Preston North End V Brentford @ Deepdale 28/10/2017 After what seems a lifetime we actually play a home game, no train journeys, no walk through London parks avoiding formation by fans on Wolverhampton station but a home game. The visitors Brentford are an odd side can put together a run of victories then follow it up with a run of defeats at the moment they are unbeaten in five although three have been draws. Last time out came back from 3-1 down to Blunderland to pick up a point. They are always likely to score so this is likely to be another entertaining game. Squad wise they are a fairly youngish squad who they have spent quite a bit of cash on, Woods and Watkins two young players we possibly should have gone after. Sawyer in midfield can be a danger as are Canos and Vibe. Personal view think keeper Bentley is a bit of a weak link(probably have a stormer now) was shocking when we beat them in the corresponding game last season. Have had some very high scoring games against them however the most memorable was the 3-1 home defeat just after medal winner took over, possibly the worst performance ever. No Browne suspended for last weeks sending off given that both his booking sparked mass brawls we will obviously avoid that this week. May seem the return of Maguire could be time to give Mavididi a start. Rudd is back in training to put a bit of pressure on Maxwell between the sticks, hopefully his ventures outside the penalty area may be fewer this week, flying close to the wind at times. Interesting game this one let's see if we can get back on the winning path please log in to view this image Referee: David Coote Assistant Referees: Adam Matthews and Billy Smallwood Fourth Official: Mark Heywood This is the Nottinghamshire-based official's eighth season in the EFL and 11th on the National List, having taken charge of his first professional game in 2010. Brentford have lost only one of nine games which he has officiated, with four wins and four draws. He has taken charge of some memorable recent games including our 2-1 derby with over Fulham in 2014 and last season's 3-0 win at home to Aston Villa. This season David has taken charge of six games, two of them in the Sky Bet Championship, showing 22 yellow cards. Preston North End 2017/18 205 fouls – 1st in Championship 30 yellow cards – 1st in Championship 2 red cards – 1st in Championship Dirty sods us never Preston North End vs Brentford Match Preview please log in to view this image The Lilywhites return home after four weeks without a game at Deepdale and will be looking for three points against Dean Smith’s BrTicket Information: Brentford However, the Bees have been in excellent form of late and are unbeaten in their last six league games, although they have drawn four of them, including coming from 3-1 down at half-time to take a point at home to Sunderland last weekend. North End could replace one Irishman with another, with the suspended Alan Browne ruled out, but Sean Maguire fit to return after injury, meaning manager Alex Neil has plenty to consider ahead of the game. In 25 previous league games at home to Brentford, there has never been a goalless draw so hopefully this fixture’s history of goals will continue this weekend! please log in to view this image Indeed, we have shared 98 goals to date, at an average of almost four per game and there have been some high-scoring results over the years. It is 84 years since the Bees made their way north from west London on Boxing Day 1933. We complain about fixture congestion nowadays, but the two clubs had faced each other at Griffin Park only the day before – Christmas Day! Following a 3-2 defeat in that match, the pattern for goals at Deepdale was established from the start as we gained revenge by a similar scoreline. Two games in 24 hours and ten goals scored – definitely a fixture with plenty to live up to in subsequent years, but this has been achieved. Last season’s 4-2 victory for North End was the third time we have recorded four goals against Brentford here, in addition to scoring five times twice. One of the most notable games came in 1989 when the scoreline seesawed between the two sides before Warren Joyce, on as a second half substitute, finally swung the game in our favour. Tony Philliskirk gave us a second minute lead only for two Brentford goals in the next quarter of an hour to give them the lead, before Mark Patterson’s penalty in the 23rd minute evened things up again. Brentford regained the lead virtually from the kick off to the second half and it took the introduction of Joyce to finally put us on top. With virtually his first touch, he equalised and then Tony Ellis restored our lead and a final minute goal from the recent Wigan manager clinched the points. Brentford returned to Deepdale six months later and the match was nearly as dramatic as we came from 2-0 down after 13 minutes to win 4-2 with all our goals in the last half hour. On This Date Frank Becton was born on this date in 1873, the youngest of three brothers to play for North End, although they never appeared in the first team together. After scoring 54 goals in only 102 games between 1891 and 1895, he signed for Liverpool and then move to Sheffield United before returning to Deepdale for the 1900/01 season. Although he only scored ten goals in 28 appearances, his career stats for PNE of 64 goals in 130 games are up there with the best in our history. A striker with an even better goalscoring record made his debut for us on this date in 1961 after singing from Manchester United. Alex Dawson, known to fans as the Black Prince, scored 132 goals in only 237 appearances, averaging a goal every 162 minutes. He scored in the 1964 FA Cup Final defeat to West Ham and is sixth in our list of hat-trick scorers with five trebles to his name. He left for Bury in 1967, but remained a regular visitor to North End games over the years since his departure as a player. Former goalkeeper Simon Farnworth is 54 on Saturday as well. please log in to view this image Last Five Games At Deepdale Preston North End 4 (McGeady, 2; Robinson, Horgan) Brentford 2 (Field, Colin), 11th Feb 2017 Preston North End 1 (Reach) Brentford 3 (Bidwell, Judge, Swift), 23rd Jan 2016 Preston North End 0 Brentford 3 (Forshaw, pen; Trotta, Saunders), 21st Dec 2013 Preston North End 1 (Laird) Brentford 1 (German), 17th Nov 2012 Preston North End 1 (Parry, pen) Brentford 3 (Logan, Donaldson, 2 (1 pen)), 27th Mar 2012
Preston North End 2 Brentford 3 Att 12005 Maguire Yennaris, Sawyers, Watkins Barkuizen Although the scoreline looks close it wasn't the Bees deserved their victory, better side by far today, this was a clunker of a performance by North End, second best in every aspect and another booking for skipper Huntington means he will miss the Villa game which means we ill only have one fit centre back for the match on Wednesday. Started well although that didn't last for long as Brentford soon dominated with their close passing football, young left back Earl was having a torrid time against nippy winger Josefzoon. The Bees had already close through Vibe when they deservedly took the lead through Yennaris although there did seem to be a bit of fortune with the goal looked as if the ball had cannoned into him before ending up in the net but the goal had been coming. North End far to slow with their build up looked as if they were happy to get to half time a goal down but went in level when Maguire having run 20 yards with the ball to work himself a space before firing past Bentley. A lengthy stoppage followed after the kick when Yennaris led flat out in the middle of the pitch no idea what had happened 10 minute delay with the rest of the half played in a rather subdued manner. After an initial burst of pressure on the Bees goal the visitors regained the lead although there was a hint of controversy about. Brentford free kick North End had a player down injured in a seperate incident. Following treatment Woods was not allowed back on the pitch although to be fair to the ref the ball did actually go towards the touchline were Woods was standing. The ball should have been cleared but eventually Sawyers scored. North back on the front foot had chances to shot at goal passed them all by until Barkuizen fired home from the edge of the box to level. Parity didn't last long, attack down Brentford's right, quick one two and Watkins had the simple task of slotting home. Lots of pressure but only the direct running of Mavididi and Harrop cause the Bees any problems. No complaaints about the result but there are about Mr Coote, booked Maguire for diving after about a minutethen failed to penalise anyone else for the same offence afterwards, spent at least a hour having a chat with Egan and Pearson after words were exchanged and generally was rap throughout the afternoon. One to forget though lack of defensive cover against Villa could be a worry. Preston manager Alex Neil: "The game was patchy, without one team being dominant throughout the 90 minutes. We started well and then, when we got the equaliser, we finished the half well and started the second well. "When we went 2-2, we were the team in the ascendancy and then we get caught with a sloppy goal to make it 3-2. "Both teams had spells when they were on top but unfortunately for us they scored more goals when they were on top." Brentford manager Dean Smith: "Nico Yennaris is okay now. He can't remember the goal, as he got a whack. Nobody saw it at the time but when you see it back (on video) it could easily be a red card. "Hugill could easily get out of the way but he's dipped his shoulder into Nico's head. It's an unfortunate incident but Nico is good which is the important thing. "He's just gone to block Nico but he's ended up catching him on the side of the face so it's a disappointing one to see."
