[themaclad]

Another long trip for yours truly, good news only been to Carrow Road twice both victories, also further bad news for the Canaries we have won three away games at Birmingham, Hull and Bristol who are also called City.
Major revolution at Norwich over the summer trying to follow the Huddersfield approach to the game they have appointed a German coach in Daniel Farke and hope that the German way of playing will take them back to the Premiership which happened a couple of years ago under one Alex Neil.
So far it is not quite working with the Canaries in 16th place having note won since they beat their nearish neighbours Ipswich 1-0. They have not won in six home games hopefully it will not be on Saturday. Be interesting to see what kind of reception Neil will get but suspect we will be more than prepared for this one.
Farke has strengthened his defence with mainly German players Franke and Zimmerman also still have players from their Premiership days including ex Lasher Hoolahan. Up front Olivera and the other Murphy twin seem to be the main dangers.
Given our new found confidence expect the same side to play for us that won on Tuesday although possible injury doubt over Mavididi who went off early in the second half on Tuesday. Might be a question mark over Gallagher who may these days find it difficult to play three games in a week but we go there in a positive attitude, another win would be tremendous however a point is not bad either.
Stat Attack: Norwich City

We make our second long trek to East Anglia in only three weeks after visiting Ipswich at the start of the month.

This is the 21st time we have headed east for a league game, although older fans will remember what seemed like an annual midweek trudge for a series of League Cup ties in the 1980s, when we faced each other three times in four years.

Our record in Norfolk is not bad, with five wins, seven draws and eight defeats, so we have taken points from more than 50 per cent of the games there.

Our first visit was in 1961 and we were regular opponents throughout the decade, but after a 1-1 draw in 1972, we didn’t face each other again at Carrow Road until 2001. We have played ten games since, with three wins and two draws balanced by five defeats.

Goals have not exactly flowed, with 24 for and 30 against, but there has not been a goalless draw to date.

Our biggest win came via a 3-0 scoreline in 2006 and our heaviest defeat was way back in 1964, when we were on the wrong end of a 4-2 final score.
Sean Gregan is always happy to recall his long distance goal past Rob Green in March 2001 in a 2-1 North End win, although he claims to be farther from goal with each telling! Most games have featured just a couple of goals so another tight affair might be in line for today.

Of those players to have worn both Lilywhite and Canary shirts, one particular incidence was somewhat controversial at the time. Dickson Etuhu was loaned to Norwich from Deepdale in 2005 and found himself facing his parent club at Carrow Road in January. During the match, he came into collision with Adam Nowland in a perfectly legal challenge, but unfortunately Adam ended up with a broken leg. Such a situation could not arise today as loan players cannot play against their parent club and in an ironic move, Dickson signed permanently for Norwich the very next morning.

Others to have graced both clubs include Mike Flynn, Chris Brown, Stephen Elliott, David Healy and of course current North Ender Declan Rudd.


On This Date
Of 11 previous away games on this date, we have won just one, a single Benny Green goal sealing a victory at Anfield in 1911.

Three years ago today, Jermaine Beckford made his North End debut on loan from Bolton in a 2-2 draw at Oldham in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.
In 1971, Bert Patrick made his 57th and last appearance of an eight year career at Deepdale.

Last Five Games At Carrow Road
Norwich City 0 Preston North End 1 (Baptiste), 22nd Oct 2016
Norwich City 1 (Holt) Preston North End 1 (Brown), 5th Mar 2011
Norwich City 2 (Lita, Kennedy) Preston North End 2 (Brown, Mellor), 8th Nov 2008
Norwich City 1 (Russell) Preston North End 0, 2nd Feb 2008
Norwich City 2 (St. Ledger (og), Earnshaw) Preston North End 0, 8th Aug 2006

This weekend’s clash with Norwich City at Carrow Road will see Tim Robinson as the man with the whistle.
Tim, from West Sussex, is in his sixth year on the EFL list and last took charge of North End in his only trip to Deepdale, when we overcame Birmingham City 2-1 back in March.

That was his fourth game overall in charge of the Lilywhites, the others all being away trips; Brentford, Ipswich and a 2-0 victory at Coventry City when Joe Garner and recently returned club captain Tom Clarke were on the scoresheet.
This will be his third Canaries game of the season, although his first at Carrow Road, having overseen wins for Daniel Farke’s men at Reading and then in their big local derby against Ipswich Town last month. Those are two of his 21 games, where he has issued 61 cautions and eight red cards so far this season.
The assistants on Saturday afternoon will be Mark Jones and Matthew McGrath, whilst the fourth official assigned to the game is Andy Davies.

[themaclad]

Norwich City 1(Maddison) Preston North End 1 (Barkhuizen)

Norwich: Gunn, Pinto, Zimmermann, Hanley, Stiepermann, Reed (Pritchard 76), Vranic, Hoolahan, Maddison, Murphy (Wildschut 76), Oliveira. Subs (not used): Jerome, Franke, Phillips, Cantwell, McGovern.

PNE: Maxwell, Fisher, Huntington (Clarke 90), Davies, Woods, Gallagher (Harrop 81), Johnson, Barkhuizen, Browne, Robinson, Hugill. Subs (not used): Boyle, Horgan, Welsh, O'Connor, Rudd.

Referee: Tim Robinson (West Sussex)

Attendance: 25,167

The last on November's marathon journeys completed, a total of near on 1500 miles travelled, ended with the Whites picking up a thoroughly deserved point at Carrow Road, with a bit of luck maybe could have taken all three against a Norwich side who seemed to be on the same sort of run we have been on recently.
A fairly uninteresting period was ended when Norwich really should have taken the lead when a long ball through bounced over the head of keeper Maxwell who being a full 30 yards from goal, looked certain Murphy would score but delayed slightly too long and when he fired at goal Fisher had managed to get back into a position to clear the danger. Norwich looked dangerous although has to be said some of our defending was a bit crap with a couple of back passes being well short. Alos started to give a lot of free kicks away around the edge of the box although thought the one that led to the goal wasn't a free kick.
Like Ipswich a couple of weeks ago free kick corner of the area, Maddison curled the ball over the wall into the top corner, only a possible criticism of Maxwell, he was a couple of yards off the line but saying that was a good strike by a very good player.
North End were stung into action, Browne's overhead kick clattered bar and post and a couple of othyer balls into the danger area didn't fall to North End forwards.
Norwich started better in the second half and could have put the game to bed when Maddison and Hoolahan combined to set Murphy up but his shot was deflected for a corner. From that point it was North End who took the initiative, should really have equalised from a corner when Woods centre goal headed poorly into the keeper's arms but parity was regained from the next corner Gallagher's cross, nobody picked up Barkhuizen and we were level.
Two Norwich substitutes got them back into the game with Wildschut posing us problems down the left, then with seven minutes left came the comedy moment, Norwich free kick on the far edge of the area, danger time for North End, ten minutes later it was finally taken after the liner on our side seemed to be in a great deal of pain after appearing to pull a groin muscle, having just missed a blatant push on Robinson possible thought he had something in his eyes. He was evevtually replaced by the fourth official however there was no one to take over from him until a Norwich supporter nicknamed Spud who was actually featured in the Norwich programme holding a pint took over. When the game eventually restarted, Spud signalled 10 minutes extra.
The free kick from Maddison was well saved by Maxwell but North End had the best two chances to clinch the points in the 15 extra minutes that were played, long ball over the top Barkhuizen just failed to get on the end off, the second Barkie played through again could not control the ball with Gunn beating him to the ball.
Good point home approaching midnight, worth it though.
Gaffer's speak below.

Norwich boss Daniel Farke:

"I thought we started well and had some good chances and deserved to be ahead at half-time.

"In the second half we had more good chances and if we had made it 2-0 I am sure we would have gone on to win the game."

Preston manager Alex Neil:

"I was absolutely delighted with our performance today.

"We were up against a Norwich side with a lot of good players and I thought we were the better side today and deserved to win.

"We were excellent in spells and created the better chances over the course of the 90 minutes. I am proud of my players and it says it all that they were disappointed in the dressing room afterwards even though they had picked up a point away from home."

[themaclad]

Having just seen it Barks scored from Hunts header and obviously EFL rules decree we should not be awarded clear penalties