Ryan Lowe was relieved his half-time gamble to make three substitutions paid off after Preston claimed a 2-0 win against Bristol City.
North End laboured in the first half but the introduction of attacking trio Emil Riis, Mads Frokjaer-Jensen and Will Keane changed the game.
Keane proved to be the matchwinner, scoring twice in the second half to secure Preston a first win since Boxing Day.
Lowe admitted he was hesitant to make such drastic changes due to the risk of humiliating starters Duane Holmes, Milutin Osmajic and captain Alan Browne, but his gut proved correct.
“Sometimes when you change formations and personnel your front three need to be in the game. Ours weren’t in the first half,” he said.
“I just felt we needed another threat up front. My gut feeling is the best thing for me – and I’m just really pleased it worked.
“We haven’t won in a couple of games so we didn’t want to go out in the second half and be flat again. The substitutions changed it.”
Preston were a different team in the second half and took the lead when Keane’s strike from the centre of the goal was too good for City goalkeeper Max O’Leary.
Keane doubled the home side’s advantage when Frokjaer-Jensen had a shot saved as the pressure mounted. Keane then fired into the bottom-right corner with a superb left-foot strike for his eighth goal of the season.
“It was a very pleasing victory, the players deserve a lot of credit. We went into the staff room at half-time and I said I had to make bold decisions,” Lowe added.
“We mucked in and made some tough decisions bringing people off at half-time, our captain included.
“But I just felt we needed a bit more power at the top end of the pitch. I felt that whoever scored first would go on and win the game – and I wanted it to be us.
“We changed shape and we wanted to be on the front foot. I said to the boys don’t wait for something to happen, if they score then our backs would be against the wall.”
After three wins in a row in December, Bristol City have now gone without one in four matches and have subsequently dropped to 14th in the table.
They face West Ham in a FA Cup replay on Tuesday and boss Liam Manning has called on his team to be more creative.
“We need to create more chance, which I’ll always say, but we created enough to be ahead at a half-time,” he said.
“When you’re on top like that you have to make it count – and we didn’t. We have to work really hard to score high-level goals, whereas the ones we concede are too easy.
“What you can’t do is give easy goals away and not be ruthless at the other end.
“It was difficult to watch in the second half, but in the first half there was a lot of good.
“But it’s turning that good into outcomes, which we didn’t do.
“We had a couple of terrific opportunities – and from set-pieces – as well as good control for large periods for the first half, but we didn’t make any of them count.
“I didn’t feel too threatened, but they made three chances at half-time which had a big impact.”
Vilahamn wants to use FA Cup final defeat as 'beginning' for Tottenham Women
Tottenham Women manager Robert Vilahamn believes his side will use their FA Cup final defeat to start something special, rather than ending their good work.
Spurs were hammered 4-0 by Manchester United Women in Sunday's Wembley Stadium showpiece as Ella Toone and Rachel Williams were on target before Lucia Garcia's second-half double.
Vilahamn's side failed to manage a shot on target but the Spurs boss suggested his team will catch up to the women's elite clubs.
"The main thing I said was this is not the end, it is the beginning," Vilahamn said.
"We still have a gap between us and the top teams but that's normal. We are closing the gap but we haven't closed the gap yet."
Tottenham finished sixth in the Women's Super League as well as reaching this final, their first FA Cup showpiece appearance in their short history.
Vilahamn wants his Spurs players to use this defeat as motivation going forward.
"If you take away the feelings right now, you need to look at these players doing some incredible things this year," he said.
"We are at Wembley playing in front of our fans and they are actually enjoying it and staying, and supporting us after.
"We got a good experience today and we are learning how to play at Wembley more times. We need to look at it that way because the players are amazing."
Erik ten Hag: Man United fans are understanding of situation
Erik ten Hag is confident he still has the understanding of supporters after Manchester United's poor run of form continued with defeat to Arsenal.
United were beaten 1-0 by Premier League title chasers Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday in a game that saw them create little.
While United did well to restrict Arsenal's chances, they had just two shots on target themselves - long-rangers from Casemiro and Antony.
The Red Devils have had to contend with a number of injury problems this season, not least against Arsenal with a makeshift defence fielded.
And for that reason, Ten Hag - whose job beyond this season has been called into question - believes the fanbase remain supportive.
"They understand where we are and where this club is," he told Sky Sports. "We have so many injuries in key areas.
"The fans don't get what they deserve, but they understand this and that is why they are behind the team.
"I think that is why they are with us we are united. Hopefully we can pay them back in the future."
Ten Hag pointed out that United were without seven possible starters, forcing him to field veteran Jonny Evans alongside Casemiro at centre-back.
Casemiro was at fault for Arsenal's goal as he was slow getting back up the field, meaning Havertz was onside before teeing up Trossard.
Ten Hag, though, was not willing to point the finger of blame at the underperforming midfielder.
"In that situation he is a midfielder playing in that position and making a small mistake, but it has hard consequences," he said.
"Before that, in possession we could have done better in others positions. It's details."
Eighth-placed United have won just one of their past eight league matches in a run that includes a 4-0 thumping at Crystal Palace earlier in the week.
The Red Devils have lost 19 games in all competitions this season, which is their most since 1977-78 when also losing 19.
Asked if he believes he is the man to turn things around, Ten Hag said: "I have no doubt about this.
"Mostly, this team has the right spirit and they execute the rules and principles of the game even if they have to adapt in their positions.
"I can only be happy and it is a big compliment for this team that they executed all that they could and they were fighting."
West Brom 0-0 Southampton: Hawthorns draw sets up intriguing second leg
West Brom and Southampton played out a goalless draw at the Hawthorns on Sunday in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final.
Both teams had plenty of chances, but a combination of poor finishing and impressive goalkeeping from the Saints' Alex McCarthy and the Baggies' Alex Palmer ensured the tie remains finely poised for the return leg at St Mary's Stadium on Friday.
Roared on by a loud Hawthorns, the hosts started well but were unable to capitalise, and it was Southampton who went closest in the first half as Kyle Walker-Peters smashed a deflected effort wide, while Palmer kept out Flynn Downes' shot.
West Brom rallied, though, and had a golden opportunity to take the lead with 33 minutes on the clock as Grady Diangana nodded Tom Fellows' cross goalwards, only for McCarthy to get across and make a brilliant stop.
The tempo slowed somewhat after the interval, but the game burst into life again with just over 10 minutes to play, as McCarthy denied Diangana before substitute Ross Stewart lashed goalwards up the other end, only to see his shot somehow kept out by the wrong-footed Palmer.
Both sides pressed for a precious goal late on, but neither could break the deadlock and it remains all to play for at St Mary's to see who will face either Leeds United or Norwich City at Wembley on May 26.
Data debrief
There was certainly attacking endeavour on display at the Hawthorns, but neither side could find the back of the net despite the teams combining for 1.76 xG (expected goals), split 1.03 for Southampton and 0.73 for the hosts.
With Norwich and Leeds drawing 0-0 in their first leg earlier on Sunday, it is the first time since 2011 that the first leg of both Championship play-off semi-finals have ended goalless.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
