Match Day Thread Preston North End v Huddersfield Town Deepdale 27/2/2021

Here we go again can we add to the magnificent total of two goals scored at home in 2021, next up Huddersfield Town who are one of the few number of clubs who are still below us every week it is an ever decreasing number.
Saying that though a decent point last night against QPR. Town got a great result against those Welshmen from Abertawe but seemed to revert to an inability to defend against Wayne Rooney on Tuesday night.

please log in to view this image

Our first epic encounter against these lads was 15/2/1913 we won 2-1, Town first won at our gaff in August 1920 1-0 (miles offside apparently) Town's recent record at the home of football is abysmal their last win was 10/11/1969 they won 3-1 we got relegated that season, given our travails at home we all know what is going to happen.

please log in to view this image

Manager Carlos Coberan is trying to turn them into a Leeds type of club on the pitch at the moment it's a bit hit and miss, or something to take root will need a bit of time but at least he doesn't have to translate for Bielsa these days.
Squad wise just resigned tiny Holmes form Wayne Rooney, also picked up Yaya Sangolo a striker who at one time played for Arsenal. At Derby played 352 Brown a sub in that game was sent off so he will be unavailable, the biggest question re the match is what colour will Bacuna's hair be

FORM GUIDE

PNE 6 TOWN 5

Cannot see much change in the line up from last night Neil will no doubt match up with Town's formation, time to actually win our first home game of the year suspect we will not get a better chance against Town. Need to be more clinical in front of goal and let Gordon run riot, a win and we get closer to the magical 50 points a defeat and those at the bottom could get closer.

 

Preston North End play their second home game in the space of three days with a Roses battle against West Yorkshiremen Huddersfield Town at Deepdale this Saturday.

Both sides will be looking for a positive result after contrasting midweek matches, with the Terriers unable to get anything from their trip to Wayne Rooney’s Derby County, whilst the Lilywhites were unable to break down QPR in front of the Sky cameras in PR1.

The two sides last met back in late October, when North End came from behind to take all three points at the John Smith’s Stadium, thanks to a superb brace from skipper Alan Browne.

The Irish international midfielder moved back into the middle of the park against Mark Warburton’s men in midweek and if he continues in that role, he will look to keep up a good record against the visitors, who he scored a late winner against in the same game back in 2016.


Team News
Alex Neil’s injury list continues to grow, with Liam Lindsay and Paul Gallagher having missed Wednesday’s entertaining goalless draw with Queens Park Rangers at Deepdale.

The on loan centre half and the experienced midfielder joined Ryan Ledson, Sean Maguire, Billy Bodin, Declan Rudd, Patrick Bauer and Louis Moult in the stands for the clash with Mark Warburton’s men.

For Carlos Corberán, he will need to check on the status of Jonathan Hogg’s injury, after the midfielder missed the midweek defeat at Derby County.

Jaden Brown will be missing after his red card late in the game at Pride Park, whilst new recruit Yaya Sanogo, might not be ready to be involved yet after completing his quarantine period.

please log in to view this image

Match Officials
Taking charge of his Saturday’s game is Isle of Wight match official James Linington, his second Deepdale visit of the season, having officiated the 2-2 home draw with Wycombe Wanderers at the beginning of December.

The referee took charge of just one PNE game last season, the 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers, as well as two PNE games the year before, our August trip to Swansea City and the final game of the season away at Brentford.

He was also the man in charge of the game for our game with Cardiff City in December 2017, when Tom Clarke scored a late winner. James took charge of three PNE games that season in all, the trio all away from home, with the games being the 2-1 win at Hull City back in September, the aforementioned game at the Cardiff City Stadium and the 1-0 win at Sheffield United in our final away game of last season.

Four seasons ago, the referee made his first visit ever to Deepdale for the clash with Wolves back in November and was then the referee in the away game at Derby County back in March.

The season before he was referee of the PNE game at Ashton Gate, when Greg Cunningham scored the winner against his former club and that was his third game in charge of PNE. The other time he refereed North End was another game in the south of England, when the Lilywhites won 1-0 at Gillingham in the League One promotion season, courtesy of Paul Huntington’s goal in his first start of the season.

So far this season he has officiated 21 games, issuing 46 yellow cards and two reds and he
Has not refereed the Terriers yet this term. He will be assisted by Mark Dwyer and Rob Merchant, with experienced Championship official Stephen Martin acting as the fourth official.

 

please log in to view this image

please log in to view this image

 

Potts 1-0

 

Ched 2-0

 

3-0 Sinclair

 

Goals from Brad Potts, Ched Evans and Scott Sinclair saw Preston North End to a comfortable Championship home win over Huddersfield Town to extend the Terriers' miserable run.

Potts' fourth goal of the season gave Preston the lead midway through the first half before Evans doubled the advantage after half-time.

Sinclair then finished a sweeping move to apply the coup de grace 10 minutes from time.

It was just a fifth home win of the season for the hosts, who had only won one of their previous seven matches.

Huddersfield have now only won once in 11 league games and are tumbling towards Championship relegation zone.

Their best moments came in the opening period as Isaac Mbenza had a shot from outside the box and a free-kick smartly saved by Preston goalkeeper Daniel Iversen, who also came off his line quickly to smother Lewis O'Brien's effort.

Huddersfield also had an appeal for a penalty turned down after Fraizer Campbell was tackled by Andrew Hughes.

But it was Preston who took control as Evans and Potts combined twice to put Alex Neil's side on course for victory.

In the first half Evans threaded a pass to send Sinclair in on goal and though Ryan Schofield was quickly off his line to make an initial save, Potts was in the right place to turn home the rebound.

After the break, Potts turned provider when his low cross from the left found Evans in the centre of the goal and his first-time side-foot finish was too good for Schofield.

Preston's day was complete when Tom Barkhuizen's skilful outside-of-the-boot cross was finished first time by Sinclair at the back post.

MACS VIEW

Needed this gives us a lot more breathing space, especially as Wednesday probably suffered a fatal collapse at Luton today, apparently Potts asked to play in his favoured position and there you go goal and assist, pity it didn't dawn on the manager earlier
9 points tops needed to survive a lot easier tonight than it was before kick off

 

Preston North End boss Alex Neil:

"It took us time to get into the game. We didn't start the game well and gave them too much time on the ball.

"We got ourselves ahead which we don't normally do. That is something we have spoken about.

"The lads were very strong in the second half. It is a case of taking your chances, we did that and it made the difference."

Huddersfield head coach Carlos Corberán told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"We had two good opportunities in the first half that we didn't take and then lost the ball in the middle of the pitch and allowed them to score.

"We changed at half-time to have two strikers to give us more options, but again lost the ball in the middle of the park and they scored to unbalance the game.

"There were a lot of battles in the middle of the park we needed to win and in the second half they started to win the psychological and physical game to stop all our attacks."