Ferguson hails PNE hero James

The England Under-20 midfielder, 18, claimed the credit in the 10th minute when his low 20-yard shot deflected off Blades defender Nyron Nosworthy and wrongfooted goalkeeper Ian Bennett.Jon Parkin added a killer second for Darren Ferguson's men in the 71st minute, tucking away the rebound after his penalty was saved by Bennett before United winger Mark Yeates grabbed a late consolation.James is on loan from Manchester United and after the 2-1 Championship win at Deepdale, Ferguson said: "Matty got a break when his shot got a bit of a deflection but I think it set the tone for the rest of the night."He's a good footballer and he gives us energies. We need a little bit more of that and he can pass and he can tackle."I know the boy has got a good temperament but I also thought Jon Parkin was magnificent tonight. He linked up superbly with Danny Welbeck."Overall, it was a really good performance and to a man we were magnificent and thoroughly deserved the win."Preston had lost their previous two matches in disappointing fashion but Ferguson was able to celebrate his 38th birthday in style.He added: "I don't think many of the lads know it's my birthday but it was a good win."That's three wins out of five and was quite clearly the best performance since I came here."I thought we were excellent and the lads deserve a lot of credit."The result was a welcome tonic for Preston after two successive defeats but their opener owed much to good fortune.Parkin did well to engineer the space down the left flank to find Welbeck - another youngster on loan from Old Trafford - and he showed intelligence to find James 20 yards from goal.The teenager struck a hopeful low right-foot shot which deflected off Nosworthy and past the stranded Bennett.Parkin later hit the bar before he added the killer second with 19 minutes remaining after his penalty was saved by Bennett.Yeates, arguably United's best performer, volleyed home from 10 yards with nine minutes remaining but, despite a late rally, the visitors could not force an equaliser.Blades boss Kevin Blackwell claimed: "We should have got something out of the game, that's for sure."I thought the referee had a big influence on the shape of the game."For the penalty Nyron Nosworthy has used his body to get between Welbeck and himself."It's on the DVD so I know what I'm talking about."But we had some chances second half and really should have finished them off."The problem at the moment is that we are throwing players together."United's 18-year-old debutant Kyle Bartley, signed on a three-month loan from Arsenal, cut an assured figure at the heart of the visitors' defence.Blackwell added: "He's only 18 but I thought he did terrifically well against big Jon Parkin."Arsenal rate him highly and he only arrived at the hotel this morning, but because of our injury crisis I had to throw him in."Blackwell said he expects sidelined goalkeeper Mark Bunn to be out for around six weeks with a broken hand.

Source: Team_Talk