| Pos. 19th (10 pts) | TUESDAY 2 OCTOBER 2019 | Pos. 5th (18 pts) | ||
| Boro | 1-1 | Preston | ||
| Fisher (42 o.g.) | 43% 14(3) 2 16 |
POSSESSION SHOTS (on target) CORNERS FOULS |
57% 9(1) 3 17 |
Harrop (40) |
Deadlock at the Riverside
With Boro sitting in a precarious position in nineteenth the last thing they needed was a side sitting in fifth and averaging two goals a game coming to the Riverside tonight. Boro having already played most of their fixtures thus far against bottom dwellers it was inevitable that some stern tests would start coming up thick and fast and how they respond tonight could be an indicator of future prospects.
Rudy Gestede was reported to be back in training but was considered unlikely to be fit enough for this encounter but could eventually sneak a space on Woodgate’s sparsely populated bench. Whether that was a positive or negative is open to much debate but he certainly couldn’t do worse than the present non scoring Striking incumbents. Coulson and Friend were still missing and unlikely to be back for a few weeks more at best.
The corresponding fixture last season saw a controversial home defeat and if we lost again tonight it would be the first time that we suffered successive home defeats against Preston since September 1928. If the visitors did record a victory it would be the first time since April 1972 that they won successive league games against Boro, all very unwelcome stats for Boro’s rookie Manager.
A defeat now would put an entirely different perspective on the new transitioning project and indeed may even call time on the project entirely with fans already becoming agitated after Saturday’s humbling capitulation against a former Boro Boss.
Injury wise Alex Neil had pretty much a full squad to select from including former Boro striker David Nugent who despite his advancing years would be one of the first names on the Boro team sheet today had he still been at the Riverside. When announced Woodgate made four changes from Saturday with Howson, Tavernier, Browne and Ayala coming in with Bola, Wing, Fletcher and surprisingly Johnson out.
Ref Darren England got proceedings underway at a sparse looking Riverside under moody drizzly floodlights with Preston adorned in Yellow kicking off. Assombalonga backheeled an early ball to Tavernier to get things moving for Boro showing promising early intent. A minute later McNair linked up with Howson but the Northern Irishman’s shot went well wide of Rudd’s goal.
A huge psychological positive was that Boro managed to get through the first five minutes without a soft corner and an own goal so things were possibly looking up. Preston were enjoying some possession in the opening minutes resulting in Ayala having to block a shot. It appeared that Boro had Shotton at LB with Clayts in front of the defence, Tav on the right and Browne on the left. It was Browne who had the first serious attempt from the middle of the box but Rudd got down to it. A few seconds later Tav played a brilliant ball into Britt around the penalty spot but he failed to get his shot away quickly enough with Browne waiting agonisingly for a pass. A big improvement from Saturday. Boro were now getting the upper hand with confidence levels growing seemingly seeing Tav and Browne causing problems gave hope.
It was hearts in the mouth time when Ayala made a challenge on Barkhuizen around 20 minutes which the Ref waved away thankfully. Shottoninho drove forward from defence to the edge of the Preston 18 yard box playing it across to Tav whose effort went a few yards wide but Boro were certainly more effervescent than at the weekend. Not great but an improvement as Dijksteel had a chance which fell to McNair who got his shot off which came back off the post hitting Britt who didn’t know an awful lot about it and it remained 0-0. Bad news was that when the action settled Marcus Browne was sat on the turf looking desolate but hobbled back onto his feet after some Physio attention.
Preston’s first corner came when Fry deflected a ball out after a swift counter attack from the Lilywhites. With ten minutes to go to half time the game became a little scrappy with the Ref seemingly being very lenient in favour of Preston much to the annoyance of the home fans. A weak penalty claim for an aggressive challenge on Tavernier was waved away as was a second penalty claim. An Ayala conceded corner was swung in for Alan Browne to head, Clayts cleared it away for another corner which was eventually cleared out to Tavernier. Josh Harrop replied when he chased down the left flank with Dijksteel for company but fortunately he ran out of Riverside turf before Dijksteel was tempted to commit himself.
With 5 minutes to go it was Harrop again who this time met a scuffed shot off the upright to tap in past Randolph to put the visitors ahead just before the break. Just as Boro heads were bowed Tav burst forward down the right wing to control a long ball out of defence, cut it back to feed in McNair who drove into the box and fizzed an awkward low ball across the Preston six yard box and in the confusion it deflected into the net for what looked like an own goal from Fisher under pressure from Britt. Two minutes additional time went up as soon as the game restarted.
Daniel Johnson up-ended Tavernier which drew some boos from the home fans but the Ref declined to make any decision and restarted with a drop ball just as the half ended. It was a bit nervy and edgy at times with a few penalty appeals. By no means a classic but probably Boro were the happier side having stabilised things after Saturday and also coming from behind so quickly. Not great but most would have taken going in at half time level especially after going behind. Overall very much a typical wet and miserable Tuesday night at the Riverside.
Boro started the second half with no changes for either side earning a quick free kick from which Browne went down in the box but nothing given. Tavernier was played in by a cavalier McNair, Tav nutmegged a Preston defender and got a shot away which wasn’t ever threatening but the build up and link up looked increasingly heartening. Shotton then had a shot from twenty-five yards out but it went well over. Browne went down again under a strong challenge but Darren England was having none of it, Britt then clattered Fisher as things were now getting heated in the technical areas
McNair set off on a run and was brought down as he hared forward but the decision was given against him bizarrely for another free kick to the visitors. Preston scorer Harrop went off for David Nugent entering to a gentle applause from both sets of fans on 55 minutes. Now Tavernier was played in by Howson who one-two’ed with Browne but his shot was tipped over for a corner to Boro which was eventually cleared up field. Sixty minutes gone and the second half was looking more promising for Boro with Browne, Tav and McNair all looking lively and full of energy.
Clayton played a ball to Britt who laid it ff to the dynamic McNair again but it was cleared. Fry then had to block a Daniel Johnson effort after beating Clayton as the game swung to the opposite end. A Daniel Johnson free kick was lofted into the box which despite a yellow shirt going to ground the Ref allowed the game to carry on. Browne collected it, turned Pearson and was taken down as he looked to have left his marker and earned the first yellow of the evening. Tav and McNair linked up well for Paddy to get a shot away resulting in another corner to Boro which Tav delivered into the middle of the Preston box but was cleared after a melee’ with Ayala going down and then Dijksteel collected the loose ball and played it back up to Tavernier, as his effort was cleared the whistle went in Preston’s favour for some unclear reason.
Daniel Johnson should have put Preston in front again after Barkhuizen played the ball across to him but fortunately he lacked composure. Dijksteel fed Browne who coolly rounded Fisher and looked like he used a hand to retrieve things but calls were once again ignored by the Referee. Howson then tried to find Britt but the ball was cut out, Tav then fired in a shot but it rebounded off a defender as Boro now looked to be trying to get that all important second goal. Britt was adjudged to have fouled Fisher as Preston were looking relieved to take the opportunity to take the sting out of the game. Fifteen minutes were remaining, Dijksteel linked with McNair but as Daniel Johnson took him out the Ref just ignored the blatantly obvious with the Red Faction opining about the gentleman in the middle’s fitness for purpose.
Browne won a free kick again from the attentions of Fisher and immediately after the restart he tried a cheeky long range shot which never looked likely to go in but good to see someone in a red shirt with a bit of intent. Marvin Johnson was being readied for Boro to replace the lively and effective Marcus Browne and with Ashley Fletcher also coming on for Britt. Gallagher then came on for Johnson with Barkhuizen also going off for Potts for the Lilywhites with only ten minutes remaining.
A Preston free kick after an Ayala indiscretion ten yards out from the Boro box looked like déjà vu for a moment. It was Gallagher and Ayala coming together last season that sent Boro into a downward spiral. Interestingly Howson gave his skipper a mini lecture over the incident which perhaps illustrates who would be the most suitable to wear the armband in Friend’s prolonged absence. Another Preston free kick was awarded after Clayts took one for the team after another Ayala faux pas which saw Gallagher send it towards the back post cleared out by Fry to Rafferty who hit it well wide fortunately.
One minute of the ninety remaining and a rare decision going Boro’s way was played to McNair whose effort came to nothing as four minutes additional time were held up. Marvin Johnson tried to get past Fisher who blocked him off receiving a much belated yellow card for his trouble.
A last gasp long throw from Shotton saw calls for a Boro penalty on McNair ignored only for Preston to break and a tracking back Ashley Fletcher earning a yellow for his frustrated tackle on the West Stand touchline. It was delivered in by Gallagher and after a nervy scramble the final whistle went with honours even. Not a great spectacle but it at least drew a line under the weekend. Tav had a good game and looked lively as did Browne but McNair was the man for me that made Boro tick, was the main catalyst who got things going throughout the evening earning the MOM. By no means a great game but avoiding defeat was crucial for Boro as they now travel to out of form Birmingham on Friday night.