The all important winner came from a David Healy penalty but it was his strike partner that Brown was pleased to see on the scoresheet.
"Cressy deserved a goal. He has been excellent in pre-season and was last season even when he didn't score," he said after the game at Deepdale.
"You could see the joy of the crowd. His goal has been overdue. And the acknowledgement of his team-mates shows how they appreciate him. He has been desperately unlucky in the past not to hit the net.
"It was good to get a win for the first time in four years on the first day. Before I came there was a 5-0 defeat at Gillingham, then in the last two years we have gone one up and then lost 2-1.
"When Watford equalised I thought 'here we go again'. I was fearful it would go the same way. Fortunately, we held on and got a break."