[themaclad]

We started the year with an away game at Burton which we won 1-0 with a Tom Clarke goal, and as the year draws to a close we return to the Staffordshire town to take on the home side who have lost their last six home games on the bounce. That run of results will change in time, hopefully not on Saturday as we hope to extend our unbeaten run to five games.
Albion's manager Nigel Clough in a typically honest reply to a question stated he doesn't expect his side to win any games at this level due to the small size of the club.
The Pirelli has a capacity of less than 7000 and home support for recent games has been around the 3,000 level meaning they rely on away support to boost finances.
Have only been promoted to the league in 2009 they have survived and done exceedingly well to be playing at this level, a well run club who do not chop and change managers and have not thrown vast amounts of cash in getting to were they are now. They have seriously overachieved and if they manage to stay up this season, they will deserve praise.
Squad wise no big names although they have a couple of loan players who have commanded large fees when signing for their parent clb, Luke Murphy at Leeds and Joe Mason from Wolves.
For us Johnson available after suspension apart from long term injuries similar squad to last Saturday, only one draw back is the weather forecast, white stuff due from the North.

Ref Watch: Burton Albion

Taking charge of his second North End game of the season at the Pirelli Stadium this weekend is experienced Premier League official Keith Stroud.

The Hampshire referee’s first game for the Lilywhites, was also an away game, on the road at Birmingham City back in September, 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.

Last season his only game with the whistle for a PNE game was on the same weekend, but it is one to forget for North End fans as we lost 5-0 away at Brentford.

The previous season he also took charge of our 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 Premier League 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, 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 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 Saturday in the second city, Keith will be assisted by James Mainwaring and Matt Foley, with David Coote the fourth official.

We make only our second visit to the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday, 11 months after our first visit saw us come away with a 1-0 win thanks to Tom Clarke’s goal.

That is it as far as our history with Albion goes, but not with the town of Burton on Trent.

Just over a century ago, we played Burton United three times during their brief league career. Looking back to those games in 1902 and twice in 1903, our record of two draws and a defeat to United shows that last season’s victory was our first in Burton in over 100 years of trying!

Burton United were themselves an amalgamation of two previous league clubs in the town, Swifts and Wanderers. So despite being one of the smallest towns to ever have a club in the Football League, Burton have the distinction of being the only provincial town to have four distinct league clubs.

Several former North Enders were born in Burton, most recent examples being Lee Holmes, Craig Davies and slightly earlier Mark Sale.
Our goalkeeper in the first post-Second World War season, Jack Fairbrother, was also born in the town. Craig Davies is one of select band of loan players to score a hat-trick for the Lilywhites, his treble coming against Carlisle in April 2014.

Players with both clubs are more numerous than might be expected, with Alex Baptiste, Stuart Beavon, Lee Williamson, John Mousinho and even Jordan Pickford having spent time with the Brewers and at Deepdale during their career.

Shane Cansdell-Sherriff was one of three North Enders to move to Staffordshire from North End when he joined Beavon and Mousinho in the old boys group at Albion.

On This Date
Some notable results from this date in our history include a 5-0 thrashing of Hull City in 1933, an even better 6-1 trouncing of Doncaster Rovers in 1950 and our 5-0 FA Cup replay win over neighbours Chorley was on this date in 1986.

Less welcome but just as memorable was our 2-0 defeat at Hillheads Park, Whitley Bay before the BBC cameras on 9th December in 1989.

The only post-war first team player celebrating his birthday this Saturday is Jermaine Beckford, who needs no further introduction. Happy 34th birthday Jermaine.
Four notable names made their North End debuts on this date over the years, with Mike Flynn coming on as a sub in that game at Whitley Bay. Seven years later, Sean Gregan made his first appearance in an AWS game at Chesterfield in the same match as Paul McKenna made his debut.

Much earlier than all these, Bill Shankly turned out for the first time in a North End shirt in 1933 in the 5-0 win at Hull mentioned earlier.

Last Game At The Pirelli Stadium
Burton Albion 0 Preston North End 1 (Clarke), 2nd Jan 2017

[themaclad]

Burton Albion 1 Akins Preston North End 2 Clarke, Horgan

Burton: Bywater, Brayford, Turner (Varney 81), Buxton, Flanagan, Naylor, Murphy (Sbarra 71), Miller (Scannel 62), Palmer, Dyer, Akins. Subs (not used): Warnock, Allen, McFadzean, Ripley.

PNE: Maxwell, Clarke (O'Connor 80), Huntington, Davies, Fisher, Pearson, Gallagher, Barkhuizen, Browne (Horgan 62), Robinson, Hugill (Harrop 62). Subs (not used): Boyle, Johnson, Mavididi, Rudd.

There must be something about our visits to the Pirelli been twice won twice, Tom Clarke has scored twice and oth games have been shite.
Have to say the manager got this half right, his decision to play Fisher at left back and play Clrke at right back left us unbalanced becaus Darnell is not a left back as today proved, but praise to the boss for the double substitution bringing off Hugill and Browne and put on the H boys Harrop and Horgan because the introduction of these two won us the game.
The first half was dire as both sides hammered it long into the stratosphere, when playing on the floor looked the better option and when did pass it about we looked semi decent.
Survived an early scare when Maxwell went on a nature ramble towards the right touchline to try and tackle Akins he failed miserably, Akins just couldn't get enough curl on the ball to score in an unguarded net. That was apart from a tame shiot Albion's only that in the first half .
North End huffed and puffed with the unfortunate Hugill having to chase balls 40 yards in front of him. Getting towards half time started to look dangerous with Robinson having an effort cleared from the line.
The second half early stages were poor although there appeared to be some life in the home side when Palmer managed to escape the entire North End back line before firing tamely into the arms of Maxwell.
On came the subs and lo and behold we started to play the ball on the floor and looked miles better, Harrop running at defenders and Horgam causing the ageing backline of the home side problems. The little Irishman forced a corner from which we scored a bit of head tennis and Clarke scored on the same ground were he had scored his last North End goal.
Instant response from the home side possibly could have had a penalty for hand ball against Fisher, also forced a couple of corners but North End were a different proportion going forward, Barkhuizen went close before Horgan had a clear run on goal before being denied by Bywater. Not be denied following good work by Robinson and Barkhuizen the ball was played to the little Irishman who calmly picked his spot to more or less win the game. Robinson was denied by Bywater and the post and Gallagher shot wide when well placed. But being North End let in one from a corner in the dying second when Akins volleyed home off the underside of the bar.
Did what we had to do, took the points, Albion were poor and looked destined to for the drop and with gates of about 3500 which included 1180 from the Gods county you can understand why.

Burton boss Nigel Clough told BBC Radio Derby:

"We felt two decisions today changed the course of the game. We thought it was a clear foul on Ben Turner before the first goal and then we should have had a penalty awarded for a handball moments later. We're disappointed.

"I think the players gave us everything in terms of effort but it's just not quite enough at the moment.

"I thought they started the second half well and then we came back into it but we just can't get a break in either penalty area.

"I think the way it's looking our home run could go on."

Preston boss Alex Neil told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"The one thing we were conscious of is that we didn't want to turn it into a fight for the full game.

"The substitutes coming on gave us fresh legs and more pace to get in behind and they struggled to deal with that as time went on.

"The supporters will be delighted with the last 30 minutes. We've won three out of four and hopefully we can keep that run going."