Preston North End captain Alan Browne offers scathing assessment of West Brom defeat

Okay Yokuslu scored in each half to sink Ryan Lowe’s side and end their year on a sour note, with three defeats in a row now. PNE were not at it in the game and but for some fine saves from Freddie Woodman, particularly in the first half, they could have lost by more.

Browne started for the first time since injuring his calf over the international break for the World Cup, although he came off the bench last time out against Huddersfield Town, but was powerless to stop the Baggies from playing some exhibition stuff at times as they continue their surge up the Championship table.

Speaking after the game, Browne said: “Shocking. It doesn't help that we lost the previous two, which were probably under different circumstances missing a few bodies, the break probably came at the wrong time, but going into the game we didn't want to lose three on the bounce.

"From our point of view, we offered nothing. We're probably lucky that it finished 2-0 with the chances they had. I don't think we created one chance to be honest.

"Before the game we said we'd try and play out from the back which is something that we've worked on but we don't force it.

"It didn't look too comfortable I don't think, the goal comes from that and it's a mistake but it's not just the two boys involved. We're all trying to do it, it didn't come off tonight and we were punished by the better team.

“They are a good side and you can accept losing to good teams but in the manner that we did? We didn't create anything. Trying to play out from the back, trying to do the right things, ultimately it was a result that we needed. We didn't offer anything.

"We go back to the drawing board now, there's a big game coming up and we just need to stop the rot.”

PNE were back by a sold out away end as there were no empty seats in the entire ground. Both sets of supporters sold out for the game but the home side’s certainly went home the happier.

The main source of cheer for the Preston faithful was the odd corner in the game, which amounted to nothing, and Browne admitted that he did not blame anyone that left early.

He felt his side were not offering up enough to get their supporters into the game.

He said: “It is tough for them to come and watch that. We knew what we were trying to do but if I was watching I probably would have left too, I saw a few bodies leaving and I don't blame them.

"They made a great effort to come out in their numbers, they sold out and got right behind us but we didn't give anything to shout about.”