02-01-2026, 11:16
https://www.fotmob.com/matches/preston-v...zo#4825328
Attendance: 18,069 (3,004 Sheffield Wednesday fans).
Referee: Gavin Ward.
Workmanlike rather than spectacular win against the visitors from South Yorkshire played on a difficult pitch, a healthy number from Sth Yorkshire made the journey and to be fair to them actually gave the ground a bit of atmosphere.
The man from Montenegro was back however no Armstrong who has gone back to parent club, Everton.
Until the first went in this was a fairly even contest Storey should have done better from a free header at a corner and Wednesday were denied when Cadamateri's near post header was saved by Iversen, possibly a touch of fortune on the goal actually thought Iorfa had been fouled, Mr Ward didn't think so. Lewis did well his cross bounced between two defenders who hesitated and McCann our non scoring midfielder, sneaked between the two controlled the ball and fired home past Charles.
Could have been two a minute later Devinbe denied fronm a yard out. No alarms up to half time
![[Image: owls.png]](https://i.ibb.co/hkgdzx3/owls.png)
Needed a second goal to give us breathing space and on the hour it arrived, nice passing move, Whiteman to Osmajic turn and fire, ball fairly rocketed into the net. In a way that was game over, one decent cross by Amass at the other end, no one gambled, chance gone, late third Lindsay to Dobbin out to Pol on the right ball to McCann onto Dobbin fired past Charles for the third.
Wednesday gifted a goal when the at the moment disaster prone Lindsay sliced one narrowly over the top, then on in eased to victory.
Ashton Gate on Sunday four points from second place.
HECKY
Manager Paul Heckingbottom was pleased with the result along with the performance after a difficult reverse fixture at Hillsborough in November, as well as the quality of all three goals that went in.
Hecky said: “The result is excellent and the performance to match it. It’s been a good day for lots of reasons. Players coming back, the goals we scored, the performance, but ultimately the three points.
“The goals are very good. Ali played his part in a couple and did what we're asking him to do. He’s got a real good brain, and he'll always try and do the things we ask of him. We know what we want to add to his game, he knows what we want to add to his game, and today he's delivered it, which is fantastic. So, it's great to have Ali back.
“We also had other opportunities, whether it was the set plays, whether it was the keeper making good saves or us not delivering on the final pass. We're never going to be greedy; we've got to earn everything. Three-nil was the right result, but I felt we could have got more.”
Osmajić made his highly anticipated return to action and came straight into the starting eleven but Heckingbottom admits he’ll have to manage the forward carefully after picking up an injury which delayed his first outing for PNE in almost two months after sitting out Monday’s defeat at Wrexham.
“We're still going to have to manage him with the nature of the injury he’s had, it's nothing major as it stands, we'll just keep managing him and as we're playing him, if we get things right, we can hopefully keep on top of it and have it getting better rather than getting worse.”
North End went into Thursday’s game without Harrison Armstrong following Everton’s decision to recall the young midfielder and the North End boss spoke glowingly about the teenage talent and discussed the situation regarding his future.
Hecky added: “Listen, it's been fantastic. Hopefully it's not the end from our point of view. But my parting message to Harrison was go and get in the team at Everton. If he goes and impresses and gets in the team, we won't see him again. But we've been in constant communication with David (Moyes). He's really pleased with what we've been doing with him.
“The exposure he's been getting, the challenge he's been getting, everyone was on the same page at the start of the season. The more football we can give Harrison this season, the better he'll be next season to get in Everton’s team. But he's got an opportunity now that wasn’t planned; to try and get in their team and he's going to try and take it.”
Henrick
In the analysis of the game, manager Henrik Pedersen said:
“It was a tough game against a strong, strong opponent.
“I think until the first goal, we were very equal in the game and we were well in it.
“Defensively, we were well organised on the ball, we had a good balance and until the goal, it was a good performance.
“But after the goal, we didn't get those levels back again and in the second half, it was difficult.
“To go from just having the ball to creating something with the ball was a challenge for us.
“We conceded two goals in a defensive transition where we lost it, an area where we have been really strong in the last two or three games.
“The last two games, we have had good performances but to have the energy and the belief to do it when you are 2-0 down, we missed that today.”
The fixtures keep on coming thick and fast and Wednesday now must dust themselves down and head to QPR on Sunday for the midday kick off.
Pedersen continued: “We have to rest now, it has been a tough Christmas for our boys. We have a small group of senior players and a big group of young players.
“It's hard for them, but again, how they are working today with the effort and what they are bringing on the pitch is credit to them.
“We have to rest and try to show who we are against QPR in three days.”
Attendance: 18,069 (3,004 Sheffield Wednesday fans).
Referee: Gavin Ward.
Workmanlike rather than spectacular win against the visitors from South Yorkshire played on a difficult pitch, a healthy number from Sth Yorkshire made the journey and to be fair to them actually gave the ground a bit of atmosphere.
The man from Montenegro was back however no Armstrong who has gone back to parent club, Everton.
Until the first went in this was a fairly even contest Storey should have done better from a free header at a corner and Wednesday were denied when Cadamateri's near post header was saved by Iversen, possibly a touch of fortune on the goal actually thought Iorfa had been fouled, Mr Ward didn't think so. Lewis did well his cross bounced between two defenders who hesitated and McCann our non scoring midfielder, sneaked between the two controlled the ball and fired home past Charles.
Could have been two a minute later Devinbe denied fronm a yard out. No alarms up to half time
Needed a second goal to give us breathing space and on the hour it arrived, nice passing move, Whiteman to Osmajic turn and fire, ball fairly rocketed into the net. In a way that was game over, one decent cross by Amass at the other end, no one gambled, chance gone, late third Lindsay to Dobbin out to Pol on the right ball to McCann onto Dobbin fired past Charles for the third.
Wednesday gifted a goal when the at the moment disaster prone Lindsay sliced one narrowly over the top, then on in eased to victory.
Ashton Gate on Sunday four points from second place.
HECKY
Manager Paul Heckingbottom was pleased with the result along with the performance after a difficult reverse fixture at Hillsborough in November, as well as the quality of all three goals that went in.
Hecky said: “The result is excellent and the performance to match it. It’s been a good day for lots of reasons. Players coming back, the goals we scored, the performance, but ultimately the three points.
“The goals are very good. Ali played his part in a couple and did what we're asking him to do. He’s got a real good brain, and he'll always try and do the things we ask of him. We know what we want to add to his game, he knows what we want to add to his game, and today he's delivered it, which is fantastic. So, it's great to have Ali back.
“We also had other opportunities, whether it was the set plays, whether it was the keeper making good saves or us not delivering on the final pass. We're never going to be greedy; we've got to earn everything. Three-nil was the right result, but I felt we could have got more.”
Osmajić made his highly anticipated return to action and came straight into the starting eleven but Heckingbottom admits he’ll have to manage the forward carefully after picking up an injury which delayed his first outing for PNE in almost two months after sitting out Monday’s defeat at Wrexham.
“We're still going to have to manage him with the nature of the injury he’s had, it's nothing major as it stands, we'll just keep managing him and as we're playing him, if we get things right, we can hopefully keep on top of it and have it getting better rather than getting worse.”
North End went into Thursday’s game without Harrison Armstrong following Everton’s decision to recall the young midfielder and the North End boss spoke glowingly about the teenage talent and discussed the situation regarding his future.
Hecky added: “Listen, it's been fantastic. Hopefully it's not the end from our point of view. But my parting message to Harrison was go and get in the team at Everton. If he goes and impresses and gets in the team, we won't see him again. But we've been in constant communication with David (Moyes). He's really pleased with what we've been doing with him.
“The exposure he's been getting, the challenge he's been getting, everyone was on the same page at the start of the season. The more football we can give Harrison this season, the better he'll be next season to get in Everton’s team. But he's got an opportunity now that wasn’t planned; to try and get in their team and he's going to try and take it.”
Henrick
In the analysis of the game, manager Henrik Pedersen said:
“It was a tough game against a strong, strong opponent.
“I think until the first goal, we were very equal in the game and we were well in it.
“Defensively, we were well organised on the ball, we had a good balance and until the goal, it was a good performance.
“But after the goal, we didn't get those levels back again and in the second half, it was difficult.
“To go from just having the ball to creating something with the ball was a challenge for us.
“We conceded two goals in a defensive transition where we lost it, an area where we have been really strong in the last two or three games.
“The last two games, we have had good performances but to have the energy and the belief to do it when you are 2-0 down, we missed that today.”
The fixtures keep on coming thick and fast and Wednesday now must dust themselves down and head to QPR on Sunday for the midday kick off.
Pedersen continued: “We have to rest now, it has been a tough Christmas for our boys. We have a small group of senior players and a big group of young players.
“It's hard for them, but again, how they are working today with the effort and what they are bringing on the pitch is credit to them.
“We have to rest and try to show who we are against QPR in three days.”
Why should a man go to work, if he has the health and strength to stay in bed?