Match Day Thread Birmingham City v Preston North End St Andrews 21/9/19

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LAST SEASON
BIRMINGHAM CITY 3 PRESTON NORTH END 0

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LAST TIME OUT
CHARLTON ATHLETIC 0 BIRMINGHAM CITY 1

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PRESTON NORTH END 2 BRENTFORD 0

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Off down the motorway to St Andrews hopefully not the horror show that happened last season with Deccers having a goalkeeping howler of immense proportions, sure City fans will have forgotten about that NOT.
City started pretty well under Pep Clotet

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which considering the struggles he had at Oxford is quite surprising. Good news for City no points deduction as yet which should give them a chance of making the play offs.
They were fairly busy during the transfer window, Sunjic, Gimenez and Crowley all brought in for decent fees, tough task for us but we have good form and unlike last season will have a full squad to pick from interesting game.

Match Officials: Birmingham City Away

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For the first time this season the Lilywhites see a referee for the second time, with Steve Martin the man in the middle for our trip to St Andrew's on Saturday.

The match official was the referee for our opening day game down at Millwall, where he also had the whistle for the same fixture last season, when Alex Neil’s men came out 3-1 winners, back in February at The Den.

That was one of the match official’s three games officiating both North End in 2018/19, the others being PNE’s wins at Nottingham Forest and at home to Ipswich Town.
Since coming onto the EFL lists back in 2012/13, the Staffordshire referee has officiated 13 North End games, at least one a season for all the years he has been on the league groupings.
His first game was a goalless draw against Leyton Orient back in March 2013, whilst other memorable games include our 3-0 win at Havant & Waterlooville in the FA Cup in 2014, a 3-0 home win over Cardiff City in 2016 and a 3-1 win at Oldham’s Boundary Park in 2014.

He has taken charge of six games so far this season, including our game with the Lions, issuing just 14 cautions in those game, five of which came in that game between North End and Neil Harris’ men back at the beginning of August.

The other members of the third team involved in Saturday’s game are assistants Sam Lewis and Mark Jones and fourth official Daniel Leach.

 

Birmingham City 0 Preston North End 1

Birmingham City line-up: Camp, Pedersen, Roberts, Colin, Crowley, Jutkiewicz, Dean (c), Mrabti (Gimenez, 61), Bellingham (Maghoma, 61), Davis (Villalba, 79), Sunjic. Subs not used: Stockdale, Harding, Clarke-Salter, Gardner.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Fisher (Rafferty, 89), Hughes, Pearson, Bauer, Davies, Harrop, Gallagher (c) (Browne, 82), Barkhuizen (Potts, 83), Johnson, Maguire. Subs not used: Ripley, Storey, Ledson, Stockley.

Attendance: 20,806 (1,518 PNE fans)

Referee: Mr S Martin

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Away from home the objective is to bring home the points and annoy the opposition fans North End did both today so Job Done, and with today's result we go third which means Colin Murray will have his usual utmost respects for our side.
Similar performance to a couple of weeks ago at Forest, super first half grindit out in the second. Apart from a couple of uncharistic errors by Bauer and Davies City rarely had sight of our goal and got little of the ball as North End passed it around St Andrews with a swagger. Didn't really create a lot as City sat deep and tried to catch us on the break.
The only goal came after what I thought was probably our move of the game and ended with Maguire being fouled outside the box

Gallagher took and fired it under the wall as they jumped, ball hits inside of post and then rebounds to Maguire Goal. City's high point in a por first half was a bit of showboating by Pederson who immediately lost possession, do not take the piss against us.
Kept control with ease and deservedley led at half time.
Second half more scrappy City came more into the game Big Lucas fired wide and they had a couple of efforts which brought easy saves for Rudd, had the ball in teh net was offside but only just.
Our itensity dropped in teh 2nd half not surprisingly it was an excessively hot day and Maguire looked completely bolloxed at the end.
Little was seen of City's 16 years old wonder kid Bellingham his last contribution was to see his badly hit free kick sail aimlessly out into touch.
Loads of injuries meant a stuttering end to the game but we deserved the win.

Tonight avoid this man in Birmingham he won't be happy he's just run into #teamslikepreston

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Birmingham City caretaker head coach Pep Clotet:

"Today football punished us more than normal because I don't think Preston did enough to win the game apart from the fact that they were fortunate and alive for the free-kick.

"There are a lot of things that I want our side to be better at, but also I want to focus on the positives and I see a team that is growing and growing.

On their penalty appeal: "The ref thought the hand was there but it is normal to have a hand there, so he gave us a corner, fair enough."

Preston North End manager Alex Neil:

"I've always thought Sean (Maguire) is a double-figures striker at this level. He's not a wide player, he's more of an inside forward who plays in between the lines and does it really well.

"He's a special player at this level. It's always nice when you've got someone in your team who can produce something from nothing.

"It's such an ace to have up your sleeve."

 

The BBC commentator admired NE's 'game management'. Take on City!