - I thought we could have had a couple more goals in the first half but the sending off made it more difficult for us at the end
"It's a blatant red card. He [Hugill] didn't need to do it and he's distraught with himself now in the dressing room as he let the rest of the players down. I'm a bit calmer than I would have been because we've won the game.
"We pride ourselves on working hard. I deliberately kept the nucleus of last season's side together because there's such a good spirit and plenty of quality.
"The players I've brought in aren't household names but they fit in with the squad. Anything more than just staying in this division is a bonus."
MK Dons have never beaten Preston in a league encounter, and while home boss Karl Robinson admitted that probably should not have changed here, he felt his side did not deserve to lose.
"My wife says I'm a miserable so and so, so I was never going to get too excited by a win at Rotherham," Robinson said.
"A lot of people say we are going to finish 24th in the league and that will drive us forward every single day of the season.
"We didn't do enough to win - but we certainly didn't deserve to lose. There was really nothing in the game.
"We were much better in the first half and our patience in keeping in the game was outstanding at times.
"I don't think our goalkeeper has had another effort to save. Their goalkeeper hasn't had too many shots but I thought the way he commanded his area was outstanding when we threw balls into the box."
