[themaclad]

Welcome to the wonderful world of televised red button football curtosy of Sky, this is our first game under the red button which will mean a sub 10,000 gate and extremely limited away support.
Our visitors Brentford have a more than decent record against us in recent years only one defeat and az draw against us since 2011 both home and away especially a more than memorable 3-1 defeat in one of the first matchs under medals winner Westley which gave us a taster to the misery that would soon affect us.
In recent years they have also been playing some more than decent footballunder managers Warburton and Dean Smith.
With Smith having departed to Vanilla Park they have again kept the appointment in house with backroom staffer Thomas Frank being appointed. His first game in charge ended with a home defeat against mini me's Bristol City they also had a player sent off.
They have the leagues top goal scorer in Maupay but to me the main dangers are Ollie Watkins and Alan Judge, dangerous opponents.



Manager Alex Neil could have positive selection dilemmas for the first time in a long while, as his side entertain Brentford at Deepdale on Wednesday night.
Ben Pearson is free of suspension, having missed Saturday’s trip to Hull City after an accumulation of five yellow cards for the season.

Tom Clarke (groin) and Tom Barkhuizen (ankle), who both missed the clash with the Tigers, are also expected to be back in contention, whilst Callum Robinson – who was only fit for the bench at the weekend after an overnight illness, should also be available for a recall to the starting XI.
That just means that long-term casualties Billy Bodin and Josh Harrop (both ACL) are the only players unavailable for the Lilywhites for the clash with Thomas Frank’s Bees.
The new Brentford boss will be without Welsh international defender Chris Mepham following his red card in Saturday’s late defeat to Bristol City at Griffin Park.

Rico Henry has returned to training with Frank’s squad and he will be getting closer to a return to the group. Emiliano Marcondes is expected to still be on the sidelines with a foot problem, as is forward Marcus Forss who suffered a back injury last month.

Ref Watch: Brentford

For the second time this season Scott Duncan takes charge of the Lilywhites, having been the match official at Sheffield United less than a month ago.

Scott took charge of three North End games last season, although he unfortunately only finished two! The official was appointed to take charge of the last game before Christmas, at home to Nottingham Forest, but picked up an injury early in the game and was replaced by the fourth official.

That was his second PNE appointment of the campaign, having been the man with the whistle for our goalless draw at Leeds United – our opening away game of the season back in August 2017, as well as the home clash with Ipswich Town.

The season before that he refereed the 3-0 home win over Reading in March of last year, which was his third PNE game of that season, having been referee for the EFL Cup win over Oldham Athletic at Deepdale and the defeat at Sheffield Wednesday in early December.
In 2015/16 he was the match official for the League Cup tie at Crewe Alexandra, which saw a 3-1 win for the Lilywhites and the year before that he took charge of the team twice, both at Deepdale, our 1-0 home win over Oldham back in August 2014 and the 2-2 draw with Leyton Orient in January.
This is Scott’s seventh year on the EFL lists, having been appointed to the elite group in 2012/13, taking charge of his first PNE game in what proved to be Graham Westley’s final home game, against Shrewsbury Town.

This will be his first Brentford game of the season, in what will be his 12th game of the campaign, where he has issued 38 cautions and two red cards so far, his late game being Accrington Stanley’s 1-0 win at Peterborough United.

On Wednesday he will be assisted by Philip Dermot and Akil Howson, whilst fellow Championship referee Darren Bond is the fourth official.

[themaclad]

Preston North End 4 Browne, Robinson 2 Barkhuizen Brentford 3 Canos, Watkins, Maupay

PNE line-up: Maxwell, Fisher, Hughes, Pearson, Huntington ©, Davies, Barkhuizen (Maguire, 89), Johnson (Gallagher, 90), Nmecha (Moult, 90), Browne, Robinson. Subs not used: Rudd, Earl, Storey, Barker.

Brentford line-up: Bentley, Odubajo, Canos (Judge, 76), Yennaris, Maupay, Watkins (Benrahma, 70), Mokotjo, Sawyers (Macleod, 70), Dalsgaard ©, Konsa, Barbet. Subs not used: Daniels, McEachran, Cole, Carroll.

Referee: Mr S Duncan

Attendance: 10,882 (268 Brentford fans)

Another dull game against Brentford last three games against them at Deepdale have now produced 18 goals, this was another thriller against probably the best footballing team in the division, irony is we are slightly bumbling along now four games unbeaten whilst teh Bees play great football and have now not won for eight games.

Three up after just over 20 minutes and still had the feeling that we needed at least two more to consider we would be safe only needed one more but in the end it was a close run thing.
One up after a couple of minutes when Browne best keeper Bentley to the ball, into the net it went followed by a Brentford defender trying to clear, the second was not much longer in arriving, Browne's back heel to Fisher pass to Robinson, one bounce ball buried in bottom corner from 20 yards excellent team goal and strike, the third provided the comedy of the night, back pass to keeper and Bentley picked it up, indirect free kick in the box(Pictured below)


Browne to Nmecha who's shot clipped Barkhuizen on the way into the net, three points bagged early not quite, Brentford piled forward Canos beat a couple of men before firing an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box past Maxwell, a seige on our goal did well to be still two goals ahead at the break, Sawyers had two efforts one saved by Maxwell at teh second attempt and one effort narrowly over the bar.
Two Maxwell saves within seconds of the second half starting before a rare Pearson effort in the box well saved by Bentley, soon it was 3-2 woeful defending by us, a needless corner given away by Fisher, switched off at the corner and Watkins shot deflected of the foot of Barkhuizen and it took the ball past Maxwell.
Backs against the wall time as the Bees piled on the pressure but we got through it just and increased the lead when Nmecha played in Johnson who advanced towards goal played the ball to Roinson who scored from close range. A bit of breathing space Nmecha did some showboating and Browne nearly scored with an outrageous back heel, but panic time again as Maupay scored from close range following a corner. Maxwell had to make one save to keep the points with us but it was a close run thing.
Robinson outstanding whilst at Fisher gave the impression he had never played before, good entertainment though.

Preston manager Alex Neil:

"The last four games have been a big turning point for us in terms of points on the board.

"I would rather play effective football than attractive football and I thought we did that tonight. There are a lot of pleasing things from the game for us tonight.

"I think conceding three goals is naturally concerning, and it's something we know we need to work on. But we scored four goals and we arguably could have scored more.

"The table looks a bit better but we still have a lot of work to do. The pleasing thing now is I'm starting to get the solid spine of my team back that worked so well for us last year and we are looking to build on these results."

Brentford head coach Thomas Frank told BBC Radio London:

"You can't concede four goals and think you are going to win, but their first three shots on target brought three goals.

"After that we didn't give up and we attacked well. There was more belief after the first goal.

"The first 20 minutes of the second half was good but then we don't defend well enough again and it goes 4-2.

"Three goals away from home should be more than enough to win three points but we need to defend better in general. In this league you need to be on it."