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Match Day Thread Preston North End v Birmingham City Deepdale 18/7/2020

Discussion in 'Preston' started by themaclad, Jul 17, 2020.

  1. themaclad

    themaclad Well-Known Member

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    LAST TIME OUT

    BRENTFORD 1 PRESTON NORTH END 0

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    BIRMINGHAM CITY 1 CHARLTON ATHLETIC 1

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    FORM GUIDE MAX 25 POINTS

    PRESTON NORTH END 8 BIRMINGHAN CITY 1

    THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE

    The man with two brains

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    For the fourth time this season Preston North End will have Steve Martin as the match official, when we face Birmingham City at Deepdale on Saturday.

    The match official was the referee for our opening day game down at Millwall, the 1-0 victory over the Blues at St Andrews in today’s reverse fixture and the 3-2 comeback victory over Blackburn Rovers.

    Steve also had whistle for the Millwall away game last season as well, when Alex Neil’s men came out 3-1 winners, back in February 2019 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 – that visit to PR1 being back in April 2019, when we ran out 4-0 winners.

    Since coming onto the EFL lists back in 2012/13, the Staffordshire referee has officiated many 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 35 games so far this season, issuing 86 cautions and two red cards. This will be his third City game of the season; as well as our match at St Andrews, he also refereed their match with Brentford in the second city, which ended 1-1 in February.

    The other members of the third team involved in Saturday’s game are assistants Andrew Fox and George Russell and fourth official Seb Stockbridge.

    MACS MEMORIES BIRMINGHAM

    6 APRIL 1968

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    The game finished 0-0, we had a goal disallowed, which when shown the day after on Granada TV clearly showed the Blues keeper had dropped the ball before Willie Irvine put if into the net,
    The match was important for one specific reason it was my first at Deepdale.
    The play off semi final in May 2001 was also epic but the goalless draw shades it.

    THE MATCH

    City's point in midweek will just about will make them safe, the Blues are managerless following Pep Clotet's early departure. Steve Spooner is in charge for the time being until the Blues apart a new permanent manager.
    The club have not had a good recent history going back to the sacking of Gary Rowett, seems to be no stability, Squad wise Jutkiewicz has scored 15 in a struggling side, supported up front by Scott Horgan. Youngster Jude Bellingham will be available for one of his last games before his move to Dortmund for a reported £30 million fee.
    As for us it seems a long time since we actually won a home game and as we finally draw the season to a close at Deepdale the Blues represent a good chance for us to actually achieve this. Still a faint chance of the play offs although given Cardiff have to play Hull next Wednesday is probably a gimme, maybe only pride to play for.
    Hopefully by the time we rock up at Deepdale probably mid September a certain amount of fans will be allowed in.
     
    #1
  2. barnetpne

    barnetpne Well-Known Member

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    4 changes to the first 11. Stockley, Harrop, Gallagher and Potts in. If Stockley scores, then questions will be asked about why he did not play against the Bees.
     
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  3. themaclad

    themaclad Well-Known Member

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    Preston North End 2 Bauer Potts Birmingham City 0

    Not watched it finally playing cricket, here is the BBC's report, Neil has indicated that we need a striker

    Birmingham City are still not safe from the threat of relegation from the Championship after losing to Preston North End at Deepdale.

    On an afternoon when North End had to win to try to keep their slim play-off hopes alive, a goal in each half from Patrick Bauer and Brad Potts at least won the hosts the three points.

    But Cardiff City's win at Middlesbrough ensured that Alex Neil's side fell short of a top-six place. And managerless Blues were also hit by a result elsewhere as Luton Town's late winner at Hull kept them in the relegation shake-up.

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    For Blues to stand any chance of going down, it would need Luton - at home to Blackburn - and Charlton Athletic - away to champions Leeds - both to win in Wednesday's final round of fixtures.

    Wigan would also need to successfully appeal against a potential 12-point deduction handed to them for going into administration.

    But Blues would end any doubts if they beat Derby County at St Andrew's.

    Finally a win at Deepdale
    Since their last home win on 22 February, Preston had picked up just one point out of a possible 12 at Deepdale.

    But that first home triumph in a five league matches - and 12th of the season - was on the cards from the moment that German defender Bauer put Neil's men ahead two minutes before the break with his third goal of the campaign.

    Paul Gallagher's cunningly floated out-swinging corner somehow evaded all the jumpers at the near post and Bauer was left unmarked eight yards out to slide a low right-foot finish on the half volley, to Blues keeper Lee Camp's left.

    Birmingham came closest to levelling just after the break when, after a half-cleared corner dropped to Gary Gardner five yards outside the box, the City midfielder's stunning right-foot volley was brilliantly saved by home keeper Declan Rudd, who somehow tipped it over.

    But Preston settled it three minutes from time when a poor clearing header fell square to Potts, who raced on into the box before drilling a low left-foot shot across Camp into the far corner.

    Who's next?
    Blues still have their fate in their own hands when they host a Derby side captained by Wayne Rooney in midweek.

    A win would do the job without worrying about anyone else's results but, no matter what Charlton do, barring a new Championship goal-scoring record at Kenilworth Road, their superior goal difference to Luton (they are 10 better off) means that a draw would almost certainly be enough to keep them up.

    If they were to lose, both Charlton and Luton could still overtake them and Blues would drop into the relegation zone. But, if Wigan's possible 12-point deduction stands, then Birmingham stay up regardless of their own result or results elsewhere on Wednesday.

    Preston finish their season at Ashton Gate against Bristol City, whose play-off hopes were also ended by Cardiff's win on Teesside.

    PNE: Rudd, Rafferty, Bauer, Storey, Hughes, Ledson, Gallagher, Potts, Johnson (Barkhuizen 78), Harrop (Maguire 78), Stockley. Subs (not used): Fisher, Browne, Huntington, Sinclair, Nugent, Bodin, Hudson.

    Birmingham: Camp, Colin, Dean, Roberts, Pedersen, Crowley (Boyd-Munce 71), Gardner, Sunjic (Bela 61), Bellingham, Jutkiewicz, Hogan (Reid 82). Subs (not used): Harding, Kieftenbeld, Fernandez, Burke, Gordon, Trueman.

    Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire)
     
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  4. themaclad

    themaclad Well-Known Member

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    Manager reaction
    Preston manager Alex Neil:

    "It's disappointing we've not made the top six. It's painful. We could have got to the play-offs or got promotion.

    "But maybe we've sold too many important players over the course of the past couple of seasons, players who could maybe have got us the goals we needed.

    "But this group of players have given me everything this season. We've come up short in the end, but don't forget we've got one of the smallest playing budgets in the division.

    "Just take a look at some of the teams we're above in the table. We are where we are, but I do think expectation has shifted massively since I've been here."

    Birmingham City caretaker boss Steve Spooner:

    "It's not even entered my mind about EFL points deductions. We can't be thinking about that.

    "Who wants to be involved with a team that might finish in the bottom three and then stays up?

    "All we've got to be thinking about is beating Derby on Wednesday night. We have to sort it ourselves.

    "I'm just bitterly disappointed to concede two goals like that, especially the first one so close to half time. I'm fed up keeping on going over the same old things."
     
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  5. barnetpne

    barnetpne Well-Known Member

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    Didn't it rain all day in Lancashire? So, where was the cricket?
     
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  6. themaclad

    themaclad Well-Known Member

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    North of Preston stopped raining south of the Ribble twas grim
     
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  7. barnetpne

    barnetpne Well-Known Member

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    Good win for England.
     
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