North End manager Simon Grayson spoke to his club's official website after his side's 6-1 League One win at home to Carlisle, Grayson saying that a big win had been coming for the Lilywhites:
“We said over the last few weeks and months that some of our performances warranted a heavy victory for us and we have not been able to conclude that at times. But, today we have shown the clinical side to us, the urgency and the tempo with and without the ball. I am delighted that there have been a lot of fantastic individual performances and a fantastic team performance.
“Stuart Beavon has had to patient and wait for his opportunities, but we have said over the last few weeks that he is looking really sharp in training and he has been sharp in the games. Unfortunately he missed out last week through as virus but today he showed what he is capable of. Great for him personally to get a goal because his performances have warranted that, and obviously it will give him a massive lift.
“You look at all the other goalscorers, others have been due goals and it is nice to see them get on the scoresheet. We had an opportunity to put Alan Browne into the team today, I could have played either him or Josh Brownhill but I felt that Josh had played some starting game time already this season.
“Alan has done well for us over the last few weeks, he gives us something different and it was great for him to get the goal, but also his all-round play was really good. He is composed on the ball, had energy, made tackles and I am really pleased that he has not let himself down today. Not that I had any qualms that he would do because he is a very good footballer, and that is why he is in the team."
“My team-talk at half-time was still positive after their goal because of how well we had played prior to that. The only way that they looked like they were going to score was through a set-piece and they did. But, we said at half-time, get the ball down and move it quickly, play two-touch, get in their faces, get a tempo, get an early goal.
“That early goal really settled everybody down and then we went and really expressed ourselves. If you can’t go and express yourselves and enjoy yourselves when it is 3-1 and 4-1 then you have got something to worry about. But, I am really pleased with what the players showed and the clinicalness and ruthlessness there.
“We have got a good footballer in Lee Holmes, we have asked him to get a little bit more end product, as all the players do. Because, Joe Garner is the one who has got all the goals but we need other players to be scoring as well. They have to take their opportunities and be a little bit more ruthless, and you can talk about being even a little bit more greedy at times. But, I am delighted we have got a few different goalscorers on the scoresheet today, most notably Craig Davies with a hat-trick while Joe Garner is sat at home waiting for his wife or girlfriend to have a baby.
“We brought him into this football club because we know the good footballing strengths he has got. I think he started ever so well for us and then he has probably just been a little bit up and down with his performances over the last few weeks, hence why he has probably been in and out of the team. But, you could see him get this little bit of extra confidence and belief in himself when he got the first goal. He was probably working a little bit harder and when you work hard you get your reward by getting goals. He has done that today and he was a constant threat.
“Paul Gallagher as well had opportunities, but it is not about individuals and I am more concerned about well the team played and how the squad performed. He has hit some great strikes though and maybe could have had a penalty second-half, he has hit one and the keeper [Jordan Pickford] has made a good save, and he has nearly got on the end of things. But, I am not particularly bothered about who scores as long as we can get the wins and a few goals and carry forward the momentum that we are trying to."
“You know what you are going to get from both our full-backs today, you know that they are going to give you 100%, Scott Laird bas been in the team and he has just gone out because we just thought we needed to give David Buchanan a bit of game time. Keith Keane never lets you down when he is playing right-back or centre-midfield, and they were very instrumental in the victory today.
“I have mentioned over the last month that we have played well and not been ruthless enough and not killed games off and not put the opposition to the sword. We have done that today and we want to go to Brentford and try to be very confident and score a few more goals. We know it is going to be a tough game going down there, but it is going to be a great occasion. Then we have Shrewsbury at home on Easter Monday.
“We were unlucky today that we only managed to have six substitutes, maybe that is the way forward. But, some of these players missed today because we felt they needed a breather, Chris Humphrey’s groin was a little bit tight, Joe Garner wasn’t going to play anyway, he was going to be a substitute because he has not trained until Friday with a dead calf.
“So, we felt that it was a good opportunity for Craig Davies and Stuart Beavon to get some time and rest Joe. Bailey Wright missed out today because we didn’t want to get him booked for next weekend. But, when players come into the team and do really well it makes my decisions really hard, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”