Cardiff City 0-2 Preston North End RECAP and highlights as Milutin Osmajic secures vital away win
Preston North End picked up their first Championship win in almost two months - and first away from home since early March - as they beat Cardiff City 2-0 on Wednesday night
On a bitterly cold Wednesday night in South Wales, the first 45 minutes were incredibly familiar for North End at the Cardiff City Stadium. With the exception of last season's visit, there has been a lot of forgettable football here for the Lilywhites and there wasn't much to warm anyone up in the opening exchanges..
A bright enough start was made by Preston, with former Bluebird loanee Josh Bowler - one of two changes on the night for PNE - carrying a threat on the right. He weaved his way inside and saw a shot pushed away by Jak Alnwick, while Liam Lindsay - the other player brought into the XI - headed a decent opportunity wide.
There was very little noise or atmosphere in the stadium and Omer Riza's men felt there for the taking, but they did gradually grow into the contest. Nine minutes from half-time, Jordan Storey had to time his slide perfectly and clear off the line, after Yakou Meite prodded the ball past Freddie Woodman - who did get a touch on the ball to take some sting out of it.
Both sides headed in with it goalless at the interval; Sam Greenwood having almost broken the deadlock with a wonder strike from distance in the final minute of the half. The match had all the feel of one that might only need one goal, for either team to nick the points they desperately craved.
North End boss Paul Heckingbottom probably felt his side were due a slice of luck, and on 48 minutes they got one - Cardiff may argue for the second time on the night, involving Frokjaer. The Dane, facing the hosts' net, opted to place an effort at goal and got the reward for doing so, as a deflection saw Calum Chambers turn the ball messily into his own net.
At that point, frustration started to build among the home faithful and PNE had the chance to go and put themselves in an even stronger position - against an opponent clearly lacking flow and quality. A few minutes after the deadlock breaker though, another goal saving clearance was required - this time from Jack Whatmough, as he headed Perry Ng's effort off the line.
Cardiff huffed and puffed, but struggled to create anything clear-cut for the remainder of the match; a Chris Willock effort late in the day whistled comfortably wide of Woodman's left hand post. The points were to be wrapped up in injury time, when Milutin Osmajic pounced on a Dimitrios Goutas error, rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home from a tight angle.
For Preston, three welcomed points in the league and a long overdue victory on the road. And, in the exact kind of style you will take all day long, when desperate to taste that winning feeling. A journey well made, too, for the hardy 200 or so souls in the away end.
PNE starting XI: Woodman; Storey, Whatmough, Lindsay, Kesler-Hayden (Brady 78’), Bowler (Potts 64’), McCann (c), Thordarson (Holmes 78’), Greenwood, Frokjaer (Whiteman 64’), Riis (Osmajic 78’). PNE unusued substitutes: Cornell, Bauer, Ledson, Keane.