Wigan Athletic chief reacts to Preston North End win - 'It's just nice for our supporters'

Latics took the game to the Championship high-flyers right from the off, and ought to have led at the break.

However, after being sent through by Harrison Bettoni, Dara Costelloe dragged his shot just past the far post.

It was Bettoni who broke the deadlock with 15 minutes to go with a shot that deflected past Daniel Iversen in the North End goal.

But that was far from the end of the drama, with Callum Wright blazing over from the penalty spot, after Maleace Asamoah Jnr had been fouled, before North End thought they'd levelled in the eighth of seven added minutes.

Sam Tickle somehow kept out Alfie Devine’s flick header, before Brad Potts turned home the rebound - only to turn and see the offside flag up on the near side.

The scenes after the game as Latics celebrated in front of the packed away end will live long in the memory, leaving Lowe to reflect on a big win on his first return to Preston since leaving at the beginning of last season.

"I'm pleased for our fans, I'm pleased for our players, the game plan worked a treat," he said.

"I did enjoy it, of course, coming back to my old club, and watching us perform to the levels that we did.

"We limited them to very little, we created some big chances, and we should have scored more goals against a fantastic team who are flying high in the Championship...missing a penalty as well.

"Why wouldn't you be pleased after that? Having 3,500 fans behind the goal, in the Kop, outsinging the North End fans, I thought it was amazing...absolutely fantastic.

"Just credit to the boys, because they stuck to the game plan. We worked on it all week, we just want to win every single game that we can.

"Preston made changes, they've probably got bigger plans to stay in the play-offs, but we knew we'd have to come up with a big performance to win the game.

"Look, we're probably not going to win the FA Cup, but it's just nice for our supporters to be able to taste victory in a local derby.

"I'd have to watch it back to tell you where it ranks as a performance, but I'm guessing it ranks very high for those supporters.

"This club hasn't won here for 20-odd years, so we'll enjoy this...it's a big win, in a local derby, and we'll look forward to the next round."

The visitors created - and squandered - by far the biggest chance of the opening 45 minutes at Deepdale.

Bettoni sent Costelloe racing clean through on goal, and the Irishman held off the last defender before dragging his shot inches wide of the far post.

With the hosts having offered very little, Latics picked up where they left off in the second period, and were claiming for a penalty when Costelloe was claiming he'd been clipped in the box.

Referee Oliver Langford, however, ruled that he'd dived and brandished a yellow card.

The only goal arrived 15 minutes from time, and again it was Bettoni at the heart of it.

Entering the box through the right channel, Bettoni cut inside and fired goalwards with his left foot, with a deflection taking the ball past Iversen.

That was Bettoni's final involvement, with cramp seeing him limp off, to be replaced by Asamoah Jnr for the closing stages.

Latics had a scare when Preston substitute Devine got in behind down the Preston left, however Tickle was equal to the low shot from his former Academy colleague.

And it was the visitors who should have doubled their lead with eight minutes left, when Asamoah Jnr raced into the box and was taken down in full flow by Pol Valentin.

Wright placed the ball on the spot, but blazed the ball miles over the top, to keep Preston in the game.

Asamoah Jnr had another chance to add to the scoring as the 90-minute mark approached, but Iversen was off his line in a hurry to save with Costelloe sniffing around.

And there was more drama to come in the eighth of seven added minutes, when Tickle made an incredible fingertip save to keep Preston out.

The rebound fell to Potts, who toed the ball home from close range, only for Preston's celebrations to be curtailed by an offside flag.