PNE defender off the hook

The Lilywhites left-back was credited with getting the last touch to the Bees’ opener at Deepdale last Saturday.

But the Football League’s dubious goals committee reviewed footage of it and have now credited the goal to visiting skipper Jake Bidwell.

Who initially gets credited with goals is down to who is covering the game for the Press Association.

They supply details of goals, bookings, sending-offs and key incidents in matches to the media.

In the case of Brentford’s first goal last Saturday, they were awarded a free-kick on the corner of the box.

Bidwell delivered it in at pace, the ball travelling over a number of players in the middle and going into the net at the far post.

If anyone did get a touch, it was very slight and certainly did not change the direction of the ball.

In fact, the deflection off Bailey Wright for Brentford’s third goal in the second half was a more significant one.

A statement released by the Football League via social media platforms read: “The goal scored by Brentford FC in the 22nd minute of their match versus Preston North End has been officially credited to Jake Bidwell (previously recorded as an own goal).”

Speakng after the game, North End manager Simon Grayson had questioned why it was credited as an own goal.

Grayson said: “I didn’t think it did catch any of our players.

“No one in our team will be wanting to claim it anyway, it looked like it went straight in.”

As well as clearing up the identity of Brentford’s opener, the dubious goals committee also ruled on a goal scored by Colchester in their home defeat to Sheffield United earlier in January.

They credited David Edgar with the goal rather than Chris Basham.

Defeat to Brentford ended a four-game unbeaten run in the Championship for North 
End.

It is a result they will be aiming to put behind them when they travel to Pride Park on Tuesday night to face Derby County.

The defeat, coupled with a midweek draw for Leeds at Brentford, saw PNE slip to 16th place.

Taking a wider look at their progress, Grayson is pleased with how things are going.

Grayson said: “Where we are at the moment is a decent position.

“As a squad and a club, we are enjoying being in the Championship and are working hard to get as many good results as possible.

“We won’t take our eye off the ball, there is a good group of players here who are pushing each other and always wanting to do better.

“There are clubs with much bigger budgets and who have been in the Championship much longer than us, below us or around us in the table.

“Having more time between the Brentford and Derby games will help re-charge the batteries,

“We looked a bit leggy in the first half against Brentford and could not match the tempo they played at, so a bit of rest could do us good.”