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Match Day Thread Swansea City v Preston North End Liberty Stadium 5/3/2021

Discussion in 'Preston' started by themaclad, Apr 4, 2021.

  1. themaclad

    themaclad Well-Known Member

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    LAST TIME OUT

    BIRMINGHAM CITY 1 SWANSEA CITY 0



    FORM GUIDE

    SWANSEA 7 PNE 2

    City not scored in their last three games

    The Liberty Stadium (Welsh: Stadiwm Liberty) is a sports stadium and conferencing venue located in the Landore area of Swansea, Wales. The stadium is all-seated. It had an opening capacity of 20,750, making it the largest purpose-built venue in Swansea; minor layout changes have since increased this to 21,088. It is the home stadium of EFL Championship club Swansea City, who took full operational control of the stadium in 2018,[3] and the Ospreys rugby team. As a result of Swansea City's promotion, the stadium became the first Premier League ground in Wales. It is the third largest stadium in Wales – after the Millennium Stadium and the Cardiff City Stadium. In European competitions, the stadium is known as Swansea Stadium because of advertising rules.

    When the match kick off it will be 28 years and 2 days since the Esha Ness non win in the Grand National, the day teh two Sheffield clubs met in the FA Cup Semi Final at Wembley and North End played Swansea at the Old Vetch Field
    7 am start off in my old Rover Metro J894NFV 5 of us, stopped at Ross on Wye on the way down, and headed towards the Vetch, stuck in traffic on the main coastal road zero chance of actually making the kick off heard the immortal phrase on the radio The weather here in London is dull and grey but not as bad as the weather in the South West and Wales were the games at Torquay and Swansea have been called off. A 13 hour round trip for nothing oh how I laughed.

    Back to the present time City seem to have gone off the boil losing at Birminfham on Friday they were slightly unlucky with the winning penalty as Danda slipped but it was a penalty unlike the first one which they gave away which was soft to say the least.
    They had been cruising until recent weeks and it looks as if it is the play offs again given the top two show no sign of blowing up

    FAMOUS SWANSEA CITIZEN

    Sir Harry Donald Secombe CBE (8 September 1921 – 11 April 2001) was a Welsh comedian, actor and singer. Secombe was a member of the British radio comedy programme The Goon Show (1951–1960), playing many characters, but most notably, Neddie Seagoon. An accomplished tenor, he also appeared in musicals and films – notably as Mr Bumble in Oliver! (1968) – and, in his later years, was a presenter of television shows incorporating hymns and other devotional songs.

    As Harry is dead and also the game is behind closed doors Harry will not be at the game

    Preston North End, buoyed by the late, late show against league leaders Norwich City on Good Friday, face their second of three games against teams in the top four on Easter Monday, as they travel to the Liberty Stadium to face Steve Cooper’s Swansea City.

    The reverse fixture was the opening day of the season, when the Welsh visitors took the points with the only goal of the game and they have done well since then to stay in the fight for the automatic promotion positions, a battle they are still in despite their recent drop off in results.

    For the Lilywhites, it is a first away game for interim head coach Frankie McAvoy, who saw his side take a point off his former employers thanks to Brad Potts’ deflected strike in the fifth minute on stoppage time on Friday afternoon.

    Steve Cooper’s men played their first game of the Easter weekend on Friday night, losing to a late penalty from Scott Hogan, against Lee Bowyer’s improving Birmingham City at St Andrews.

    Head To Head: PNE wins – 20; Draws – 18; Swansea City - 26

    Last time we won in Swansea was 29/8/1961

    Team News
    Skipper Alan Browne sits out his final match of his three game ban for his red card against Middlesbrough last month.

    Frankie McAvoy said after Friday’s game that Greg Cunningham was set to miss the game as well, with Declan Rudd and Patrick Bauer ruled out for the season.

    Steve Cooper is without US international Paul Arriola, who has returned to parent club DC United after a recurrence of his thigh injury that will rule him out for the rest of the season.

    The Swans boss had top scorer Andre Ayew and Conor Hourihane (on the bench) back from injury for the clash against the Blues and Marc Guehi went straight back into the side after international duty.

    Liam Cullen looks likely to remain sidelined, although he is is making good progress in his rehab following an ankle injury.

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    Match Officials
    The Easter Monday match official is Select Group One referee Peter Bankes, who is now a regular in the Premier League.

    His last PNE game was way back in November 2018, when he took charge against Deepdale for a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough.

    He has twice been to the Liberty Stadium this season, however, a goalless draw with AFC Bournemouth in December and their 3-1 Emirates FA Cup loss to Premier League leaders Manchester City in February.

    Before the aforementioned Boro game, Peter’s last game as referee for PNE was the 2017/18 Gentry Day at at Bolton Wanderers. As well as the win at the Macron Stadium, he also took charge of the last two clashes with Aston Villa at Deepdale, our FA Cup third round victory over Gareth Ainsworth’s Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park back in January 2017 and the 1-1 draw with Barnsley in September 2017.

    Other games in the past have included Leeds United at Elland Road in April 2017, the 2014/15 season’s 3-2 home win over Port Vale in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and the 2015/16 1-0 defeat of Hull City 1-0 just after Christmas.

    This is his seventh year on the officials’ list and he also took charge of our win at Chesterfield in February 2015, when Joe Garner scored twice on his return from a period out injured.

    The assistants on Monday afternoon will be Nick Greenhalgh and James Mainwaring , with Sam Allison acting as fourth official.

    FRANKIE SAYS

    Preston North End’s interim head coach Frankie McAvoy has stressed the need to keep looking forward as his team head to Swansea City on Easter Monday.

    The Scot’s Lilywhites picked up a point with a late, late equaliser against table-toppers Norwich City at Deepdale on Friday and he now wants to build on that against the high-flying Swans at the Liberty Stadium.

    The side faced Steve Cooper’s men right back on the opening day of the season, in September 2020, but Frankie says this is not relevant to now: “It seems like a long time ago,” he told iFollow PNE.

    “We lost the game 1-0, but it is in the past and the most important thing is to look forward to the game that is coming up.

    “Let’s concentrate on the here and now; let’s look at the squad of players to make sure we assess everyone that played against Norwich and get the right team, the right personnel and the right shape on the pitch.”

    Looking back at the Good Friday draw, he felt there was plenty to work on: “After reflection, when everyone looks back on it, the positive was that we got a draw,” he continued.

    “I thought in terms of our game-plan and how we wanted to put our stamp on it, we created some good goalscoring opportunities, I thought – in the main – we got balls into the box, I thought we tried pretty hard to set off the press, to try and win the ball back early and go and hurt them, so I am happy with some aspects in terms of some good link up play, we were quick to move it and create opportunities, but defensively, we provided need to tidy up things going forward.

    “If we are going to play two up top, we have to get that structure behind it correct. Yesterday we played the 4-1-3-2 and at times we were probably too open and Norwich had a good few opportunities and chances to score, so they are areas we can look to try and improve on, but all in all, I am delighted for the group, it is a good point and a building block, so let’s go and try and take it forward into the next games.”

    And he stressed that it will be the same mantra ringing in the team’s ears when they head to South Wales, that they must concentrate on themselves: “It has to be the same message. We were very mindful of Norwich – they are a good team – and I thought the best way to create opportunities was the way we set up.

    “On reflection, they caused us problems when they broke the first part of the press, so I need to look at what’s the best way going forward for each of the games.

    “I thought there were some good parts and it is just a case of getting the structure, to give us the best platform to try and win the game.”

    And after his first game as the man at the helm, what were Frankie’s thoughts on the experience as a whole?

    “It is totally different to being a No.2 compared to being the guy that is at the forefront of it,” he admitted.

    “I now understand the pressure that Alex was under and the pressures that everybody else is under and Alex used to say that you didn’t understand the pressure until you were under it too and he was 100 per cent right.

    “It is pressure, but you have to deal with situations as they are. You don’t realise how much there is to do, but you have to make it as enjoyable as you can for yourself and that’s the bit that I will try do better going forward.

    “The first game was Norwich, which we knew was going to be difficult, but the task that we set as a group was to try and come away with a result, that box is ticked and now we have to focus on Swansea, that is our biggest focus now and trying to tidy up the bits we didn’t do so well against Norwich and try and work better on the bits that we did do well as well, lots to look forward to on Saturday and Sunday, to be ready for Monday.”

    The players returned to Euxton on Saturday morning, retaining the smiles on their faces that they had when they left PR1 on Friday evening and the interim head coach believes this is an important factor.

    “It is massive. Confidence is a big thing within the group and you saw the togetherness that they have got and that is what I have tried to instil in them.

    “There is a great camaraderie about them, a mutual trust and friendship about the group and they need to stay strong. When you have that, it gives you something to build on.

    We have to make sure that our mindset is a positive one, every if we go a goal down, the mindset should be to keep going, keep working, try and create goalscoring opportunities and if we take them, then you never know what will happen in a game,” he added.

    MACS VIEW

    Strangely actually feel we may get something from this game the bonus of a point from the last kick off the game whilst City lost to virtually the last kick off the game on Friday.
    Fair play to Cooper for not blaming teh penalty decision, misfiring at teh moment are the Swans still a tough game in an area were we have not won for nearly 60 years, however the celebrations after the goal show the squad is together.
    Again missing out on the trek to South Wales third season on the trot maybe next year.
     
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  2. aswan_dam

    aswan_dam Well-Known Member

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    That's a lengthy match day thread. Well done. Such a shame you don't get many on here to share it with. <ok>

    PS. The date is March not April!
     
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  3. themaclad

    themaclad Well-Known Member

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  4. themaclad

    themaclad Well-Known Member

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    Sinclair 1 up
     
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  5. themaclad

    themaclad Well-Known Member

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    Yes
     
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  6. themaclad

    themaclad Well-Known Member

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    Swansea City 0 Preston North End 1



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    Preston North End earned a first away win against Swansea City in 60 years with Matt Grimes' own goal in the final minute of normal time the reward for the visitors' fine display at the Liberty Stadium.

    It was no more than the Lilywhites deserved as they played on the front foot from the off and dominated their lofty opponents and were rewarded right at the death when former City man Scott Sinclair saw a shot saved, the rebound coming off the midfielder and into the goal.

    Interim head coach Frankie McAvoy made two changes to the side that grabbed a last-minute point against league leaders Norwich City in the previous game, with Daniel Johnson ruled out through injury - Ben Whiteman and Friday’s equalising goalscorer Brad Potts coming into the side, former Swan Scott Sinclair dropping to the bench.

    With Alan Browne sitting out the last of his three-match ban and Johnson unavailable, Ryan Ledson was handed the captain’s armband from the start for the first time, whilst there were places on the bench for youth team full back Lewis Coulton, first team coach Paul Gallagher and, for the first time since injuring himself at the Liberty Stadium 18 months ago, Louis Moult was included in the 20-man squad.

    The changes also came with a switch in formation; Welshman Andrew Hughes joining Liam Lindsay and Jordan Storey as a back three, with Potts in behind a front two of another Welsh-born player in Ched Evans and strike partner Emil Riis.

    An early corner in the seventh minute from skipper Ledson, from the right, gave Whiteman two good chances to shoot from the edge of the penalty area, both times seeing Ben Cabango getting good blocks in to deny the Blues the opener.

    It was a strong opening quarter of an hour for the visitors, with Evans unlucky not to be awarded a penalty after a tangle of legs with Cabango, with the front three were causing a lot of problems for the Jacks' back line.

    And on 21 minutes, another gilt-edged chance came PNE’s way as van den Berg won the ball down the right and fed Riis, who turned the ball inside for Ledson in the right corner of the penalty area. He then passed the ball across for the onrushing Potts, who took a touch and drilled a right-foot shot from 15 yards just over the right corner of Freddie Woodman’s post and bar.

    Five minutes later and there was a huge penalty shout for PNE as Woodman came right through the back of Riis when trying to punch away; he sent the Danish U21 international to the turf and he could very easily have been awarded a spot kick.

    Potts again was denied on 33 minutes, this time by a brilliant save from Woodman, tipping over the No.44’s effort after a counter attack, with van den Berg, Evans and Ledson combining, the latter playing the killer ball in to allow him to shoot from ten yards out in the right-hand channel.

    In the final minute of the half, Marc Guehi might have been sent off. Ched Evans got in behind him and was clean through, with no obvious cover, and the defender brought down the PNE No.26, but referee Peter Bankes opted only to show a yellow card, with Potts unable to test Woodman from the resulting free-kick.

    The Evans-and-Riis partnership was at the fore again nine minutes after the break, with the experienced frontman holding the ball up and then weighting a ball through for the No.19 to put pressure on Guehi again, the defender needing to make a perfectly-timed, last-ditch tackle.

    There was a third North End shout for a penalty 12 minutes into the half, as Ledson’s right-wing corner was headed across goal by Evans, falling for Potts, who on the turn smashed a half-volley at goal, with Jay Fulton getting a hand up to protect his face, the ball going through the hands and smashing him full in the mouth, resulting in him needing treatment.

    Potts again was sent through mid-way through the second period, this time by van den Berg, as he raced down the left-hand channel, shooting in the box, only for home captain Matt Grimes to make a vital block to deny him the opening goal.

    For the final quarter of an hour, Sinclair came on for Riis for his first appearance at the Liberty Stadium since leaving the club for Manchester City back in 2012.

    And the No.31 had a great chance to win the game with six minutes left as van den Berg was found down the right and he played it to Evans, who clipped the ball over for the attacker to head goalwards from eight yards out, going just over Woodman’s bar.

    Cabango denied another substitute, Jayson Molumby, with two minutes left, after fantastic vision from Barkhuizen to find the Irishman’s run at a tight angle on the left as he drilled it goalwards, with the young defender blocking on the line at point-blank range.

    And in the first of three minutes of added time, the goal finally came. It was a Barkhuizen throw in from the left, flicked on by Storey, falling to Whiteman, who hit a shot that deflected into the path of Sinclair, who got in a shot. Woodman did brilliantly to save at the feet of the former Swan, but the ball came back out and off Swansea captain Grimes and into the empty net.

    Swansea City line-up: Woodman, Manning, Guehi, Fulton, Grimes (c), Lowe, Ayew, Hourihane (Dhanda, 80), Whittaker (Routledge, 81), Roberts, Cabango. Subs not used: Hamer, Bennett, Smith, Latibeaudiere, Bidwell, Naughton, Cooper.

    PNE line-up: Iversen, van den Berg, Hughes, Ledson (c), Storey, Lindsay, Barkhuizen, Whiteman, Evans, Riis (Sinclair, 75), Potts (Molumby, 80). Subs not used: Hudson, Bayliss, Moult, Gallagher, Huntington, Coulton, Bodin.

    Referee: Mr P Bankes.
     
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  7. themaclad

    themaclad Well-Known Member

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    Swansea City head coach Steve Cooper:

    "We're really disappointed, we didn't do enough to win the game.

    "You could say we're a little bit unfortunate with the ricochets and how it [the winning goal] has gone in but that's three long throws in three games where we've conceded and lost the games. That's an issue.

    "We know that we're not looking as much of a threat as we should do. We don't look like scoring a goal. They're the two things, without having too much time to reflect, that are playing on my mind at the moment."

    Preston interim manager Frankie McAvoy:

    "I am delighted for the players and I thought it was the least we deserved for our efforts.

    "We worked on a lot of things before the game and they came off - including long throws, where we thought we could cause them problems through our size and presence.

    "There is great togetherness and camaraderie within the group that has always been there. It's one game at a time and we will try and keep this going."
     
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  8. themaclad

    themaclad Well-Known Member

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  9. barnetpne

    barnetpne Well-Known Member

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    That will do nicely.
     
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