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First game of the new year and decade its us against fast improving Boro side having won their last three games which has sent them up to the giddy heights of 16th. Pulled off a surprise victory at the Hawthorns on Sunday winning 2-0 their first away win of the season with Ayala and Fletcher scoing a worldie from about a mile out. They have been hit by injuries and suspensions recently so Woodgate has had to play youngsters.
In the 1 all draw at the Riverside we were not at our best although you could say that for a vast amount of our away games this season.
Danger man for Boro is Paddy McNair who should return to the side following suspension, also rate Tavernier who always seems to play against us and Ayala also tends to score against us.
Last season we drew 1 all at Deepdale as well as drawing 2 all in a league cup tie which Boro won on penalties.
Following the 2-0 home defeat on Sunday against Reading expect a few changes, wouldn't be surprised if Fisher and Bauer return after suspension and ilness, given the physicallity of the Boro centre backs Stockley coud play however need to be more on our game than we were in the first half on Sunday. One cautionary note we rarely beat Boro either at home or away time to rectify that.

Match Officials: Middlesbrough Home

This Wednesday we have a referee taking charge of his third game at Deepdale and also his third PNE match overall.

The match official for the first game of 2020, as we take on Jonathan Woodgate’s Middlesbrough, is John Brooks, now in his second season on the Select Group Two list of referees.

The Leicestershire ref was in charge of North End’s 3-2 home win over Millwall in December 2018 and the 3-1 home victory over Stoke City in front of the Sky Sports cameras back in August 2019.
His 18 games so far this season, including a trip to the Riverside, when they drew 1-1 with Millwall, have produced just 54 cautions and no red cards.
His last game prior to the New Year was Stoke City’s injury-time comeback home win over Sheffield Wednesday at the Bet365 Stadium.

He will be assisted by Mark Jones and Nick Greenhalgh, whilst the fourth official will be Thomas Parsons.

[themaclad]

Preston North End 0 Middlesbrough 2 Gestede, Davies og

PNE: Rudd, Fisher, Bauer (Huntington 46), Davies, Hughes, Pearson, Gallagher, Barkhuizen, Browne (Stockley 58), Maguire, Nugent (Harrop 65). Subs (not used): Ledson, Bodin, Potts, Ripley.

Boro: Pears, Ayala (McNair 34), Fry, Howson, Spence (Coulson 70), Saville, Clayton, Tavernier (Wing 90), Johnson, Fletcher, Gestede. Subs (not used): Wood, O'Neill, Walker, Mejias.

Referee: John Brooks (Leicestershire)

Attendance: 13,824 (1,820 away)

Boro have not lost at Deepdale since 1972 and in truth that record looked rarely under threat today as North End put in a performance that was similar to the last home game against Reading, face a side defending with two banks of four and resort to slow sideways and backwards passing to try and entice them out of their formation, we had 65% possession in the first half and created all of sod with it, think we once crossed from the by line and lack of movement and anticipation was on another level today, one great cross by Barkhuizen had goal written all over it if some of his team mates had actually moved.
Boro could have been two ahead but both Fletcher and Tavernier sliced horribly wide from great positions. However not too worry for the visitors they led just before the break, soft free kick given away we should have dealt with it didn't and Gestede scored his first goal since February 2018 when he hooked the loose ball home.
Second half Boro sit back we put Stockley on and crosses from deep which never rach the striker or go sailing over his head. Meanwhile Boro swift on the break could have doubled the lead Fletcher's effort well saved by Rudd.
Wasn't long until the second arrived Fletcher and Davies chased a long ball the North End defender missed his first attempt to pass it back ti Rudd but overhit his second effort past the wrong footed Rudd, game ove and Boro knew it, Gestede, Howson and McNair all went close as the confidence drained from the home side.
Boro quicker to the ball closed us down gave us little room to play and we went long against a defence that had lost Ayala in the first half dealt with ease every one of the 700 long balls we banged into the box.
Time to freshen up the side suspect will do that for the cup tie but we are at times very easy to play against.

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Preston North End boss Alex Neil:

"Our home form has been built on being aggressive and getting the first goal and, in the last two games when that hasn't happened, we've struggled.

"We're not carrying the threat in terms of getting the number of goals we would like. We had possession, but to be honest, possession doesn't really matter.

"I'm trying to commit more bodies forward and be more offensive, but when they've got that first goal, they're happy to sit back and not commit too many men forward. We're naturally disappointed."

Middlesbrough boss Jonathan Woodgate:

"I thought the performance they put in was outstanding.

"It comes down to team spirit. Even when we were losing games, we had that team spirit, whether people believe me or not.

On Gestede: "I told Rudy Gestede he was playing two days before the West Brom game (on Sunday). I said that's your game so go and get yourself set, you are going to play that game. I thought he was unplayable at times," he added.

"It was the right decision to bring Rudy in. You have to look after players and, when other players do come in, they show a real will to work for the shirt and the team."