Josh Harrop on being back in the Preston North End starting line-up for first time since October

The 2-0 reverse was not the note the Lilywhites envisaged ending 2019 on, their form at Deepdale having been strong this season.

From a personal point of view though, Harrop got his first start for three months which he welcomed.

His last start had been on October 1 against Middlesbrough – the side who PNE kick-off 2020 against at Deepdale.

That autumn clash at the Riverside Stadium saw Harrop score in a 1-1 draw.

He was on the bench for the next game against Barnsley, coming on to score in a 5-1 win.

But a hamstring niggle he had been carrying turned into more of an issue and he was sidelined for five weeks.

Harrop, who turned 24 before Christmas, had six run-outs from the bench before getting his start at the weekend.

Hand on heart, he did not make the most of the chance afforded him on what was a frustrating afternoon.

“It was one of those games where it didn’t really happen for us,” Harrop told the Lancashire Post.

“I thought we dominated the ball in terms of possession but Reading sat back and then countered us when we made a couple of mistakes.

“It is the way football is sometimes, you can have plenty of the ball but we get punished. It was hard going at times, Reading dropped into two banks of four and couldn’t find the space to get past them.

“The positive for me was that it was my first start for quite a while.

“I was out for five weeks with an injury and then I’ve been coming off the bench.”

The hamstring injury came at just the wrong time for Harrop as he found his form and sharpness after missing much of last season with a damaged cruciate ligament.

He had forced his way into Alex Neil’s plans, scoring five goals in league and cup.

Harrop said: “Before I got the injury I had been in some good form.

“I’d scored a few goals and felt I was playing well. Then I got a niggle which set me back a bit.

“I had to build myself back to fitness and get to a point where I was ready to start.”

Harrop almost claimed himself an assist in the early stages of Sunday’s game.

At 0-0, he played in Brad Potts who saw a low shot saved well by the Reading goalkeeper.

Had that one hit the back of the net rather than the keeper’s legs, it could well have been different story.

Said Harrop: “Pottsy hit the shot low and hard, it half went under the goalkeeper and was bobbling around.

“I don’t really think the keeper knew properly where the ball was.

“Had that one gone in I think it would have been a different game.

“Unfortunately it didn’t and here we are having to talk about a defeat.

“Scoring first in a game is very important and we tend to get a good result if we do.