Preston North End travelled to The Potteries in hopes of maintaining their great form and winning all 3 points. North End had not yet lost in the league after drawing to Bristol City and beating Swansea, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday. The Liywhites were backed by a sold out away end of approximately 2,600 travelling fans which provided them with a huge boost in their performance. Stoke have been strong at home so far this season being unbeaten in 4 and scoring 13 goals in the process. However, Preston provided the toughest challenge they have faced so far on home turf after a stellar start to the season. North End have now won 5 out of 6 outings at the bet365 stadium suggesting they may be a bit of a bogey side for Stoke.
The start of the game proved to be a cagey affair with Ex-Preston man Ben Pearson being booked within the first minute for a foul on Brad Potts. PNE looked a team who were up for the occasion with them having a few chances within the opening 25 minutes. One, being a ball played over the top to Will Keane over the Stoke defence, but he was pulled up as offside. The other being a snapshot from the edge of the box which took a nasty deflection. However, Stoke’s shot-stopper Mark Travers was quick to react and save at the foot of the post. New signing Wouter Burger gave Stoke their first chance of the game as he lofted a pass down the left wing that found Tyrese Campbell, who delivered a cross into the box but his cross was not met by any Stoke player.
Stoke experienced a reoccurring pattern of crosses swung into the box but Preston defender's kept clearing. Preston nearly broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute of the game as a scurry in the box allowed the ball to drop to Will Keane, however Stoke defended well to get the ball clear. Two minutes later, Stoke also came close to taking the lead as Wesley delivered a cross into the box but Tyrese Campbell could not find the connection needed for a goal. A golden opportunity wasted.
Towards the end of the first half Stoke looked the more dangerous side with chances at the edge of the box for Ben Pearson who smashed it over the bar into the packed out away end and Josh Laurent who curled his effort just wide of the post. Half time arrived and Stoke looked the more comfortable side but they were just lacking the finishing touch. One change at half time for the visitors, Duane Holmes replaced Mads Frøkjær Jenson.
The second half told a different story as Preston came out of the blocks quicker than Stoke with substitute Duane Holmes proving to be a problem for Stoke’s defence as he pulled a pass back to Will Keane but his effort rolled wide. That problem then became even worse for Stoke as the American won Preston a penalty in the 50th minute after being brought down by Wouter Burger.
Will Keane then stepped up for the penalty and slotted the ball down the middle to make it 0-1 Preston in front of the travelling supporters. Stoke had a chance to level the contest just after the penalty with Mehdi Leris being played through on goal however, Brad Potts slid in and blocked the winger’s effort much to the delight of the North End fans. Matters went from bad to worse for Stoke as Duane Holmes was put through again, he slides a pass across goal providing Will Keane with an easy tap in for North End’s and his second of the game.
Alex Neil then made 3 changes as Hoever, Pearson, and McNally were replaced by Rose, Gooch and Johnson. Gooch’s first action was to win a free kick on the edge of the box however Johnson’s effort was blocked by the Lilywhite's wall. Stoke then handed 19 year old South Korean midfielder Bae Junho his first appearance in red and white as he replaced Mehdi Leris. The Korean proved to be a very lively addition to the game as he won a free kick just outside the area . However Campbell hit his shot into the wall and saw his follow up shot fly into The Boothen End.
Stoke had a few chances towards the end of the game with Johnson setting up Josh Laurent inside the box but the captain fired over and a big chance was presented to Tyrese Campbell after being played in but his shot was straight at Woodman. The Full Time whistle blew and Stoke lose 0-2 to a well drilled PNE side.
Manager Comments
AN on the returns of Andre Vidigal and Ryan Mmaee and his thoughts on the game?
AN: “I'm not sure. We'll need to see how they are over this next period. We’ve still got Haks to come in, we’ve still got Jojic finding his way, Junho Bae has trained one and a half sessions with us.
We know how much has changed in the club but it doesn't take away from the disappointment of the game. I didn't think it was a game when we got outplayed. I just thought it was two key moments and we fell the wrong side of them.”
Is it a case of being patient with such a new set of players?
AN: “Yes and no. I don't think the game took any shape where we looked and thought that defensively we looked really poor. We had a penalty given against us, whether or not it’s a penalty – if it isn’t a penalty it’s disappointing, if it is a penalty then we shouldn’t be dangling a leg in the box - so that's really quite straightforward.
And the second goal is a transition. We were forcing the ball through the middle of the pitch when the space was down the flanks, they turn it over, play one ball down the side and we don't defend that one ball. I don't really think it was in terms of patterns and different things like that.
I just thought that we didn't move the ball quick enough when we did get down the sides. I thought when the ball did come in the box, we didn't have that sort of Vidigal who has landed on things and being that threat. We lacked that – because there were some good balls coming in, particularly when Gooch came on. I thought he put three or four really good crosses in.
I thought when Goochy and Jungho Bae and DJ came on we played at a higher tempo than we were doing up to that point. You do play with more freedom, though, when you’re losing so we have to take that into account.
It was a frustrating day for us, really frustrating because I don't think Preston needed to play well to win.”
Preston boss Ryan Lowe was full of praise for his team, he said: "I just know we were solid and resolute, defended like Trojans. (We) didn’t have as much possession as we’d of liked but who cares, it doesn’t matter. (It's) a fantastic win, so listen, I'm over the moon.”
The 3 points sees Preston rise to top of the league and Stoke fall to 16th.
MOTM For Stoke: Wouter Burger.
Honourable Mentions: Lynden Gooch and Bae Junho.
MOTM For Preston: Will Keane scorer of the two goals, some dangerous attacking play.
Honourable Mentions: Duane Holmes and Alistair McCann
Attendance: 22,957, Away (2600)
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