[themaclad]

A cup tie against the Boro under the lights at Deepdale could just be the thing to get our season up and running, mind you thought the same when we beat Leeds. Desperately need to sort out our defensive short comings against one of the Championship favourites who probably won't put out their strongest team indeed Pulis previously stated he wasn't that bothered about the League cup. They may not be the strongest team but they will be organised and no doubt all over 6 foot tall.
For us Pearson available after his enforced holiday for me Neil has to play his strongest possible side if we are to get any sort of consistency. There were signs on Saturday of some fluency in the play but the sooner we start producing on the field the better.
Shorter than usual blog but here's the man in the middle stuff

It’s 12 months since tonight’s match official last took charge of a game at Deepdale, with Oliver Langford appointed as the match referee.

West Midlands official Oliver last took charge of our Tuesday night clash with then league leaders Cardiff City at Deepdale in September 2017, when the Lilywhites ran out 3-0 winners against Neil Warnock’s Bluebirds.

The previous season he took charge of three North End games. His first was the live Sky victory over Wigan Athletic back in September 2016, his second, our first match of the new year, at Burton Albion on 2nd January and his third the goalless draw away at Barnsley in February.
He also twice took charge of the Lilywhites in 2015/16; the goalless draw against Derby County, when goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard made his debut for the club, and the April trip to Middlesbrough, so this is his second PNE versus Boro match in his career.

His first game in change of North End before that was the clash with Swindon at the County Ground in November 2014.

So far this season he has taken charge of six fixtures, including Boro’s 2-0 win at Bristol City back in August, issuing 12 cautions and one sending off.

He will be assisted by Akil Howson and Robert Merchant, with David Webb the fourth official for the game under the Deepdale floodlights

[Imre varadi]

im going for 3pts here themaclad its just a tinkle in the water

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if its a cup game then yer fcuked

[themaclad]

It's the latter however 100% record in the Fizzy drink this season

[themaclad]

Preston North End 2 Robnson,Barkhuizen Middlesbrough 2 Fletcher, Tavernier (Boro win 4-3 on pens)

PNE line-up: Maxwell, Clarke ©, Hughes, Pearson, Storey, Huntington, Barkhuizen (Moult, 85), Ledson, Robinson, Browne (Harrop, 63), Barker (Burke, 81). Subs not used: Rudd, Earl, Johnson, Gallagher.

Middlesbrough line-up: Konstantopoulos, Batth, Leadbitter ©, McQueen, McNair, Fletcher, Fry, Wood (Chapman, 72), Wing, Tavernier, Gestede. Subs not used: Lonergan, Liddle, Stubbs, Spence, Malley, Walker.

Attendance: 5,095 (781 Middlesbrough fans)

Referee: Mr O Langford

Out of the fizzy drink cup against a reserve strength team from Middlesbrough although in saying that both Fletcher and Gestede cost 7 million and McNair cost 5.
Positive didn't lose and played our part in an entertraining game of football in which the draw was probably the right result.
Boro looked the more likelier early on when Leadbitter should have scored when they had two men spare but his shot was easily saved by Maxwell, McQueen also probably should have done better when he got a chance when stealing in unnoticed at the back post but he put his effort into the side netting. For North End Barker had a couple of surging runs which did cause problems but the Greek guy between the sticks for Boro was reletively untroubled until Pearson played a super pass to Browne, ball into the box Robinson fired home from close range. Slightly against the run of play but who cared.



We started to play with a bit of freedom but Boro were level within seven minutes, some quick passing around the box and Fletcher was played in took the ball around Maxwell and slotted home. Gestede could have put them ahead on the stroke of half time his header went inches wide.
Second half started really well Pearson fired in a shot semi cleared by the Greek guy before in the second phase of the action Barkhuizen hit the post from 20 yards.
It was then Boro's turn to hit the woodwork Maxwell pulled off a worldie to deny Fletcher, from the rebound Gestede hit the bar and he nearly got another chance when Storey back heeled a pass to him but Maxwell was alert and got the young defender of the hook.
Wasn't denied for long when a Boro attack broke down Hughes sent Barkhuizen on a run he fired home from 20 yards looked like the keeper probably should have saved it but Dimi's near 40 year old body couldn't get down in time.
North End were not ahead for long Pearsonpossibly may have been fouled on the touchline but no whistle the ball found it's way to Tavernier from outside the box he hit an unstoppable shot past Maxwell.
With penalties getting closer North End nearly won it at the death, Harrop got himself some space and the Greek guy Konstantopoulos pulled off a great save to deny him.
On to penalties Boro scored all four Robinson put the second of ours into the Boro fans and Burke put our last one onto the M6 at Broughton.
Stiffer tasks await notably against Albion on Saturday more positives last night, Ledson played well, Robinson haviing a really good spell and Pearson back but wearing pink boots!! Defence still needs sorting out young Storey had a difficult game against Gestede and also picked up a shoulder injury, but just need that all elusive win to kick start the season.
Alex Neil felt the only thing lacking from his side’s Carabao Cup tie against Middlesbrough at Deepdale was the result.

The Lilywhites put on an encouraging display with Callum Robinson and Tom Barkhuizen among the goals, but they were twice pegged back by quick Middlesbrough equalisers, the visitors going on to win 4-3 on penalties following the 2-2 draw in 90 minutes.
The manager suggested his players were unfortunate not to have wrapped up the result in normal time but is now hoping they can draw some confidence from their performance.

“I thought we played well enough to win the game,” Alex told iFollow PNE. “The second goal is obviously a bit of a kick in the teeth because it’s a really good finish from distance.

“But we created really good chances and didn’t take them and then you leave yourselves susceptible to conceding late in the game, having led twice as well.

“We get unfortunate with Tom hitting the post as well. Naturally, we’re disappointed that we’re out of the cup but there’s certainly a lot of positives from tonight in terms of how the lads played and hopefully we can try to take that into the weekend.
“It was a good save [late on to deny Josh Harrop]. He was playing wide right at that stage as well and what he has got is good feet around the edge of the box where he can manoeuvre himself and get his shot away, so he was unfortunate that didn’t go in.

“The good thing is the lads are happy with how they played, I thought they played well, second half against Sheffield United we played well and again tonight, so hopefully we can take that into Saturday and that can help us and catapult us towards winning the game.”

The gaffer also spoke of numerous impressive individual displays, including that of his fluid front three and Tom Barkhuizen in particular, with Alex optimistic that his superb long-range strike can boost his confidence.

“Tom sometimes gets a bit of undue stick which I don’t think he deserves because he works extremely hard for us and he has got quality. The good thing about playing Callum [Robinson] up top is that I can flip Tom and Brandon [Barker] over because both can play either side.

“Naturally, Callum prefers the left when he does play and he’s been such a key player for us that Tom then generally plays on the right hand side. But he’s certainly dangerous cutting in from the left hand side and hopefully that [his goal] will get a shot in the arm in terms of his confidence going into the weekend.

“Callum always gets chances and a lot of them are self-made, he’s just an excellent player and his development over the last year has been outstanding. Ben Pearson was outstanding as well and Ryan Ledson, I think that’s his second start, you can see that he’s getting better; he’s got more confidence and he’ll get fitter in terms of getting the minutes.
“All in all, I thought there were a lot of positive performances and I think the only thing we lacked was getting the result that the lads deserved.”