01-12-2018, 23:02
Birmingham City 3 Kieftenbeld, Maghoma, Adams Preston North End 0
Birmingham City line-up: Camp, Pedersen, Colin, Kieftenbeld, Mahoney (Harding, 74), Adams, Jutkiewicz (Bogle, 83), Dean, Maghoma, G Gardner, Morrison ©. Subs not used: Trueman, Roberts, C Gardner, Dacres-Cogley, Lakin.
PNE line-up: Rudd, Fisher, Earl (Hughes, 46), Ledson, Huntington ©, Storey, Barkhuizen, Gallagher, Moult, Browne (Burke, 79), Barker (Nmecha, 57). Subs not used: Maxwell, Davies, Woods, Baxter.
Attendance: 20,523 (1,258 PNE fans)
Referee: Mr D Webb
Would have taken a point when I saw the team we were putting out, addeed to the massive long term injuries we have both Pearson and Clarke were missing today and 0our lack of depth in the squad would somewhere catch us up although and it's a big if, but for one mistake just after half time we may have got that point, however we didn't.
City dominated the early stages two Morrison headers went wide and the recalled Fisher majestically scoop a clearence over his own bar when he could quite easily have buried it inb his own net.
We weatehered the early storm and started to get into the game with Barker causing the home defence a few problems, we even create a couple of chances Moult with an overhead kick which forced a good save from Camp and a Fisher effort which was also saved by the old guy between the sticks. Towards half time the home side again started to po0se a threat but level at half time.
15 seconds into the second half it was game over with possibly the worst keeper error I have seen since Peter Enclemann at the same grond and same end.
Kiefenbeld's intended pass for a home forward from 45 yards dribbled towards the goal straight at Rudd, he bent down to pick it up but sort of missed this harmless pass and into the net it went, stunned silence in the visiting end as no one could quite believe what they had seen.
The goal gave the home team and support a major boost and for the next 15 minutes threatened to run riot as you could see the confidence drain out of the North End players. Rudd did slightly redeem himself pulling off two good save, but City had several good chances which they should have taken, didn't prove costly though on the hour it was two Maghoma firing home from about 15 yards.
Battled back with Gallagher free kicks causing some problems although never looked like scoring and we were finally sunk following one of our corners when Adams had the freedom of the park to advance unchecked before firing past Rudd to seal the game.
So the unbeaten run which started with a 97th minute penalty save at Villa Park ended with Declan's mistake. Next week Forest away desperately short of bodies does not augur well, and Robinson had surgery on his hamstring today. COULD BE A LONG MONTH.#
Preston manager Alex Neil speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire:
"I don't really need to say much to Declan. I thought that really affected the match. You could hear the fans talking about it for the next 10 minutes.
"Birmingham have not lost a home game all season. They're really disciplined. They don't come out to try and press the ball, and when they do get it, they get it up to Lukas Jutkiewicz and work around him. Teams like Swansea and West Brom- really good football teams who build and try to play through you- have come here and found it really difficult.
"It was a bad day at the office for us. The disappointing thing was that, towards the end of the game, we looked as if we didn't have the belief to get back into the game."
Birmingham City manager Garry Monk:
"[Promotion] is totally not in our thinking at all. We deal with reality. Everyone understands what we have been working under this season. This club have been facing relegation on the last day in three out of the last five years. We want to show progression. That is all we are focused on.
"We don't have a magic wand. We are fighting and trying to be better than what we have been before. Everyone is on the same page. If it takes us somewhere, great.
"It has been the perfect response to losing the derby and you cannot ask for anything more than what we have done. We are proud of our record at St Andrew's and we will fight hard to maintain that."
Birmingham City line-up: Camp, Pedersen, Colin, Kieftenbeld, Mahoney (Harding, 74), Adams, Jutkiewicz (Bogle, 83), Dean, Maghoma, G Gardner, Morrison ©. Subs not used: Trueman, Roberts, C Gardner, Dacres-Cogley, Lakin.
PNE line-up: Rudd, Fisher, Earl (Hughes, 46), Ledson, Huntington ©, Storey, Barkhuizen, Gallagher, Moult, Browne (Burke, 79), Barker (Nmecha, 57). Subs not used: Maxwell, Davies, Woods, Baxter.
Attendance: 20,523 (1,258 PNE fans)
Referee: Mr D Webb
Would have taken a point when I saw the team we were putting out, addeed to the massive long term injuries we have both Pearson and Clarke were missing today and 0our lack of depth in the squad would somewhere catch us up although and it's a big if, but for one mistake just after half time we may have got that point, however we didn't.
City dominated the early stages two Morrison headers went wide and the recalled Fisher majestically scoop a clearence over his own bar when he could quite easily have buried it inb his own net.
We weatehered the early storm and started to get into the game with Barker causing the home defence a few problems, we even create a couple of chances Moult with an overhead kick which forced a good save from Camp and a Fisher effort which was also saved by the old guy between the sticks. Towards half time the home side again started to po0se a threat but level at half time.
15 seconds into the second half it was game over with possibly the worst keeper error I have seen since Peter Enclemann at the same grond and same end.
Kiefenbeld's intended pass for a home forward from 45 yards dribbled towards the goal straight at Rudd, he bent down to pick it up but sort of missed this harmless pass and into the net it went, stunned silence in the visiting end as no one could quite believe what they had seen.
The goal gave the home team and support a major boost and for the next 15 minutes threatened to run riot as you could see the confidence drain out of the North End players. Rudd did slightly redeem himself pulling off two good save, but City had several good chances which they should have taken, didn't prove costly though on the hour it was two Maghoma firing home from about 15 yards.
Battled back with Gallagher free kicks causing some problems although never looked like scoring and we were finally sunk following one of our corners when Adams had the freedom of the park to advance unchecked before firing past Rudd to seal the game.
So the unbeaten run which started with a 97th minute penalty save at Villa Park ended with Declan's mistake. Next week Forest away desperately short of bodies does not augur well, and Robinson had surgery on his hamstring today. COULD BE A LONG MONTH.#
Preston manager Alex Neil speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire:
"I don't really need to say much to Declan. I thought that really affected the match. You could hear the fans talking about it for the next 10 minutes.
"Birmingham have not lost a home game all season. They're really disciplined. They don't come out to try and press the ball, and when they do get it, they get it up to Lukas Jutkiewicz and work around him. Teams like Swansea and West Brom- really good football teams who build and try to play through you- have come here and found it really difficult.
"It was a bad day at the office for us. The disappointing thing was that, towards the end of the game, we looked as if we didn't have the belief to get back into the game."
Birmingham City manager Garry Monk:
"[Promotion] is totally not in our thinking at all. We deal with reality. Everyone understands what we have been working under this season. This club have been facing relegation on the last day in three out of the last five years. We want to show progression. That is all we are focused on.
"We don't have a magic wand. We are fighting and trying to be better than what we have been before. Everyone is on the same page. If it takes us somewhere, great.
"It has been the perfect response to losing the derby and you cannot ask for anything more than what we have done. We are proud of our record at St Andrew's and we will fight hard to maintain that."
Why should a man go to work, if he has the health and strength to stay in bed?