Match Day Thread Middlesbrough v Preston North End Riverside Stadium 13/3/2019

The last night away game of the season unless we end up in the play offs takes us to play a side who we last actually beat in a competitive game in 1986 a 1-0 win in the cup at the old Ayresome Park with a thunderbolt by Ronnie Hildersley from 25 yards our last league win against these lads was in 1971 a 1-0 at Deepdale with Alan Tarbuck getting the winner. This is a side we tend not to do well against although we have played them twice this season and drawn both albeitlosing a penalty shoot out in the League cup.
Strangely though I feel we have a really good chance of taking the points on Wednesday night, Boro are under pressure especially Tony Pulis although in the play off zone they were expected to do much better. The home faithful have been less than impressed with the style of football Uncle Tony plays, long balls, set piece stuff and losing at home to Brentford on Saturday would have been less than a satisfactory result for the Boro fans.
Still have a more than decent side Britt Assombalonga although get the feeling he' not the type of player Tony really favours i.e he's a proper footballer. The interesting signing is Jon Obie Mikel how has returned after feathering his retirement nest playing in thye Chinese pub league, should be an interesting battle with the returning Pearson.
Now on 51 points we have nothing to lose tomorrow night, let's have a go and see where it takes us.

Middlesbrough Football Club (/ˈmɪdəlzbrə/) is a professional association football club based in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England. They are currently competing in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since 1995,[5] their third ground since turning professional in 1889. They played at the Linthorpe Road ground from 1882 to 1903 and at Ayresome Park for 92 years, from 1903 to 1995.

They were one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992 and became one of the first clubs to be relegated from it following the 1992–93 season. The club came close to folding in 1986 after experiencing severe financial difficulties before it was saved by a consortium led by then board member and later chairman Steve Gibson.[6] The club's main rivals are Sunderland and Newcastle United. There is also a rivalry with fellow Yorkshire club Leeds United.[7]

Middlesbrough won the League Cup in 2004, the club's first and only major trophy.[8] They reached the 2006 UEFA Cup Final, but were beaten by Spanish side Sevilla. The club's highest league finish to date was third in the 1913–14 season and they have only spent two seasons outside the Football League's top two divisions.[9] The League Cup win and the UEFA Cup run was part of an 11-year consecutive stay in the Premier League, before a relegation in 2009. Although the club returned in 2016, instant relegation followed.

The club's traditional kit is red with white detailing. The various crests throughout the club's history, the most recent of which was adopted in 2007,[10] incorporate a lion rampant.

Ref Watch: Middlesbrough

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For the second time this calendar year, taking charge of North End as referee on Wednesday night is experienced official Keith Stroud.
His first game was the 1-1 draw with Swansea City back in January, his first game at Deepdale for a number of years.

Last season, the Hampshire official took charge of two PNE games, both away from Deepdale, the first at Birmingham City back in September 2017, when goals from Tom Barkhuizen, Daniel Johnson and Jordan Hugill saw the side come from behind at the break to end Harry Redknapp’s tenure at St Andrews and the second, the win at Burton Albion in December the same year.

In 2016/17 his only game with the whistle for a PNE game was our loss at Brentford, whilst the previous season he also took charge of another game at Birmingham, as North End came from 2-0 down against what was then Gary Rowett’s men, with goals from Alan Browne and Greg Cunningham earning the Lilywhites a point.

That was his second North End game in two months after he took charge of the Lilywhites' home win over Sheffield Wednesday in February 2015, as well as PNE's last clash with a steel city side at Deepdale, 2014/15's FA Cup tie with Sheffield United. The win over the Owls was his last visit to Deepdale prior to January.
The official also refereed the Lilywhites Play-Off clash with Rotherham United in May 2014 as well as the previous season’s 3-2 home win over Ipswich Town, when Joe Garner scored a second half hat-trick as a substitute to knock the Tractor Boys out of the FA Cup at the fourth round stage.

His two previous league trips to Deepdale prior to that also saw wins, the famous 6-0 triumph over Cardiff City, which led to the Play-Offs in 2009 and a 2-1 win over West Brom the previous year, when the Lilywhites ended the game with nine men after the dismissal of both Youl Mawene and Chris Brown.

On Wednesday, up on Teeside, Keith will be assisted by Nick Greenhalgh and James Mainwaring, with fellow select group two referee Rob Jones acting as the fourth official. It will be Keith’s 22nd game of the season, having so far issued 72 cautions and two red cards, his last game being Brentford’s 3-0 win over QPR on 2nd March.

It is his second trip to the Riverside this season, having officiated their 1-1 home draw with Millwall back in January, the week after he had been to Deepdale for the Swans draw.


Team News: Middlesbrough
pnefc
Preston North End manager Alex Neil hopes to have a number of bodies back available to him for Wednesday’s trip to Middlesbrough.

Ben Pearson is back after suspension and he could be joined by the likes of Brad Potts, Tom Barkhuizen and Tom Clarke, who all missed the trip to Ewood Park with minor knocks.

However, he must make at least one change to the side that was victorious over local rivals Blackburn Rovers, with Darnell Fisher sitting out the game after two yellow cards in the last ten minutes at the weekend.

Louis Moult and Callum Robinson (both hamstring), have both now had a full week back in with the squad and will continue to look to improve their fitness levels this week.

Long-term absentees, Billy Bodin and Josh Harrop (both ACL) and former Boro man Connor Ripley (ankle) are all still on the sidelines.

For the hosts, Tony Pulis welcomed George Friend back at the weekend after a hamstring injury, the left back returning to the bench, but centre half Aden Flint was still out with the same issue and will be assessed ahead of the visit of the Lilywhites.

One man who will hope to play some part against his former employers, is Jordan Hugill, the West Ham United loanee was on the bench for Boro at the weekend, but will hope to play against his ex-team-mates.

 

I was watching NE play Stoke under Pulis when they were in the Championship. stoke won 0 - 1 at D'dale due to a stupid defensive cock-up. Hope NE do not repeat the same mistake tonight for Pulis. I was listening to some WBA supporters decrying the loss of Pulis...and they are 4th!!! Some fans are hard to please.

 

Middlesbrough 1 Fletcher Preston North End 2 Gallagher Stockley

Middlesbrough line-up: Randolph, Mikel (Tavernier, 85), Friend ©, Ayala, Shotton, Assombalonga, Howson, Fletcher (Fry, 64), Flint, Wing, Besic (Hugill, 77). Subs not used: Konstontopoulos, Clayton, Downing, Saville.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Earl (Barker, 46), Hughes, Pearson, Storey, Davies, Nmecha, Johnson, Maguire, Browne (Rafferty, 22), Gallagher © (Stockley, 75). Subs not used: Crowe, Ginnelly, Ledson, Huntington.

Attendance: 21,088 (376 PNE fans)

Referee: Mr K Stroud

A first win on Teeside since Aarchduke Ferdinand was assinated, a first goal on Teeside since 1971, a mystery tour round the high spots of Middlesbrough thanks to Martin the rougue coach driver and three points totally unexpected after a first half performance of such utter dross.
Earl and Pearson came in from the side that won at the Plastics as North End went 352 to match up with Boro the system didn't work we were over run Boro could have been two or more goal up in the first 15 minutes Ayala hitting the post from an inch out and Mikel also hit the post with Earljust about clearing the danger. Rudd also made a good save during this period but the one from Assombalonga was vital as well. Boro were a danger from set pieces cauing chao at every corner and it wa no surpise when we went 1 down bit of luck on the goal took a deflection of Storey otherwise think Rudd would have saved it. Got to the break thankful to be only one down'
Barker on for Earl looked better with a change of shape, were cauing a few more problems however Boro sat back and it wa not easy breaking them down until we got Barker in on goal, then the game changing moment, Ayala brings him down gets a red card and Gally scores from resulting free kick(video).
At the time thought it was a clean tackle and Ayala was unlucky having sen it again he wasn't fully in control of the tackle and I think Stroud did get it right.
Boro sat deep after going down to 10 men we got into some good position couldn't make them count and there was always a chance Boro might sneek it they did have chances, but 10 minutes to go Storey shot rebounded high into the air no Boro defender in sight, any one of three could have scored fell to Stockley and in it went, Johnson twice denied by Randolph in the closing stages, whilst Boro went aeriel with Flintt and Hugill along side Britt, five minutes injury time three points and Ben got another card for gobbing it, big big win, nine games to go very interesting.


Middlesbrough line-up: Randolph, Mikel (Tavernier, 85), Friend (c), Ayala, Shotton, Assombalonga, Howson, Fletcher (Fry, 64), Flint, Wing, Besic (Hugill, 77). Subs not used: Konstontopoulos, Clayton, Downing, Saville.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Earl (Barker, 46), Hughes, Pearson, Storey, Davies, Nmecha, Johnson, Maguire, Browne (Rafferty, 22), Gallagher (c) (Stockley, 75). Subs not used: Crowe, Ginnelly, Ledson, Huntington.

Attendance: 21,088 (376 PNE fans)

Referee: Mr K Stroud

Preston North End manager Alex Neil told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"The game will be spoken about for the sending-off, because it does change the game, it puts it in our favour.

"The issue you've always got with the sending-off is what is the rule nowadays?

"If the rule is if you win the ball it's not a sending-off, then the lad certainly won the ball. If the rule is dependent on how quickly you go into the ball, how high your foot is and a whole host of other things, then you could understand why it might be a sending-off.

"If I was Middlesbrough I'd be really disappointed, but naturally for us I'm pleased."

 

I would not take any notice of the 'Boro manager's opinion about the sending off. He has never been able to give credit to opposing teams.