If anyone can work PNE out then they are a better man than me. Jeckyl and Hyde or what?
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However whilst their sole points at home were won against 10 man Sheff wed (for 75 minutes) and they scored with their only shot on goal a win is a win and it came just 3 days ago. Their Deepdale hoodoo may be broken. Maybe time now to break our Deepdale hoodoo too!
Not the easiest prediction to make is it? This could be a 0-0 draw, a high scoring thriller or a hammering either way.
Well at least I got the last sentence spot on!
I labelled them a Jeckyll and Hyde outfit and true to home form Preston sent out the meek Dr Jeckyll version didn't they? They looked more like a relegation outfit than the team chasing a play off spot last season. How they have such a solid away record is a complete mystery. When I saw the line up I fretted that Mowbray's selection tonight might not have enough defensive strength in midfield, I wasn't alone either as a flurry of changed predictions greeted that team sheet. How wrong we were eh chaps? The entire Rovers team harried and chased Preston players down every time they gained possession. Pep's Barca's 7 second rule seemingly the yardstick. Topically, or do I mean metaphorically speaking the Rovers outdid Darnell Fisher by gripping Preston by the balls from the first minute to the last 94 minutes later. Maybe I'm being over critical but I felt that Preston without Paul Gallagher pulling the strings in the middle and being our tormentor in chief are much less of a threat than they have been in recent years.
So almost half time and still 0-0 giving me that
"here we go again, all possession and no end result, if we don't score now we'll get beaten" feeling when Armstrong turned and put Gallagher free on the half way line. Out pacing Rafferty and bearing down on Rudd in the Preston goal feeling a couple of touches Gallagher went down just in the box to give Ref Harrington an easy decision. Penalty and a red card to boot! Taking a penalty when you have missed the last one isn't the easiest task but Adam Armstrong displayed no sign of nerves and although Rudd guessed right he could only watch the ball pass him by and find the corner of the net. I have to say that if Arma hadn't hit the ball as true and with as much pace that Rudd could have made a great save. HT 0-1.
Second half and it was like cat and mouse as the Rovers toyed with 10 man Preston and literally passed them off the park. I've often said that when teams go down to 10 men that the other team mustn't relax but need to put as much effort in off the ball as against 11. That is the way to put the opposition to the sword and wrap the game up and that is precisely what the Rovers did. Most times the man on the ball had two and even three options of teammates in space to offload to. Preston were chasing shadows and looking dispirited, the longer the game went on the more defeated they appeared, another goal becoming inevitable. Cue the devastating ability of Joe Rothwell to pick up the ball on the half way line and carry it to the opponents penalty at breath taking speed. Tonight he collected the ball on the half way line and in the blink of an eye was on the edge of the penalty area drawing 3 men out of the game before setting up the by now completely unmarked BB on the penalty spot to slot the ball home. How difficult must it be to be given the task of marking Joe when he's 'on it'? So often his final ball lets him down but tbh that is the only reason he's still with us as that pace and control belongs in the Premier league.
Cue more of the same dominant play with the icing on the cake arriving in the 76th minute when a defence splitting ball from Elliot left Ben Brereton in the clear to square the perfect ball for Supersub and Preston reject Tyrhese Dolan to slide the ball home from 6 yards. Cue the usual 'victory roll' from Dolan which must have been gut wrenchingly painful and deeply embarrassing for everybody concerned with North End. The inquest will be gathering pace over there after that moment for sure.
Kaminsky... 7 Easiest job on the pitch tonight but he did a great job as sweeper.
Nyambe.... 6 Solid performance from him but with fewer bursts of pace to the by-line as is uaual. I got the feeling that he is perhaps carrying an injury.
Lenihan... 7 Snuffed out every PNE threat and almost scored with a fierce volley.
Wharton... 7 Got good reviews from the ifollow crew but in truth had very little to do against a limp PNE forward line.
Douglas.... 7 Found himself the spare man after PNE went down to 10 (It's always a full back that is the key) and proved a real threat down the left. He has an excellent left foot to overlap and deliver good crosses into the box but against better teams I do think his defending is a little suspect.
Trybull... 7 I criticised him on saturday when his inclusion disrupted the entire midfield but tonight all alone in deep defensive midfield and without Johnson hemming him in he had a much better game. He and Johnson need to sort out who does what etc.
Holtby ... 8 The star of the show for me. Oozed class in midfield, stroked the ball around snuffing out danger and switching play at will. PNE were never able to get to grips with him.
Rothwell... 7 Claimed an assist for BB's goal. Was tightly marked early on as Neil had obviously instructed Browne to stifle his threat but once Browne was booked he became more effective. The assist for the goal displayed Joe Rothwell's talent perfectly.
Brereton... 7 Got better as the game went on. A score and an assist. Still looks awkward on the ball to me but much better than for the first two years and improving by the game.
Gallagher... 7 I said earlier that he is looking fitter and leaner and tonight he showed a burst of speed that I hadn't seen before to win the penalty. Put a good shift in and unlucky to have a good finish disallowed for Douglas wandering into an offside position (great decision by the linesman btw). I'd imagine with Elliot having to go off in real pain that he'll be in the same position on Saturday.
Armstrong ... 7 Set Gallagher free for the first and buzzed around all night keeping the Preston defenders on their toes. Scored the penalty to stay 1 goal in front of Brentford's Toney (who also scored tonight) to stay in the lead of the Championship scoring charts. Looked disappointed to be subbed, he must be taking this rivalry with Toney very seriously. I hope he doesn't allow it to marr his game by making him over greedy.
Subs
Davenport... 7 Came on (prob as a precaution) for the yellow carded Trybull and didn't disappoint with a solid performance. We haven't seen all that much of this lad but I do see him stepping up as a perfect replacement and possible improvement on Cory Evans.
Elliot... 6 Got more than a little rough treatment from the Preston players. Had to go off with what looked a painful injury on 80 minutes. Played a marvellous through ball to create the third goal.
Downing... 6 On for Lewis Holtby on 68 minutes. Slotted seamlessly into the match for his first appearance of the season.
Dolan ...7 Bamboozled a few Preston players with his step overs etc, saw the break and made a really determined sprint to get on the end of BB's squared pass to notch against the club that showed him the door just a few months ago. How sweet must that have felt?
Buckley.. 6 Came on for the injured Elliot. Unlucky with a decent shot and like Downing slotted easily into the game. Nice to come on fir a cameo when the match is effectively won.
Tony Mowbray... 8 I questioned the lack of defensive midfielders in the starting line up but fair do's to the Manager, every player seemed to know what was expected of them and performed excellently. Last season Alex Neil won the tactical battle but this time TM has well and truly got the bragging rights. Showed there are no favourites by giving Gallagher the shirt tonight for his strong substitute performance at Luton when tbf Elliot had looked a little jaded.
The rovers can be devastating in this mood and particularly so against 10 men! Once the injury situation settles down TM needs to find a way to recreate this mentality and level of performance every match. If he can we could be in for a great season.
Referee Tony Harrington... 7 Got most things right and how much better and honest was he than that prat at Luton? Both he and gavin ward gave credence to the old football truism that you don't notice a good ref.
Final note to nob Enders..... next time at Ewood we'll have the first team out!
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