Thursday 20 September 2012 16:01, UK
Preston boss Graham Westley insists it wasn't a gamble to hand Steve Simonsen a league debut in the 5-0 win over Hartlepool.
Simonsen came in for towering German stopper Thorsten Stuckmann as one of five changes from the XI that went down 2-1 to Crawley last weekend. Stuckmann was North End's standout performer in a turbulent campaign last term but has not kept a clean sheet since the opening day of the season and Westley was happy to call upon the former Everton and Stoke man. "Having a Premier League goalkeeper between the sticks isn't the biggest gamble any manager will take," he told BBC Radio Lancashire. "Steve has a lot of experience, he's very good with his feet and we saw great evidence of him helping to get the team playing from the back."