[themaclad]

Well deserved smugness I would add!!!!  Is this the end of "Arry at Brum, a case maybe of too many new players!!

And easy SCO There at least five the season before last, think one last season McLaren at Direby, they were awaful and in trutch didn't have to play that well to beat them, anyway here is Mac's majestic match report.


Birmingham City 1 Preston North End 3
Colin (35' minutes) Johnson (56' minutes), Hugill (60' minutes), Barkhuizen (67' minutes)

Birmingham

13Stockdale
2Nsue
12Dean
28Morrison
5Colin
17Ndoye Substituted for Jutkiewiczat 68'minutes
21Lowe Substituted for Walshat 4'minutes
26Davis Booked at 23mins
19Maghoma Booked at 54mins
18Gallagher Substituted for Vassell at 61'minutes
20Boga

Substitutes

4Roberts
8Gardner
10Jutkiewicz
11Vassell
15Bramall
24Walsh
29Kuszczak

Preston

22Maxwell
15Woods Substituted for Vermijl at 80'minutes
23Huntington
20Davies
32Earl Booked at 31mins
8Browne
11Johnson Booked at 57mins Substituted fo rRobinsonat 90+2'minutes
24Maguire
10HarropSubstituted for Welsh at 69'minutes Booked at 70mins
29Barkhuizen
9Hugill Booked at 27 mins

Substitutes

2Vermijl
7Horgan
17Spurr
19Welsh
27Mavididi
28Hudson
37Robinson

Referee:
Keith Stroud
Attendance:
21,168

Goodbye Harry Redknapp, following the home defeat against the Whites suspect that Harry will never ever manage a club again, no more travelling up from his comfy life at Sandbanks to watch his side fall apart at an alarming rate in the second half conceding three.
Two changes for North End Johnson and Woods for Fisher and Welsh, the first half was pretty poor fair sadly both sides tended to wallop it skywards which didn't help the game. North End were nearly gifted an early goal when Dean nearly sliced a clearence past Stockdale. Gallagher should have scored but headed wide whgen he should really have hit the target. The only bit of skill in the first half was City's goal, Colin got in down the left side, dummied Maguire before fiiring home past Maxwell, possible question marks on Maxwell's postioning. North End should have been level but Hugill screwed his shot horribly wide after a good pass by Harrop.
North End made one tacticle change half time Barkuizen switched wing from left to right to stop the danger which had mainly come down the Blues left, it was a move that signalled the end for Harry.
Two early shots from Harrop and Browne were saved by Stockdale who seems to have eaten a few pies since he joined the Blues. Then came the goals first up, Johnson, picked up the ball about 40 yards out ambled forward as City defenders backed off, then curled it past Stockdale from 20 yards. The second Barkuizen harried a defender for about five minutes winning the ball, Harrop to Hugill deflected shot 2-1, Then a fine Johnson through ball to Maguire, no defenders in sight, squared the ball to Barkuizen couldn't miss, didn'y points in the bag and a P45 for Harry.
North End sat back from then on in, soaked up presseure as the Blues never looked like getting back in the game.
On the third goal City fans started to leave in droves and at the end the letters BCFC were almost readable in the home end.
Did enjoy's DJ's goal celebrations in front of the Blues supporter, two water bottles were thrown at the ex Villa player, he also got a booking but was he bothered, not in the slightest.
Man of the Match Barkuizen staring to get back to top form after a slow start following his pre season hernia operation. Up to fourth early days yet but there is a bit of belief that this could be a rather sexy season.

Preston manager Alex Neil:

"I made the players aware at half-time that I expected more from them in the second half.

"I got the response I wanted and I could not have asked any more. We had bits of quality to finish off moves we had at the time.

"I gave them a hard time at half-time and they responded well to come back after trailing by a single goal."