'These moments are what Preston's history is built on'

Comeback spirit.

There are games where you hear the final whistle and just know - this day could be a turning point.

Friday night under the lights at Deepdale was one of those. A breathless 3-2 comeback victory over Sheffield United gave us everything: drama, chaos, and fight in classic Championship style.

For 15 frantic minutes, we looked rattled. Sheffield United struck twice early, and, in manager Paul Heckingbottom's words, "we had brain freeze" - but that spell was short-lived.

The Lilywhites found their backbone before the break with a superb finish from Lewis Dobbin, grabbed an extremely lucky equaliser, and never looked back. Daniel Jebbison's brilliant finish made it three, and Deepdale erupted.

These moments, when a team refuses to fold and rallies the crowd behind them, are what Preston's history is built on. I still reminisce about games under the lights, where North End and Deepdale find something special – Friday night was another shining example.

Having listened intently to Heckingbottom now for around 15 months, we know he's building a mentality in the squad. Where previously, if the team found themselves 2-0 down, they'd have rolled over and had their bellies tickled – well that attitude is gone... long gone.

The siege mentality and competitiveness is starting to bear fruit. It's us versus everyone and I absolutely love it.

Heckingbottom and his players will not get too high by this win, nor would they have got too low with the two defeats in the six days before the Sheffield United match. Their focus moves on to Southampton next weekend.

Dobbin, still settling in, turned provider, linking well with Andy Vukcevic, Alfie Devine and Jebbison. The new faces are starting to spark, with Vukcevic and Jebbison's connection on display for the winner and young Harrison Armstrong doing the unseen work that makes the difference.

BBC Radio Lancashire's Steve Eyre spoke at the end of last season about how the North End squad had a lack of pace and a lack of ability to get to the end of the pitch – the summer recruitment looks to have gone a long way to fixing those concerns.

Of course, it's not all sunshine: recent injuries have tested our depth, with Ali McCann breaking his arm last week and Brad Potts hit by a setback in his recovery.

With senior figures like Robbie Brady and Will Keane also sidelined, it has been next-man-up, yet the replacements have shown the grit and nous this club is famous for and nobody could question the desire all over the pitch.

We're still chasing consistency, just two wins in eight before Friday, and a narrow defeat to Birmingham City midweek stung, but this was a real statement win and puts us back in the thick of the play-off hunt.

The mood is rising, hope is building, and for every knock and scare, Preston North End now have the ability to fight back.

It's not just something stirring at Deepdale; it's gaining momentum one game at a time.