Town striker Martyn Waghorn admits he would love to end a 14-game goal famine at Preston on Saturday but insists the number one priority will always be the team and trying to secure a positive result.

Waghorn was in fantastic form following his £250,000 move from Rangers in August, netting 10 goals and contributing eight assists in his first 20 games, but he has not scored since the 4-2 home win over Nottingham Forest in early December.

He said: “I’m due a goal but that’s for me personally. I’d love to get on the scoresheet but the main thing is the team and picking up three points.

“I want to play well, maybe chip in with an assist and get it right with my link-up play, and if I score, great.

“But most of all it’s about helping the team. I’m relatively okay with my overall game at the minute and as a striker I’m always looking for goals, but the most important thing is always to get a result and that will be our aim at Preston.”

Waghorn knows it is not going to be easy at Deepdale, with the ninth-placed Lilywhites having only lost once in their last 17 league games, a run that has seen them climb to within three points of the play-off zone in ex-Norwich boss Alex Neil’s first season in charge.

He added: “Preston are on a very good run and there is always one team in the Championship that can go about their business quietly and effectively to sneak into the play-offs.

“They’ve got a game plan and a style that they execute very well, so it will be our job to try to stop them. It would be great if we could go up there, make a fast start and have a real go at them.

“We haven’t had much luck recently but we’re a good group of lads and I think we’re going to Preston on Saturday on the back of a good performance against Cardiff last night.

“It was a disappointing result, of course, but I thought parts of the game were very pleasing. We restricted them to a limited number of chances and although they are a big, physical side I thought we coped with it well. We caused them problems going forward as well.”

Waghorn was rested by manager Mick McCarthy for the visit of the second-top Bluebirds, although he was introduced as a 79th minute replacement for Jordan Spence as Town looked to cancel out the only goal of the game, scored 14 minutes earlier by Kenneth Zohore.

He completed the full 90 minutes three days earlier at Norwich when a last-gasp equaliser by Timm Klose denied Mick McCarthy’s men what would have been their first East Anglian derby triumph in nine years.

Waghorn said: “We would obviously have liked to pick up three points at Norwich on Sunday, and we felt we deserved a point against Cardiff, but we’re staying positive and everyone is keen to do better.

“We all know where we want to be so it’s on to Preston on Saturday and hopefully a good performance from us.”

Photo: TWTD

bluehook added 16:46 - Feb 22 Waghorn and Bart would be my two first names on the team sheet. They never give less than 100%.
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SouperJim added 16:57 - Feb 22 I agree completely. If there was one positive to take from last night, ignoring all the rubbish about it having been a good performance (it wasn't, our expectations have just diminished hugely), I thought Sears had a better performance in his correct position. I'd like to see him play alongside Waghorn and think they would complement each other well, Sears needs a Murphy-type to play off of and Waghorn has looked isolated at times. Not quite the classic big man small man partnership, but not far off it.

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theblueginger added 17:05 - Feb 22 Cracking player is Waggy, as long as he isn't wasted in a CAM position. Play him up top with a partner, or on the right in a 433 when he put ball to feet at players and cut onto his left foot. At some of the games earlier in the season he played like an all-round attacker and caused teams problems.. I dread to think MM will ruin Waggy like he did with Sears, Pitman and potentially Moore and DMG, by playing strikers out of position or wasting their best attributes.

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jas0999 added 17:12 - Feb 22 Been a good signing, but goal stout a concern. That said, has been played out of position far too often. Creativity in midfield has also been very poor.
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lightingblue added 17:51 - Feb 22 Another bargain buy from mr McCarthy. He does get a tough time for players like this.
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Taricco_Fan added 18:14 - Feb 22 Waghorn is just a good all-round player. The goalless run is a bit worrying but he gives so much more to the team performance that, as far as I'm concerned, if he's fit, he should be in the first eleven. End of.
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blythburgh_blue added 18:56 - Feb 22 Would make decent scrum half. As a footballer, too physical, too slow and too short.
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rfretwell added 20:13 - Feb 22 Crikey Blythburgh u r hardto please!
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