[themaclad]

Birmingham City 0 Preston North End 1

Birmingham City line-up: Camp, Pedersen, Roberts, Colin, Crowley, Jutkiewicz, Dean ©, Mrabti (Gimenez, 61), Bellingham (Maghoma, 61), Davis (Villalba, 79), Sunjic. Subs not used: Stockdale, Harding, Clarke-Salter, Gardner.

PNE line-up: Rudd, Fisher (Rafferty, 89), Hughes, Pearson, Bauer, Davies, Harrop, Gallagher © (Browne, 82), Barkhuizen (Potts, 83), Johnson, Maguire. Subs not used: Ripley, Storey, Ledson, Stockley.

Attendance: 20,806 (1,518 PNE fans)

Referee: Mr S Martin



Away from home the objective is to bring home the points and annoy the opposition fans North End did both today so Job Done, and with today's result we go third which means Colin Murray will have his usual utmost respects for our side.
Similar performance to a couple of weeks ago at Forest, super first half grindit out in the second. Apart from a couple of uncharistic errors by Bauer and Davies City rarely had sight of our goal and got little of the ball as North End passed it around St Andrews with a swagger. Didn't really create a lot as City sat deep and tried to catch us on the break.
The only goal came after what I thought was probably our move of the game and ended with Maguire being fouled outside the box

Gallagher took and fired it under the wall as they jumped, ball hits inside of post and then rebounds to Maguire Goal. City's high point in a por first half was a bit of showboating by Pederson who immediately lost possession, do not take the piss against us.
Kept control with ease and deservedley led at half time.
Second half more scrappy City came more into the game Big Lucas fired wide and they had a couple of efforts which brought easy saves for Rudd, had the ball in teh net was offside but only just.
Our itensity dropped in teh 2nd half not surprisingly it was an excessively hot day and Maguire looked completely bolloxed at the end.
Little was seen of City's 16 years old wonder kid Bellingham his last contribution was to see his badly hit free kick sail aimlessly out into touch.
Loads of injuries meant a stuttering end to the game but we deserved the win.
https://youtu.be/637cktATLkg
Tonight avoid this man in Birmingham he won't be happy he's just run into #teamslikepreston


Birmingham City caretaker head coach Pep Clotet:

"Today football punished us more than normal because I don't think Preston did enough to win the game apart from the fact that they were fortunate and alive for the free-kick.

"There are a lot of things that I want our side to be better at, but also I want to focus on the positives and I see a team that is growing and growing.

On their penalty appeal: "The ref thought the hand was there but it is normal to have a hand there, so he gave us a corner, fair enough."

Preston North End manager Alex Neil:

"I've always thought Sean (Maguire) is a double-figures striker at this level. He's not a wide player, he's more of an inside forward who plays in between the lines and does it really well.

"He's a special player at this level. It's always nice when you've got someone in your team who can produce something from nothing.

"It's such an ace to have up your sleeve."