[themaclad]

Preston North End v Stoke City
Deepdale 9/3/2024

https://www.stokecityfc.com/

https://oatcakefanzine.proboards.com/thr...stoke-city

LAST TIME OUT





FORM GUIDE

PNE 15 STOKE 6

IN FORM



Who’s Available?

Brad Potts is back in training after missing the last four matches through injury, although Saturday may come slightly too soon for his return.

Ched Evans is still unavailable and expecting to be back in a couple of weeks, but other than the forward it’s a fully-fit squad.

Andrew Hughes became a first-time dad during the week and would have missed the Southampton match, however he’s been back in training on Thursday and Friday and will be in contention this weekend.

Opposition Focus


Stoke City arrive at Deepdale on Saturday in need of points, sitting 22nd in the table and right in the middle of a relegation fight involving a number of teams.

The Potters have won only twice since the turn of the year, although victory over Middlesbrough last weekend and their performance against promotion-pushing Leeds United during the week have offered signs of encouragement.

Former North End midfielder Ben Pearson will miss a return to Deepdale this weekend due to two yellow cards at Elland Road, while PNE legend Paul Gallagher will be in the dugout and former Player of the Year winner Daniel Iversen in between the sticks.

Match Officials

Referee: Josh Smith
Assistant Referees: Matthew Jones and Adam Crysell
Fourth Official: Jeremy Simpson

North End will be refereed by Josh Smith for the fifth time this season on Saturday.

His last PNE match was the Boxing Day victory over Leeds United, and in total this season he’s taken charge of 28 matches, showing 110 yellow cards and six reds.

MACS VIEW

Late fitness test for yoours truly toe nail removal so may not be there, tough game this one, fighting or survival in a way not surprised bringing in 20 plus players and expecting them to gel
Neil potted earlier on our Schuie now in charge believed to play well at Leeds however our ex Pearo sent off need to find a way passed another of our ex's Iverson top quality keeper

[themaclad]

Cut and paste match report following a minor op on Thursday but full return for the local derby at Plymouth

[themaclad]

Sounds like I didn't miss anything

Preston North End 1 Osmajic Stoke City 2 Hughes og, McNally

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Browne, Whiteman (Ledson, 84), McCann, Millar (Brady, 77); Frøkjær, Keane (Osmajić, 59), Riis. Subs not used: Cornell, Cunningham, Stewart, Woodburn, Holmes, Whatmough.

Stoke City line-up: Iversen; Rose, McNally, Wilmot; Hoever, Baker, Burger (Manhoef, 75), Gooch; Laurent, Junho (Léris, 89); Campbell (Ennis, 84). Subs not used: Bonham, Vidigal, Thompson, Hakšabanović, Cundle.

Attendance: 17,253 (3,114 Stoke City fans).

Referee: Mr J Smith.

Preston North End were beaten at Deepdale for the first time in 2024 as an 87th-minute goal saw Stoke City win 2-1.

After Andrew Hughes had inadvertently found the back of his own net in the 64th minute, substitute Milutin Osmajić scored his fifth goal of the season four minutes later to draw level.

The visitors won the game, though, with three minutes left on the clock as a fortunate deflection off Luke McNally went in off the post.

Stoke had the first sniff of the afternoon when Ki-Jana Hoever appeared to be through on goal after a quick counter attack, but a heavy touch allowed Jordan Storey the time to come across to clear.

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North End had a penalty shout in the 19th minute as a clever outside-of-the-boot pass by Alan Browne sent Emil Riis on his way, and he went down under a challenge from Ben Wilmot, but referee Josh Smith waved away the appeals.

The first shot on target of the day didn’t arrive until the 38th minute as the ball ran through for Bae Junho to run on to, and he saw a low effort from 20 yards comfortably kept out by Freddie Woodman.

PNE’s No.1 made another save a few minutes later to deny Tyrese Campbell, who opted to shoot rather than pull it across for Junho on the opposite side.

Nine minutes into the second half, the Lilywhites were again appealing for a spot-kick to no avail, as Smith saw nothing wrong with Lynden Gooch’s push on Browne’s back.

Gooch then had a big chance a couple of minutes later, only for Woodman to parry wide, and from the following corner Michael Rose headed over from just a few yards out.

The heavily-involved Gooch was the key to Stoke City’s opener in the 64th minute as he sent a vicious low ball right across the face, and Hughes put into the back of his own net at the back post.

osmajic_m_celie_stoke_h_2324.jpg

That lead lasted only four minutes, though, as substitute Osmajić got on the end of an inch-perfect Frøkjær cross and headed beyond Daniel Iversen at his front post.

Iversen was required to make a crucial save in the 82nd minute to prevent PNE turning the game on its head, as Ben Whiteman went through on the counter and saw his low strike saved by his former team-mate.

The visitors then scored with three minutes left of the 90 as an Ali McCann clearance inside the area bounced fortunately off McNally, and his touch took it in off the post to win the game.

[themaclad]

Preston manager Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"It was flat. We weren't at the races, nowhere near the levels we've been at. The attitude and commitment were there, we just lacked in certain areas, with the ball and without it we weren't as good as we've been.

"We find a way back in with a great cross from Liam Millar and great header from Milly and you think 'go on then', because we would have had the freshness with them playing Tuesday night, but we got done by a free-kick that wasn't a free-kick.

"I'm not going to mope about that but we have to do better from the cross - we get done at the back stick and Ali (McCann) is in a position to kick it, and kicks it straight at their player and it goes in.

"The two goals were Sunday league but credit to Stoke."

Stoke manager Steven Schumacher told BBC Radio Stoke:

"All wins are satisfying, but those three points in particular because it was the type of game that I'm not used to playing in terms of style.

"I thought it was necessary today to match Preston up because physically they are so strong and the pitch here is really difficult to play football on, so it had to be a battle.

"It wasn't pretty on the eye but it got us three points that we needed. Lynden Gooch defended really well and then in the second half gave us a real creative spark and put a brilliant ball in for the first goal.

"To take six points in a week, when we could maybe have taken seven as well, is a good response."