| Preston | Boro | ||
| Robsinson Barkhuizen |
27′ 66′ |
Fletcher Tavernier |
34′ 69′ |
| Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
60% 21 8 6 7 |
Possession Shots On target Corners Fouls |
40% 17 6 4 13 |
Boro spot on at Deepdale
As anticipated a much changed Boro side arrived at Deepdale tonight to face a club that hasn’t kept a clean sheet since the opening day of the season and was unexpectedly struggling in the Championship. The Lilywhites Manager Alex Neil may be tempted to play a strong Preston team to try and regain confidence or like Boro could rest his preferred starting eleven where possible to conserve energy for the Championship survival battle ahead with his side left propping up the division after the weekend.
Oliver Langford is the Official in charge for tonight’s game. The last time we met was down at Ashton Gate earlier in the season when we ran out 2-0 winners so perhaps his officiating will be a refreshing break from the poor displays of Hooper and Coote in our last two games and we may get a few breaks or even a fair crack of the whip or whistle in his case. The Boro team news was pretty much as we all anticipated whilst Neil made only three changes clearly desperately wanting a win from somewhere in an effort to reverse their season.
The game got under way with Preston attacking and a clearance from Batth via Grant saw Ashley Fletcher almost have the perfect start but fluffed his lines in the opening seconds. TP went with three CB’s Wood, McNair and Fry and McNair and McQueen playing the Wing back roles. A few minutes into the game and Tavernier took the ball upfield and passed to McNair who saw his effort saved by Maxwell in the Preston goal. Nathan Wood came to the rescue to concede a corner on ten minutes from which a header nearly found its way into Dimi’s net only for Batth to clear again.
The game was being played in front of a very sparse crowd as the Players could be heard shouting to one another. Preston started to apply a bit of pressure and had a few opportunities including a header that just went wide. Boro replied with Fletcher winning a corner at the opposite end which but after Tav lost control of his attempted volley it allowed the Lilywhites to break and fortunately that phase of action ended with a wide shot past Dimi’s post.
Sam McQueen on the opposite flank was set up by Grant but he lashed at his shot and it went wide. Grant was then caught as he turned and had his pocket picked requiring Batth to put in a challenge which could have seen yellow with other Officials. The retaken free kick was cleared by a Wing header out for a corner which was cleared again by Wing. Ben Pearson then took Fletcher down cynically but perhaps remembering Batth’s challenge a minute earlier the Ref evened things out and kept his card in his pockets. Just before the half-hour mark Preston counter attacked with a long ball and Robinson swivelled in the middle of the six yard box turning Wood to hit a shot into the top of the net past Dimi to put Preston one up.
The offside flag came to Boro’s rescue just after the restart which in fairness to Dimi he had already pulled off two quick reactive saves. The atmosphere hadn’t improved much despite the home side taking the lead. Then a ball played by Wing was brought down by Gestede, which was played beautifully back through by Wing to Fletcher who rounded the keeper to roll it home for an equaliser that didn’t improve the level of echoes. Marcus Tavernier carelessly gave the ball away and allowed the energetic Barkhuizen to pick up the under hit back pass and both Batth and Fry engineered a rescue mission to prevent Preston getting their noses in front again.
A series of quick turns and passes started by Wing ending up with McNair putting his foot through the ball and cleared the upper levels of the stand. Preston had Boro hearts in mouths a minute before the half time whistle when Robinson was again involved and cut it back to Barkhuizen, who cut inside before shooting but Dimi was alert and saved to keep the score line all square. McNair then got down the flank, fizzed in a ball which Gestede met but went past the post to end the half. Gestede was a force to be reckoned with winning balls, Fletcher was lively and full of running; Wing was pulling strings, Grant snarling with Batth martialling at the back looking really strong. Batth, Fletcher and Wing were my pick of the first half for Boro. In fairness Gestede didn’t look as rusty as he should have done after the length of his lay-off.
The second half kicked off with Boro, both sides came out as they were in the first half with no changes. Grant blasted the ball out of play almost immediately as the Lilywhites started with the words of Alex veil ringing or perhaps stinging in their ears. A series of balls into the Boro box led to Barkhuizen hitting the post as Preston pushed for an early goal. A Robinson shot was blocked by Wing as Grant set Fletcher free but Pearson clattered into him with only a throw in given to Boro as we tried to clear our heads. A Barker shot was again blocked by Wing as Boro had to dig deep as we struggled to impose in the opening ten minutes. Hughes dumped McNair into the post in a challenge that required some treatment for the Boro wide man and with it some time to ease the pressure and try and take the sting out of the game.
A Sam McQueen cross was blocked for a corner to Boro, which was the first time we threatened in the Preston half and then an ensuing throw-in ended with Boro getting two opportunities, with Fletcher heading it goalwards only for Maxwell to acrobatically claw it back into the path of Gestede who spurned the chance with the Benin International hitting the crossbar with a header. Such was the nature of the game Preston immediately went down the other end and won a corner which required Dimi’s intervention. A collision between Barkhuizen and Gestede saw an anxious moment as Rudy seemed to have taken a hit on his ankle. Alex Neil then blinked and brought on Striker Harrop for Browne to try and make their possession stats in the opening minutes count.
Alex Neil didn’t have long to wait and inevitably it was Tom Barkhuizen who hit a long 25 yard shot and Dimi’s reaction looked somewhat age related as Preston now took a 2-1 lead with that well taken shot but poor from a Boro perspective. Gestede was fed by Lewis Wing to the back post, managed to get his header in forcing Maxwell into a good save. The corner was cleared and then Wing and Fletcher linked up to regain the momentum, Grant went flying into a tackle and the ball flew to Gestede who fed Tavernier who then audaciously replicated Barkhuizen’s temerity to hit a 25-yarder of his own to pull back the deficit making it 2-2.
Robinson then had a point blank header, which Dimi sharply responded to make amends for his earlier faux pas. Chapman then came on for Wood as TP shuffled his pack with a formation change to 433 that showed more attacking intent. Chapman and Fletcher were feeding off Gestede and Wing, Grant and Tav were the middle three. A move with Barkhuizen and Calum Robinson was challenged by Fry and then blocked by Batth to keep the Lilywhites at bay.
Barker then went off with another forward Burke coming on for Preston as they decided to go for it. McNair fouled Barkhuizen who launched the free kick forward which was cut out by Batth for Boro. Dael Fry played the ball out to Harry Chapman who tried his luck with a long range attempt of his own which he never really caught cleanly. Lewis Wing then sublimely brought the ball down and hit a long range effort from even further out than Barkhuizen’s and Tavernier’s efforts. A break from Preston was then broken up by Grant as the game started to get a bit scrappy from a Boro perspective with Preston pushing desperately. Surprisingly with five minute remaining Preston’s MOM Barkhuizen was taken off with Moult coming on. A Calum Robinson corner was defended by Fletcher and the ball spun out to Chapman who ran forward and was assaulted by two successive 50/50’s which he didn’t shirk. Harrop then forced Dimi into a great save but again the offside flag went up as the Preston pressure was hitting a crescendo.
Three minutes added time went up as Batth and Grant combined to clear yet another Preston assault. Chapman then broke free again and took on his defender, winning a free kick near the Preston 18-yard box. McQueen sent it over and Batth connected with it but his header couldn’t hit the target. Batth was then quickly back defending and clearing his lines again as the ball had ebbed back down the other end and the final whistle went and Boro were facing penalties once again.
PENALTY SHOOT-OUT
Presumably Boro won the toss and the Penalties were taken in front of the Travelling Army.
➊ Preston were first to go and Ledson faced Dimi to send the big Greek the wrong way, 1-0.
➊ Grant was up next and Mr Dependable despatched his with commensurate ease, still 1-1.
➋ Robinson was next and it landed near Barrow-in Furness, 1-1.
➋ Gestede was next up for Boro and sent Maxwell the wrong way to calmly put Boro 2-1 up.
➌ Moult next scored for Preston, 2-2.
➌ McNair stepped up and sent the ball into the top corner in a perfect text book execution, 3-2.
➍ Pearson was next who quickly ran up and scored, 3-3.
➍ Tavernier then was next and confidently stroked it into the net past Maxwell, 4-3.
➎ Burke then repeated Robinson’s effort and hit a Gas Rig in Morecombe Bay to send Boro through to the next round.
The game ended 2-2 and 4-3 on Penalties in front of a credible Boro Army following. On the night Wing was consistent and influential all game. Gestede good in the first half, and McQueen had a very good second half but MOM was Danny Batth who was impressive.