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Match Day Thread Bristol City @ Ashton Gate 17/12/2016

Discussion in 'Preston' started by themaclad, Dec 15, 2016.

  1. themaclad

    themaclad Well-Known Member

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    The last match before Christmas sends the Whites down the car parks that are the M6/M5 to Bristol, means another lovely road trip for yours truly.
    City seem to be having a sticky patch at the moment having only won one of the last eight games that was against Ipswich who at the moment are ****e. Last time out they lost at home to Brentford, they were not helped by losing keeper Fielding to injury in the first half but with the defeat the pressure must be on Johnson jnr to start to get results as City lie in 18th place in the table at the moment.
    What better time for North End to play them, plenty of things are in North Ends favour for this game, recent decent record at the Gate, the referee is Simon Hooper who the last two times we have had him we've won, so given all those favourable things you can see an easy City win on the cards especiaslly if they play as they did in the second half were a pass to a team mate was considered a miracle and any ability totackle an opponent had long gone out of the window, also forgot to add Grayson has a decent recod against Johnson so that also points to a City win.
    City are a club on the up although recent results do not suggest that, their ground has been virtually redeveloped with slightly rich chairman Steve Lansdowne pouring money in yto turn it into a ground fit for the top division, the present capacity is 27000 which will not b made on Saturday.
    Squad wise City have made some good acquistion especially the loan signing of Tammy Abraham however it is his father that North End have trouble with as Wilbraham has scored in the last three games against us. They have the chunky winger Lee Tomlin who can be good on his day and if both Makienok and Flint play their combined height would be thirteen feet, however Flint was substituted on Tuesday therefore could be injured. Not a bad side this lot.
    Hopefully for us Pearson will be fit otherwise we are goosed in midfield, McGeady made the bench last night so could start on Saturday.
    Need to take our chances if we did we could seriously trouble the higher reaches of the table but scoring one in every sixty does make life difficulty.
    Match report on Sunday providing we have managed to negotiate the road works on the motorway.


    Bristol City last three WLL Next three Wolves A Ipswich A Reading H
    North End last three LWD Next three Leeds H Sheff W H Burton A
     
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  2. themaclad

    themaclad Well-Known Member

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    Must be something in the air at Ashton Gate that suits North End, third succesive win at the impressively rebuilt home of Bristol City and afirst managed to get to and from Bristol without any hold ups on thta famous roadwork the M6.
    As for the game North End started off as they finished at the City Ground on Wednesday under seige. City were excllent for 20 minutes, we barely got a kick as we were pinned back virtually in our penalty area as City bombed down either flank with Bryan and Tomlin exploiting the space. We were saved by Maxwell who made two good saves, a bit of wayward shooting and some great blocks put in by the defence.
    With North End's first attack there was a hint of danger with the second we scored, initial work by Cunningham and a cross by Robinson found the big Dane ambling in to slot the ball past Lukic, a second in two games for Makienok.
    With the goal City's confidence dropped and in truth North End should have gone in at the break well ahead, Robinson went narrowly wide from the edge of the box, Browne had two great chances the first he blazed horribly wide the second tried to squeeze the ball in from close to the post, both times McGeady was well placed and may have done better. From a Makienok header Robinson hit the bar from close range and on the stroke of half time City got slightly lucky as a bit of pinball six yards out ended with the ball going narrowly wide.
    When Huntington had a header cleared from the line at the start of the second half looked like we would cruise it but City broke away Reid looking offside fed the ball to the immense Abraham, he hit the post and put the rebound wide, this gave City a lift and as we started to sit deep as per normal City started to dominate. They brought on Wilbraham as usual he scored, great cross from the right, the OAP got above Baptiste at the back post headed the ball back across the keeper and in to the net. four in four against us.
    With the home crowd now fully behind their side looked only one winner, but as with last season there was a twist, Makienok flicked the ball onto Johnson, the dreadlocked one advanced on goal with absolutely no support, and in the season of miracles he scored with his right foot, squeezing the ball between keepr and post, home fans silenced had to survive a Brownhill shot which was well saved by Maxwell who also safely clutched a late Abraham winner.
    In the away end it was Jingle Bells all the way.

    Bristol City 1 Preston North End 2 Att 18619

    Bristol boss Lee Johnson:

    "We have to work through this period. It feels like Groundhog Day.

    "In the first 20 minutes some of the football we played was fantastic, then we give away a really, really poor goal. Bad positioning from our back four has meant we conceded without Preston needing to produce any real quality.

    "After that players who were performing at eights and nines dipped to fives and sixes. Then we managed to get ourselves back into the game, but still couldn't see it out.

    "Enough is enough and tweaks need to be made. We need a couple of signings in the January transfer window to help the group.

    "It's never easy in January, but I know what I want. There is a lot right and a little bit wrong at the moment, but the latter is driving me insane."

    Preston North End manager Simon Grayson:

    "We have had a good week, with seven points from nine and two good away performances.

    "Bristol City came out of the traps fast and we had to weather the storm. We were under the cosh, but we got through it and the first goal was always going to be important.

    "It was a great ball in from Callum Robinson and an excellent finish by Simon Makienok. After that I felt we looked comfortable until they equalised.

    "A lot of character was shown to win the game from then on. You have to defend well because Bristol City get balls into the box and have some big lads in there.

    "Christmas always means a quick turnaround of games, but we go into it with momentum. We won't get ahead of ourselves and have some tough matches coming up, but we will enjoy the next few days."
     
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  3. barnetpne

    barnetpne Well-Known Member

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    Ding dong merrily on Deepdale!
     
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