[themaclad]

Swansea City Deepdale
4/3/2025 1945 hrs

https://www.swanseacity.com/

Not the manager



Alan Michael Anthony Sheehan (born 14 September 1986) is an Irish professional football coach and former player who is currently interim manager of EFL Championship club Swansea City. He played for the Republic of Ireland national under-21 team.

Previously





Form guide

PNE 7 Swansea 8

Hot shots



The Fitness Test

Ben Whiteman has made a further step in his recovery from injury, having taken part in some of Monday's training and is expected to be involved in a full session later this week.

Defender Jordan Storey is about a week behind the skipper, whereas Jack Whatmough isn't being rushed due to the nature of his injury.

Duane Holmes is the only other long-term absentee, however there is hope he could be seen on the pitch again before the end of the season. Mads Frøkjær will also miss Tuesday’s fixture.

The Swans



Swansea City arrive at Deepdale looking to leapfrog the Lilywhites, as they currently sit just two points and a position behind North End.

Alan Sheehan has been placed in temporary charge of the Swans who parted ways with Luke Williams in February following a run of seven defeats in nine matches.

Their last fixture, now a week and a half ago, saw them get back on track with an impressive 3-0 victory over PNE’s Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers.


The Officials

Referee: Stephen Martin
Assistant Referees: Mark Dwyer and Carl Fitch-Jackson
Fourth Official: David Webb

Stephen Martin will take charge of his second PNE match of the season on Tuesday, with the first ironically being the reverse fixture in Swansea.

So far this season, Martin has shown 101 yellow cards in his 24 matches, and the most recent game he officiated was Stockport County’s 2-1 victory over Blackpool.

[themaclad]

Preston North End 0 Swansea City 0

Attendance: 12,838 (216 Swansea City fans).

Referee: Mr S Martin.

Might be me but the modern way of playing football does tend to produce more matches like this, dull, a point for either side which ultimately should lead to them meeting again next season.
Credit to the 216 visiting fans for travelling although may I add for last two night games in Wales we took 240 ish both times, shame on the 24 who couldn't be bothered.
No Steffi or Mads meant our creative midfield was not available and how it proved last night, a bumpy crap pitch didn't help, luckily it's being dug up in the summer.
The first half was particularly dire, they started the better and we were defending like bell ends early on, playing the ball around at the back led to a mistake, City claimed a foulf in the area Mr Martin didn't give it, we broke and probaly could have had a penalty for hand ball at the other end but he didn't that either.
Once the iitial flurry from the Swans ended we started to get a bit of control, had two decent chances Osmajic denied by a good deflected block in the 6 yard box by Cabango? and great control by Keane sadly his ball to Greenwood pushed him slightly too wide and his weak left foot shot caused Vigourour little danger. The half was stop start which didn't help either, Swans main threat was down either wing with Ronald and early substitute Eom.
Second period Os through in the opening minute tame left footed shot dribbled wide, Swansea keeper great double save, Vigs had a good game, Os through one on one with him couldn't get the ball round him and Riis's control in the last minute let him down when he looked like he was through.
Swansea offered little until late on when they sussed that our midfield had completely disappeared one subbed, one injured and centre back Gibson playing as a holding midfielder, we defended well and their only chance came from a clever free kick from Eom, the wall jumps ball played under them it missed by inches.
Safety almost achieved although Sheff U and Sunderland away are the next two, then it's Europa League qualification three games away from glory Qarabag away anyone?

HECK

Paul Heckingbottom was delighted with his side’s effort in the goalless draw against Swansea City and he felt they should have won the game.

North End created a number of opportunities on the night at Deepdale, while limiting the visitors to just one shot on target to in turn keep a 17th clean sheet of the campaign.

The Lilywhites went into the game following a memorable afternoon on Saturday as they beat Burnley to get to the FA Cup quarter-finals.


On the Swansea game, Hecky said: “I was delighted with the players. Off the back of an obviously tough, emotional game at the weekend and playing a team with high energy, and they’ve had a lot of time to rest and recover.

“We wanted, and the players were part of this as well, to make sure we gave everything and really tried to inject tempo into the game and force the issue, and I felt we did that throughout.

“We’ve created numerous chances and should have won the game and we didn't manage to but I'm proud of the players' efforts there.”

The best of the first-half chances fell to Milutin Osmajić and Sam Greenwood, while the Montenegrin also had a brilliant opportunity just 30 seconds after the interval.


There were further openings for PNE, but ultimately Lawrence Vigouroux in the Swansea goal kept North End at bay.

Hecky said: “There's probably four or five, maybe more really, really good chances and usually you create two of those in a game. You expect to take one of them.

“We did more than enough today to win, we know that, but in terms of league position, we've had too many of those this season where we've been the dominant team and not managed to get the three points, but I'm forgetting that today.

“In terms of the commitment from the players and what they gave to try and win and players playing out position and then dealing with the injuries and the changes, I thought they were absolutely first class.”

The manager was forced into making one change from the weekend, bringing Sam Greenwood in for Stefán Thórdarson, who was carrying a knock which saw him drop out of the warm-up, and Ali McCann also left the pitch early with a calf problem.

Hecky added: “We had lost Stef this afternoon and then obviously we wanted him on the bench still but he wasn't fit enough in the warm-up. We changed shape slightly from what we prepared for and that was my decision to try and cause them more problems.

“I was conscious that it might give them a bit more or we might lose control of the game a little bit and give them a little bit of possession and it did that which I didn't like. So even though they didn't create anything, I felt the first 20 minutes they had too much of the ball. We changed that and then we were great.”

NOT THE MANAGER YET

Caretaker head coach Alan Sheehan felt Swansea City had shown a different side to their game in securing a battling draw against Preston North End at Deepdale.

The Swans picked up a point on their travels against a Preston side who have not lost on home turf since November 2.

They recorded a second clean sheet in succession, and a third in their last four games.

Liam Cullen, Lewis O’Brien and Jisung Eom went closest for the visitors, while Lawrence Vigouroux made saves to deny Milutin Osmajic, Sam Greenwood and Brad Potts.

Sheehan acknowledged it had been hard to find fluency with the ball on a difficult playing surface, but was pleased with the resolve the Swans showed to make sure they emerged with something to show for their efforts.

“It was always going to be a different type of game to Blackburn, and that proved to be the case,” he said.

“It was a difficult pitch, although in the first 20 minutes I thought we started on the front foot, and then their keeper went down and it just changed the momentum of the game and it became a bit scrappy.

“They had chances, and so did we, but overall I felt it was a solid defensive display and we were always going to need that.

“We showed a different side to us, they are a physical team, so it was a really hard-fought point.

“It was a difficult game, and it was about showing that grit and determination to keep a clean sheet and come away with a hard-earned draw.

“They beat Burnley at the weekend and good teams have come here and found it very hard.

“We have a lot to improve on, of course, but overall we are happy with back-to-back clean sheets and a good point away from home.”