[themaclad]

Preston North End 2 Hughes, Holmes Swansea Cit 1 Ashby

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Potts, Browne, Ledson, Best (McCann, 63); Holmes (Whatmough, 85), Frøkjær (Woodburn, 90+3); Keane. Subs not used: Cornell, Cunningham, Bauer, Rodriguez-Gentile, Mawene, Seary.PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Potts, Browne, Ledson, Best (McCann, 63); Holmes (Whatmough, 85), Frøkjær (Woodburn, 90+3); Keane. Subs not used: Cornell, Cunningham, Bauer, Rodriguez-Gentile, Mawene, Seary.

Swansea City line-up: Rushworth; Darling, Cabango, Wood; Ashby (Abdulai, 80), Fulton (Allen, 80), Grimes, Patino (Cooper, 71), Key; Cullen (Paterson, 71), Yates (Kukharevych, 84). Subs not used: Fisher, Naughton, Congreve.

Attendance: 14,464 (765 Swansea City fans).

Referee: Mr J Smith.

Attempt number two

Heady heights for North End after the 2-1 victory over Swansea, 5th place in the league, not bad for a side that are woefully short of depth in the squad, only one fit forwrd and a host of kids on the bench, as we approach the transfer deadline this is a make or break week for the team.
Never been overly taken by Mr Lowe but fair play to him got it right yesterday with a substitution and a change of fomation.
Having laboured for an hour against a Swansea side who as ever passed the ball better than us, the gaffer went 433 and in an instant we looked far better.
Trailing to a goal 15 minutes before the break North End were having great difficulty in breaking down the well organised visitors, we had a couple of efforts both from Frokjaer both miles over the bar he should have done better but the Danish Messi was having a frustrating game until the change.
Swansea deserved their lead at the break the goal came after Patino and the impressive Key linked down the left Patino's ball to the far post saw ASHBY in space, good finish, Swans 1 up.
As per the Sunderand game Swansea exploited the space behind young Best, he's young and will learn to defend.
Swanssea should have gone 2 up but wasted a glorious chance Fulton got away following a quick free kick instead of shooting tried to pass to a team mate Hughes great interception. Keane fired a shot which was goal bound Rushworth did well to save it.
Second half Swansea quite happy to absord pressure our slow build up made it easy for them then cae the change Best withdrawn McCann on and then we were on the front foot, Hughes bombing down the left Frokjaer looking much better wide eft, fired narrowly over the bar and then following a bit of pressure Browne ball into the box, HUGHES glances header home.
Swansea made changes and Paterson following a misplaced Frokjaer passed was narrowly over the bar from 20 yards.
The winner cames after a bout of possession by us Frokjaer megged a Swans player ball into centre missed by Ledson but not by HOLMES wh fired home.
City brought on Kuharevich he could have scored and could have been sent off for appearing to stick one on Storey but we survived and are on track to play Southampton in the play offs.

Preston manager Ryan Lowe:

"Fair play to the group. They have been fantastic. Going a goal down was tough - and we could have done better with their goal - but [it is pleasing] to show the attitude and application to limit Swansea to one chance on goal, then second half to pick it up.

"We asked for a little bit more in the pressing and changed shape obviously which gets us the two goals, then we changed the shape back to keep the result.

"Fair play to the lads, they are taking on the instructions. To show that resilience, application and attitude to come back is very pleasing for me."

Swansea head coach Michael Duff:

"I thought we were dominant, definitely in the first half. They changed their shape, went 4-4-2, stuck it down our throats and we didn't deal with it well enough.

"The frustration is that loads of things we've worked on have come out really well. A little bit of that final ball, the final moment could have been better.

"We are in that place at the moment where we are 1-0 up and we are not quite sure. It's like 'what do we do?'. That's the mentality we have to shift. Teams are not just going to roll over - you are not going to have it your own way.

"It's been a difficult week, you are planning with Joel here, then he's not here. That's football - you have to get on with it."