12-03-2022, 19:58
Match Report: Cardiff City 0 PNE 0
Preston North End were made to settle for a point as they couldn’t find the breakthrough against Cardiff City.
Ryan Lowe made two changes from the victory over AFC Bournemouth, with Liam Lindsay and Emil Riis coming in for Josh Earl and Ched Evans.
There weren’t too many chances of note in the first half hour of the game, with Cardiff’s most dangerous opening seeing former PNE man Jordan Hugill send a dangerous looking ball across the box for Isaak Davies, but Sepp van den Berg made sure it caused no harm.
At the other end, PNE had a penalty shout turned down on 25 minutes as Riis went down under the pressure of a home defender, while five minutes later Alex Smithies kept out Brad Potts’ low driven effort.
On 35 minutes, Daniel Johnson sent a brilliant sliding pass in between the defence for Riis to get on the end of, but his cutback couldn’t find a North End man.
PNE came out and took control of the early stages of the second half, as Ryan Lowe’s men camped inside the final third in the opening 15 minutes after the restart, with Cameron Archer and Brad Potts among those trying to make things happen.
It was the hosts who had the first shot on target of the second period on the hour mark, but Iversen comfortably collected Tommy Doyle’s effort.
North End’s best chance of the game then came courtesy of Johnson, who nicked in ahead of a defender on the edge of the box before making his way inside and seeing an effort kept out at close range by a combination of Smithies and Perry Ng.
On 81 minutes, Archer tested the palms of Smithies, but his save fell kindly for Browne, who just lost his footing at the vital moment and he sent his shot wide of goal.
Iversen, who hadn’t been asked to do much all afternoon, was forced to produce two strong saves late on to deny substitute Uche Ikpeazu and ensure North End left South Wales with a point.
Cardiff City line-up: Smithies; Ng, Flint, McGuinness; Drameh, Doyle (Colwill, 61), Wintle, Ralls, Doughty (Bagan, 81); Davies (Ikpeazu, 61), Hugill. Subs not used: Phillips, Vaulks, Harris, Denham.
PNE line-up: Iversen; van den Berg, Diaby, Lindsay (McCann, 57); Potts, Browne (Rafferty, 90+3), Whiteman, Johnson, Hughes; Riis (Sinclair, 85), Archer. Subs not used: Ripley, Bauer, Evans, Maguire.
Attendance: 19, 743 (544 PNE fans)
Referee: Mr J Linington.
Cardiff City boss Steve Morison told BBC Sport Wales:
"It was a 0-0 game, it had 0-0 written all over from about the first five minutes of the game.
"You are hoping for one moment and not to concede a goal.
"I shook hands with their manager at the end of the game and we said 'that was boring wasn't it?'
"But it's a point in the right direction. We would have lost that game a few months ago."
Preston North End boss Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"It is a good point, but I think we were well worthy of the three points, we had some good opportunities, some good chances.
"I keep saying it, but if you can't win, don't lose.
Preston North End were made to settle for a point as they couldn’t find the breakthrough against Cardiff City.
Ryan Lowe made two changes from the victory over AFC Bournemouth, with Liam Lindsay and Emil Riis coming in for Josh Earl and Ched Evans.
There weren’t too many chances of note in the first half hour of the game, with Cardiff’s most dangerous opening seeing former PNE man Jordan Hugill send a dangerous looking ball across the box for Isaak Davies, but Sepp van den Berg made sure it caused no harm.
At the other end, PNE had a penalty shout turned down on 25 minutes as Riis went down under the pressure of a home defender, while five minutes later Alex Smithies kept out Brad Potts’ low driven effort.
On 35 minutes, Daniel Johnson sent a brilliant sliding pass in between the defence for Riis to get on the end of, but his cutback couldn’t find a North End man.
PNE came out and took control of the early stages of the second half, as Ryan Lowe’s men camped inside the final third in the opening 15 minutes after the restart, with Cameron Archer and Brad Potts among those trying to make things happen.
It was the hosts who had the first shot on target of the second period on the hour mark, but Iversen comfortably collected Tommy Doyle’s effort.
North End’s best chance of the game then came courtesy of Johnson, who nicked in ahead of a defender on the edge of the box before making his way inside and seeing an effort kept out at close range by a combination of Smithies and Perry Ng.
On 81 minutes, Archer tested the palms of Smithies, but his save fell kindly for Browne, who just lost his footing at the vital moment and he sent his shot wide of goal.
Iversen, who hadn’t been asked to do much all afternoon, was forced to produce two strong saves late on to deny substitute Uche Ikpeazu and ensure North End left South Wales with a point.
Cardiff City line-up: Smithies; Ng, Flint, McGuinness; Drameh, Doyle (Colwill, 61), Wintle, Ralls, Doughty (Bagan, 81); Davies (Ikpeazu, 61), Hugill. Subs not used: Phillips, Vaulks, Harris, Denham.
PNE line-up: Iversen; van den Berg, Diaby, Lindsay (McCann, 57); Potts, Browne (Rafferty, 90+3), Whiteman, Johnson, Hughes; Riis (Sinclair, 85), Archer. Subs not used: Ripley, Bauer, Evans, Maguire.
Attendance: 19, 743 (544 PNE fans)
Referee: Mr J Linington.
Cardiff City boss Steve Morison told BBC Sport Wales:
"It was a 0-0 game, it had 0-0 written all over from about the first five minutes of the game.
"You are hoping for one moment and not to concede a goal.
"I shook hands with their manager at the end of the game and we said 'that was boring wasn't it?'
"But it's a point in the right direction. We would have lost that game a few months ago."
Preston North End boss Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"It is a good point, but I think we were well worthy of the three points, we had some good opportunities, some good chances.
"I keep saying it, but if you can't win, don't lose.
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