[St Charles Owl]

THE MATCH - SATURDAY 20TH FEBRUARY 2016 3PM KO


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Well things are certainly moving along nicely for us and it seems the discussion among Owls fans is no longer about whether we can reach the playoffs but has now turned to can we catch the top 2??  Well this week we will get another clue along the path this season has for us with a visit to one of the form sides in the division.  Preston, promoted last season via the playoffs have settled nicely in the Championship and better than the two automatic placed promoted teams.  Their start wasn't anything to write home about but have recently put some good results together and that has seen them rise in the  table to 11th place, 11 points behind us but more importantly for them 16 points above relegation and sure to now be safe!!!

If you take the form table for the last 10 games it puts us at the top with 23 out of 30 points but Preston are 7th in this table with 17 points, not too shabby for a team that cost very little to put together in the first place!!  This is also probably the first time that Simon Grayson has managed to look half decent with a team he has achieved promotion from the Pub league with, so kudos to him maybe finally making the step up.

This will be our 104th meeting with Preston and our record is very even at W40 D23 L40.  Our away record against them is poor, standing at W11 D14 L27, although we are currently unbeaten in 3 games and only have one defeat in the last 7!!  Our game at S6 earlier in the season saw us record a nice 3-1 win although after getting 2-0 up we let them back into the game like we have seen numerous times only for McGugan to score a late 3rd goal from 45 yards to seal the win, enjoy the video:



LINKS BETWEEN THE CLUBS

Current staff:
They currently have 3 ex-Owls on their books - Stevie May, Marnick Vermijl and Chris Kirkland.  I assume Vermijl won't be able to play against his parent club as he is on loan, May is out injured and Kirkland has yet to record an appearance for them.

Past Players
Neil Mellor, Chris Sedgewick, Richard Cresswell, David Lucas and Dean Barrick played for both teams.  Glyn Snodin is currently their Assistant Manager.

Past Managers
Alan Irvine and Harry Catterick have managed both teams and their current manager Simon Grayson played 5 games for us in 2000.

I am sure there are other links between the clubs, if you know of any please feel free to mention!!


THE LAST MATCH

Regardless of the fact that Brentford had a man sent off early I think the reality is we would have beaten them anyway.  In the end it turned out to not only be a very good team performance but it was a professional one as well.  How many times do we see teams struggle against 10 men, well not us, we steamrollered them in the first half and then dropped a couple of gears in the second half which will have conserved energy, allowed us to make subs to give players a run out and ran out worthy 4-0 winners, our best scoreline of the season.

Add to all that a mixed bag for our promotion rivals and we saw ourselves leap over Derby into 5th place, just 6 points off the top and 5 points ahead of 7th.  A great position to be in in the middle of February!! Enjoy the video: 




OUR TEAM

No fresh injury worries that I am aware of, just waiting to see if Hutch will be fit.  Assuming he is then surely he will replace Sasso alongside Lees and what looks like our best starting XI should be on the field.  

Westwood

Hunt  Hutchinson Lees  Pudil

Wallace Lee  Bannan  

Forestieri 

Hooper Nuhiu

Lets attack from the start, especially as we seem to usually start so slow, lets get a lead and then push on from there!!


WHO'S THE BASTARD IN THE BLACK

Ref - KEITH STROUD
Assts - Nicholas Barnard and Steven Copeland
Fourth Official - Andy Haines

MS will hopefully give us the skinny on this guy in previous Owls games!!


CURRENT FORM - League games only

SWFC -    
Preston -  


BIG MAN'S LEAGUE

Current Table

Owlkev  
Imre        
Jacko  
Towinjustonce 
Pei  
Madsteve    
Stateside  
Wereham  
Thurnscoe       
Maddix  
Consilio    
Bottesford  
St Charles  
Wellowlbe
Southey    
Owlshighgreen
Washington
A57owl 


SCORE AND SCORER (Just to keep Imre quiet put your scoreline in whatever order you want but make sure you say who will win, no copying, correct for both only will win, defeats are allowed)

1-1 Forestieri - Owlkev
1-2 No scorer - Actual Result
2-0 Forestieri - Imre
2-0 Hooper - Consilio
2-0 Lee - Washington
2-1 Bannan - St Charles
2-1 Hooper - Madsteve
2-1 Nuhiu - Jacko
2-1 Joao - Towinjustonce
3-1 Hooper - Stateside
3-1 Forestieri - A57
3-1 Joao - Thurnscoe
3-1 Bannan - Wereham
3-1 Nuhiu - Southey
3-2 Lee - Bottesford
6-1 Nuhiu - Maddix


POSSESSION PLUS ATTEMPTS ON TARGET PLUS CORNERS (Closest to wins, no copying, BBC stats will be used to determine winner)

55 - Possession 50, On Target 0, Corners 5
57 - St Charles
58 - Imre
59 - Towinjustonce
60 - Owlkev
61 - Stateside
62 - Madsteve
63 - Bottesford
67 - A57
69 - Maddix
72 - Thurnscoe
74 - Washington
75 - Southey
78 - Wereham
79 - Consilio
90 - Jacko

OTHER RESULTS TO PREDICT (Copying is allowed, all 5 correct will win)

Cardiff v Brighton
Bolton v QPR
Brentford v Derby
Burnley v Rotherham
MK Dons v Bristol City

ADHHH - Owlkev
AHDHA - Stateside
AHHDA - Southey
DDDHA - St Charles
DDDHD - Thurnscoe, Washington
DDHHD - A57
DHAHD - Bottesford
DHDHD - Madsteve, Consilio
DHHHD - Maddix
DHHHH - Jacko
HAAHH - Wereham
HDAHA - Actual results
HDDHD - Imre, Towinjustonce


THE MUPPET LEAGUE





KATE BECKINSALE TRIBUTE PICS





Love this pic!!




The thread awaits the Meggo of Stateside's choice.