[themaclad]

The Trees arrive at Deepdale signalling the half way point of the season and the time of year which all football fans in Britain consider to be the real reason for Christmas although stand by for the usual criticism of the schedule from foreign managers who just do not understand our fixation of playing four game in 10 days. Good job they were not managing clubs 50 years ago they would have had games on Christmas Day and Boxing Day with local derbies such as QPR v PNE which did take place on Christmas Day
Back to our visitors on Saturday mid table five points behind us but have been inconsistent in recent games hell they even lost to Birmingham and nobody does that these days, Everton loanee Kieran Dowell is racking up a run of games in which he has scored tends not to do tap ins this lad, also rated Ben Brereton on the few occasions I saw him last season direct and pacy. Forest pain big money for Zach Clough and Daryl Murphy, the latter does tend to score against us. Warburton gets them to play decent passing football, however just not quite firing at the moment. The return is due at the end of January at the City Ground but hopefully if we beat Wycombe it will mean a night visit as per normal to Nottingham.
Cunningham has started full training however but will be a few weeks away from full fitness. Given the hectic period suspect there will be a couple of changes. No news on Fisher's injury therefore another chance for O'Connor at left back.
Let the festive fun begin.

Stat Attack: Nottingham Forest

Traditionally the least popular time of year to have a home game, attending a game on the last Saturday before Christmas has been known to cause friction in many a household!
Mind you, it could be worse as we have played 11 games on Christmas Eve in the past, so maybe Sky were trying to reintroduce a football tradition this year when they suggested doing the same. In case fans think that not being considered by the authorities is a recent phenomenon, North End players, officials and maybe even fans found themselves trying to get back home from Newcastle (1955) and even worse Southampton (1933) in time for Christmas Day.

Without wishing to tempt fate, we have an excellent home record against Forest since their first visit here in September 1892. We won that first game 1-0 thanks to a Moses Sanders goal and we have since taken full points from 25 of the 45 games here, with ten finishing all square and ten going in favour of our guests.

Highlights include a 6-0 win in 1896, a 5-0 victory in 1928 and a 4-0 scoreline in 1933. On the debit side, Forest are one of only three clubs to record a 5-3 win here, which they achieved in 1959. Since returning to the Championship three seasons ago, we have won once and drawn once.
names on both clubs’ rolls of honour include Sean Haslegrave, Steve Elliott, Nigel Jemson, Brian O’Neil and Brett Ormerod, whilst Greg Cunningham spent a season on loan at the City Ground on loan from Manchester City. Archie and Scott Gemmill are part of a very unique group of fathers and sons to have both played for more than one club.

On This Date
One of our greatest ever goalscorers celebrates his 65th birthday on Saturday, so many happy returns to Alexander Robert Bruce.

Alex was born in Dundee in 1952 and signed professional forms for North End in May 1970 after serving his time as an apprentice with the club. His debut came on the last day of the 1971/72 season in a home game versus Swindon Town and he established himself as a regular goalscorer over the next season and a half, with 22 goals in only 65 appearances.

Newcastle lured him away for an unhappy spell in the north east before he returned home to Deepdale in August 1975.

Over the next eight years, Alex was to cement his place in our history and the fans abiding affections, helped by another 149 goals in 338 appearances. His three year partnership with Mike Elwiss was particularly successful, as they plundered 125 goals between them between 1975 and Mike’s departure to Crystal Palace in the summer of 1978.

Alex left for Wigan in 1983 after Gordon Lee took over as North End manager and it was a bitter occasion for all there when he returned to Deepdale three months later to score against his former employers in a 3-2 win for his new employers. After retiring the following year, Alex worked for the leisure services department of South Ribble Borough Council for many years.

Ken Knighton joined us from Oldham in December 1967 and made his debut 50 years ago this weekend. A skilful midfield player, Ken made his first appearance for North End in a 4-1 home win over Charlton Athletic. His first goal came in a 4-1 victory over Birmingham City the following season and in his second full term he scored seven times in all.
He started his career with Wolves before moving to Boundary Park and he spent 18 months at Deepdale before financial pressures saw him reluctantly sold to our neighbours in Blackburn. He later faced North End in the colours of Hull City before retiring in 1976 after a spell with Sheffield Wednesday.

Left back Dominic Ludden played the last of his 42 games for the Lilywhites on this date in 2000. Signed from Watford in 1998, Dominic made 37 appearances as we lost out in the Play-Offs that season but only played three times for our championship winning side the following season and after two substitute cameos in 2000/01, he moved to Halifax Town.

We have only lost two of the 11 home league games played on this date in previous years. This is the first time we have been at Deepdale on this date since a single goal from David Nugent secured a 1-0 win over Colchester United and took us to second place in the Championship table.

Our biggest win on this date was the game mentioned earlier in which Ken Knighton made this debut, whilst the highest scoring game was the 3-3 draw with Bristol City in 1972.
Last Five Games At Deepdale
Preston North End 1 (McGeady) Nottingham Forest 1 (Assombalonga), 1st April 2017
Preston North End 1 (Doyle) Nottingham Forest 0, 3rd November 2015
Preston North End 0 Nottingham Forest 2 (Mackie, Henderson), 5th February 2014
Preston North End 1 (Carter) Nottingham Forest 2 (Anderson, Chambers), 8th January 2011
Preston North End 1 (Parkin) Nottingham Forest 2 (McGugan, 2), 14th September 2010

Ref Watch: Nottingham Forest

Taking charge of Saturday’s game is Northumberland official Scott Duncan – this will be his first game at Deepdale this season.

It will not be his first game in charge of the Lilywhites, however, having been the man with the whistle for our goalless draw at Leeds United – our opening away game of the season back in August.

His last North End game here in PR1 was the 3-0 home win over Reading in March, which was his third PNE game of last season, having been referee for the EFL Cup win over Oldham Athletic at Deepdale and the defeat at Sheffield Wednesday in early December.

The previous year he was the match official for the League Cup tie at Crewe Alexandra, which saw a 3-1 win for the Lilywhites. The previous year 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 sixth 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 is also his second Forest game of the season, having been the match official for their 3-2 home defeat to Fulham back in September, one of his 22 games this season, where he has issued 60 cautions and sent off four players, including Ben Pearson at Leeds.

On Saturday he will be assisted by Phil Dermott and Shaun Hudson, whilst Geoff Eltringham – who will be the referee at Barnsley on Boxing Day – is the fourth official.

[themaclad]

Preston North End 1 Huntington Nottingham Forest 1 Brereton

PNE: Maxwell, Clarke, Huntington, Davies, O'Connor, Pearson, Gallagher, Barkhuizen, Browne (Harrop 62), Robinson (Horgan 59), Hugill.
Subs (not used): Boyle, Johnson, Welsh, Mavididi, Rudd.

Forest: Smith, Lichaj, Mancienne, Worrall, Osborn, Bridcutt, Vaughan (Bouchalakis 84), Carayol (Cash 62), Dowell, Brereton (Ward 62), Murphy. Subs (not used): Traore, McKay, Clough, Henderson.
Referee: Scott Duncan (Northumberland)
Attendance: 13,481 (1,210 away)

The last time Forest actually drew a game was 1/4/2017 were they shared the points in a 1 all draw at the place were today they shared the points in a 1 all draw. In truth probably a fair result. North End dominated the early stages didn't score against a Forest side who looked as though defending was merely guesswork although they were helped out by North End who were taking the Arsenal route by trying to score the perfect goal. Numerous times in the early stages did North End get into some great position only to fail majestically at the final stages by hitting woeful passes, not only that they seem to have forgotten that you can actually shoot, only once did Smith have a save to make when tipping a Robinson effort round the post. Saying that though we played some decent stuff at times, however when Forest went forward they looked more dangerous, Dowell should have done better when in a decent position hitting the ball into the ground which made it easier for Maxwell, the keeper and O'Connor combined to deny Murphy when he was well placed and Maxwell got slightly fortunate when a Carayol effort went through him luckily going out for a corner. Huntington though should have done better from a dead ball kick heading over the top when well placed.
Same scenario second half however following a loud shout for a penalty at one end Forest broke away and Brereton just about onside when he received the ball fired past Maxwell to give Forest the lead. Hugill could have levelled but dead centre headed the ball wide of the post.
Salvation though was soon at hand though when the Cumbrian Cannavaro Huntington fired home from the edge of the box following a throw in, keeper Smith should probably have done better. Pressed for the winner, Forest wasted time and neither side could score the winner.

Preston North End manager Alex Neil:

"I thought we played better today than we have in some of our recent wins here, just our quality of ball at times was poor.

"We lacked a bit of incisiveness in the final third. We relied on a centre-back to come and score us a goal.

"For the opportunities we had and the pressure we put on we deserved to win the game."

Nottingham Forest manager Mark Warburton:

"It was almost like we got the goal and we stopped doing what we do well.

"That's the time we needed to do more and we let them get back into the game.

"But it's a tough place to come, they have some quality players and are well managed so we should be delighted with the point."