The on loan striker has had an inauspicious start to his Preston career and is unlikely to set the place on fire before his loan spell comes to an end but on Saturday he had his day in a firecely contested derby game.
This game was a reminder of the season so far for Preston. North End are battling to stay in this division and without May, out injured for the season, the sum total expenditure on the starting eleven amounted to little more than what Burnley paid for their new right back.
Preston don't have the financial muscle to compete with ex-Premier League teams and at times, such as with Mccormack at Fulham, the class does tell. Fortunately for Preston, Gray had an off day and Preston capitalised.
Burnley could have taken the lead within the first fifteen minutes before Preston got a foothold in the game. There were chances, some fluffed but Preston progressively came into the game. Both sides had to battle against the howling wind and torrential rain for the duration of the game.
The turning point came when Pickford made his outstanding save of the game. Unfortunately, the England under 21 keeper will be moving on to better things than Championship football in the near future. Unbelievable he tipped a close range shot onto the bar before the ball was cleared.
Football matches are won on fine margins and whilst Pickford made one fantactic save his opposing number may have done better with the opening goal.
Clarke won the ball in midfield and Keane who had done little all game went on a run. He had Garner on the overlap and with Keane's record everyone wanted him to pass. Instead he drove into the box and shot right footed. The slippery conditions meant the keeper couldn't get both hands to the ball and Preston took the lead.
There were then a couple of incidents over whether Vernijl and Barton should have been sent off for respective second yellow cards but the referee took account of the game and the conditions which were atrocious and it stayed eleven aside.
Surprisingly, Burnley had little to throw at Preston. Grayson is often criticised for no plan B but apart from the odd fluffed shot the home side didn't really assert themselves when behind.
The game was then finished when Preston scored again. Garner broke down the left beating his man before laying back for Daniel Johnson. He slotted home with his trusted left foot and the £50,000 fee must be Preston's best signing of the last 15 years.
North End held on but remain 18th in the table although they move further away from the relegation zone.