'North End feel like they might be going places'

It has been far too long since Preston North End fans last travelled home from a Championship away match on a Saturday with that winning feeling.

533 days, to be exact.

This is a team that was tipped to struggle this season. A club that only beat the drop on the final day of last term.

The display at Derby had the freshness of a squad that has undergone a significant rebuild.

The majority of the permanent signings have not cost a penny, with the most expensive acquisition (Odel Offiah) still waiting for his opportunity.

But the quality of the loan arrivals has sprinkled some real stardust on the starting XI.

Alfie Devine's goal was a genuine touch of class. He saw the opportunity to chance his arm from outside the area and left Derby's keeper grasping thin air.

North End have the option to take him permanently from Spurs - if they can find the money to do so, they have got themselves such a talent.

He is already a huge favourite with the supporters and looks like he's found a home close to home.

Lewis Dobbin is another summer arrival who has added a spark. Two goals already and to be ultra critical, if his decision-making was a little better in the first half, this match could have been out of sight.

The first half was really encouraging - North End were by a million miles the better side.

They were quicker to the ball, better on the ball and were always showing for the ball.

Derby were always going to give some sort of reaction in the second half, and they did, with summer signing Patrick Agyemang in the thick of things and bringing a smart save out of Daniel Iversen.

But credit to the North End defence. The two stalwarts of Jordan Storey and Andrew Hughes, both in their eighth season with the club, were excellent with Lewis Gibson in between them.

Eyebrows were raised when Storey and Hughes were given new deals last season but they are certainly rising to the challenge of competition for their spots.

You would be hard-pressed to find someone who didn't perform well on the day. Ali McCann and Ben Whiteman were streets ahead of their direct opponents.

With Harrison Armstrong, another exciting Premier League loanee, still to break into the side, things are looking up, the bench is looking strong, and Preston North End are giving the feel of a team who might just be going places.