please log in to view this image LAST TIME OUT Nigel speaks FORM GUIDE PNE 10 BRIZZLE 8 https://www.bcfc.co.uk/ https://www.not606.com/forums/bristol-city.34/ In The Dressing Room Deadline day addition Josh Onomah will be eligible to feature, but manager Ryan Lowe is aware he will need to get up to match speed, having not played many minutes so far this season. The gaffer will have pretty much a fully-fit squad to choose from this weekend, aside from long-term absentee Emil Riis. Greg Cunningham – coming up against his former side – would reach 150 league appearances in a PNE shirt if he is to feature this weekend. A Look At Our Visitors please log in to view this image There could be a couple of debuts handed out by Bristol City this weekend, with the Robins bringing attackers Anis Mehmeti and Harry Cornick to the club on deadline day. 22-year-old Mehmeti has joined from Wycombe Wanderers, having scored nine times in the first half of their League One campaign, while Cornick has made the move from Luton Town, where he made over 235 appearances. Manager Nigel Pearson will be hopeful the duo can help to fill the gap left by the departure of Antoine Semenyo to AFC Bournemouth, as they look to push up the table from 17th position. Going Head To Head Games played: 96 PNE wins: 34 Draws: 34 Bristol City wins: 28 Last victory: PNE 1-0 Bristol City, 18th December 2020 One To Watch please log in to view this image There could well be debuts for deadline day signings Anis Mehmeti and Harry Cornick, but striker Nahki Wells will be hoping to hold on to his starting spot. He’s been the key man up top for the Robins so far this season, featuring in all-but-one Championship fixtures, with a return of nine goals. The experienced Championship centre forward has previous against North End, too, having put four past PNE for Huddersfield Town earlier in his career. Match Officials please log in to view this image Leigh Doughty will referee the fourth Preston North End fixture of his career this weekend. Doughty first took charge of a PNE game in November 2021, while his most recent experience of officiating a Lilywhites match was in January earlier this year, when Ryan Lowe’s side won 1-0 away to Stoke City. So far this season, Doughty has shown 92 yellow cards and five reds in his 20 matches as referee. MACS VIEW Another attempt too improve our woeful home record, more attacking options than last week against Spuds plus our new Josh, if only we could win at home we would be in a great top six position but hope springs eternal
Preston North End 1 Evans Bristol City 2 Sykes, Bell PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay (Cunningham, 45), Hughes; Browne (Potts, 82), McCann, Ledson (Onomah, 81), Brady (Fernández, 82); Cannon, Evans, Delap. Subs not used: Cornell, Johnson, Woodburn. Bristol City line-up: O’Leary; Tanner (Kalas, 68), Vyner, Atkinson, Pring; James, Naismith (Williams, 31); Sykes, Scott, Bell (Weimann, 88); Wells (Cornick, 68). Subs not used: Haikin, Dasilva, Mehmeti. Attendance: 14,261 (804 Bristol City fans). Referee: Mr L Doughty. After the win at Ewood many moons ago Don Goodman said that the win at Deadwood needed to be back up by doing well in the two home games we had coming up, Millwall and Huddersfield, we promptly lost both of them and since then have lost the next two at home as well, the natives are starting to get restless and suspect there is a bit of pressure on the manager. The goals City got today were not hard to score although to be far the ball Scott layed to Wells that took out three players was excellent. An overcast afternoon saw a decent number from the Clean Air Zone woke city rock up at Deepdale and it was those clad in grey who got the first goal, or should I say gifted the first goal, after a bright opening by both sides a ball played behind Brady, there looked to be no danger however Brady and Woodman proceeded to balls it up between them, the pass back was underhit and woefully short, Sykes dummied Woodman to basically walk the ball into the net, not the start we wanted. Resonded pretty well actually compared to some of the home games we have lost in recent weeks actually created some chances, Cannon and Evans were both denied by O'Leary. We were getting plenty of space down either flank but the final ball was often poor. City made a change befoe half time Naismith off and Williams on looked more secure then they had been previously. Then with the last kick before half time made it two, Scott's pass Wells escaped down the right, Woodman came then scurried back but Wells ball across the face of the goal was perfect and Bell tapped in. The home support expressed their views as the team left the pitch. Second period, O'Leary denied Cannon good one handed save, but City defended in depth and everything that went into teh box was cleared. It kicked off a bit on teh pitch, Wells losing the plot after a tackle could have been sent off for pushing Cunningham to the ground,he made sure he got about a minute later then he was promptly substituted. Evans may have also got away with a stamp on Scott but Mr Doughty who had aninteresting game didn't see it. Reduced the defecit when O'Leary fumbled a Ledson shot, Evans bagged the rebound. Should have levelled when Brady managed not to head in from close range(it went out for a throw in) and late goalmouth scramble brought no joy and dissent from the terraces at the end of the game So five home defeats on the bounce only three home wins all season, Burnley away nexr week, big month for Mr Lowe coming up. Preston boss Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire: "I thought the performance warranted a point, if not three. You can't legislate for mistakes, individual errors, but I thought our lads reaction after that was fantastic. We created some fantastic chances but to go in at half-time 2-0 down gives you a mountain to climb. "The lads left everything out there to try and get back. He [Brady] nearly put it right for us at the end, he's disappointed for the mistake and the second goal we should have seen if off further up the pitch so the two goals are disappointing but the effort and endeavour of the group was pleasing for me. "We've done everything but win, we gifted them two goals, they were not acceptable and the lads know that." On fans' boos towards his team: "It's disheartening, it's not nice. I'm a human being and doing my best for this football club and there's a few things said there that's disgusting and, they pay their hard-earned money, but I'm not here to be abused and my players are not here to be abused. "Booing the lads at half-time I don't think it warranted that. I get the frustration as we haven't won at home but we're mid-table and we're trying to get better, we're only four points outside the playoff spots. "I don't get the vile abuse we're getting. It's not all doom and gloom, we're not sitting in the bottom three, we're on 40 points, we're doing ok." Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson told BBC Radio Bristol: "Their quality from set plays is excellent and to a man we stood up and made it difficult for them to get a good contact. It was a tough game and they've had a difficult run of home games in terms of results and they were desperate to turn that around. "I'm just delighted for the players today and I was happy to see them celebrating with the fans because there's a real connection there and I like that, I think it's important our fans have a team that they want to come and see. "We would like to play with a bit more style but we couldn't today because the game didn't allow us to, it was a tough physical game but we showed some real quality as well.
